Mayflower II
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The Mayflower II is a replica of the 1620 ship Mayflower, built in Devon, England in the mid 1950s by Englishman Warwick Charlton. In 1957, in a re-creation of the original voyage, it was sailed across the Atlantic Ocean.
The ship was built in the town of Brixham at the Upham Shipyard and financed by private donations in England. Charlton built the ship as a symbol of the historic friendship between England and the United States.
Within a few details (including the addition of electric lighting and the replacement of the ladder to the lower deck with a staircase), the ship is considered to be a faithful replica, with solid oak timbers, tarred hemp rigging, and hand-colored maps. The ship is 25 feet wide and 106 feet long, with a displacement of 236 tons. She has 4 masts, including a mainmast, foremast, mizzen and sprit, has a total of 6 sails.
The ship made the 1957 voyage under the command of Alan Villiers. Afterwards, Villiers and his crew received a ticker-tape parade in New York City.
The ship is seaworthy and has made voyages to Providence, Rhode Island, as recently as 2002. It is currently on display and available for tours near Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The ship is owned by Plimouth Plantation.
External link
- Official Site (http://www.plimoth.org/visit/what/mayflower2.asp)