Rhode Island
The SSV Oliver Hazard Perry, Rhode Island’s future education-at-sea tall ship, took to the water Dec. 12 when it was launched at Sims Metal Management (formerly Promet Marine) in Providence, R.I., and towed about 18 miles to its new home at Senesco Marine in North Kingstown, R.I.
At Senesco, the non-profit organization Oliver Hazard Perry Rhode Island will continue building the 196-foot (sparred length) steel-hulled ship. “Up until now we’ve been mostly laying groundwork,” construction supervisor Rick Williams says. “This whole year [2011] has been devoted to welding, repairs and inspections, but now we are entering the real building stage. Senesco is where all the major construction will be taking place.”
By 2013 — once the deck, masts, rigging, sails and electronics have been added — the Oliver Hazard Perry will be the Ocean State’s flagship, sailing as a working vessel and supporting itself with education-at-sea programs. www.ohpri.org
This article originally appeared in the March 2012 issue.
