Tall Ships America and Sebago
Sebago is proud to partner with Tall Ships America in celebrating the enduring traditions of seamanship, sail training, and life shaped by the sea.
Welcome back to our new Sebago feature, where we continue to shine a light on friends, partners, and organizations doing work that truly reflects our core values. In each issue, we highlight those dedicated to education and history, those preserving time-honored skills, and those who serve as a beacon for people who love sailing, the outdoors, and living the timeless Sebago way—rooted in tradition, craftsmanship, and life on the water.
For generations, tall ships have carried forward the spirit of adventure, discipline, and camaraderie that defines life on the water. Through our partnership with Tall Ships America, Sebago is honored to support the organizations and vessels that continue to pass these traditions on to new generations of sailors.
In the summer of 1972, Barclay Warburton III of Newport, Rhode Island, two of his children, and several friends sailed his brigantine Black Pearl across the Atlantic to participate in a tall ships race from Cowes on the south coast of England to Malmo in Sweden. This race was organized by what was then known as The International Sail Training Association. Warburton was so inspired by the enthusiasm and spirit he saw in that international gathering of tall ships and young people that he set out to bring the same kind of spirit to the United States. Through his efforts, the American Sail Training Association (ASTA) was founded in 1973 and became the first national association to formally affiliate with what is now known as Sail Training International.
Sail training began as a practical and effective way of training young men for careers in the navy or merchant marine. In the years since World War II it has drawn inspiration from the Outward Bound movement and a growing interest in the environment and maritime history. Different from learning to sail, sail training offers unique paths to adventure, personal growth, and education through the experience of sailing a tall ship. Each year more ships and programs are launched as schools, municipalities, museums, foundations, corporations, and individuals discover the almost limitless ways in which the sea and sailing ships can enrich the human experience.
Character development, teamwork, and building confidence are paramount lessons learned from time aboard a tall ship. Over the years, our mission has evolved to include ocean stewardship and education under sail. Our member vessels sail all over the world, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, and even our own inland seas, the Great Lakes. Their programming ranges from everything from evening sunset sails to microplastic research. We are proud to carry on the mission of our founder and are excited to bring traditional seamanship and maritime skills into the future.
PHOTO CREDIT: TALL SHIPS AMERICA
PHOTO CREDIT: TALL SHIPS AMERICA
PHOTO CREDIT: TALL SHIPS AMERICA
PHOTO CREDIT: TALL SHIPS AMERICA
