The sailing season is officially underway for Erie’s second tall ship, the Lettie G. Howard.
The vessel has provided the only historic sailing experience in Erie while the brig Niagara has been out of service for more than a year undergoing repairs and restoration. Now docked at Dobbins Landing, the Lettie G. Howard is once again welcoming passengers aboard for a summer of sailing on Presque Isle Bay.
Built in 1893, the vessel is one of the nation’s oldest surviving fishing schooners and is offering a variety of experiences, including day sails, sunset cruises, private charters, and corporate team-building events.
Captain Griffin Hayes said the season officially got underway at the end of May with a successful opening weekend.
“We opened up our public sails last weekend — May 30 was opening day and we had a wonderful sunset sail that day,” Hayes said. “Had a bunch of friends and family on board and a bunch of the public came sailing. It was awesome.”
Unlike many sightseeing cruises, passengers aboard the Lettie G. Howard are encouraged to become active participants in the sailing experience. Hayes said the ship operates with a small professional crew, allowing guests to help raise sails, handle lines, and learn the skills needed to operate a traditional tall ship.
“We operate with about four to five paid crew, so on a typical day sail we’ll have four people because we really want the passengers to get involved,” Hayes said. “We want people to get hands-on experience, get your hands on lines, help us set the sails, and really experience what it would have been like to set sail on a traditional tall ship like this.”
One of the season’s most anticipated events will take place during Erie’s Lights Over Lake Erie fireworks celebration on July 3. The schooner will offer passengers an unobstructed view of the display from the water.
“It’s a pretty neat opportunity to come down and not only sail on Lettie G. Howard, but then we’ll anchor, pick a nice spot, and enjoy the fireworks before heading back to the dock,” Hayes said.
The vessel has helped keep Erie’s tall ship tradition alive during Niagara’s absence, but Hayes said the crew is eager to welcome the region’s flagship back to the water.
“We’ve had an absolute blast sailing around, and we can’t wait for Erie’s other tall ship — Erie’s flagship — to come back,” he said.
The Lettie G. Howard will continue offering public sails throughout the summer season from its berth at Dobbins Landing, giving residents and visitors the opportunity to experience life aboard a working 19th-century tall ship.
The schooner is also expected to play a role in welcoming Niagara back to Erie. The Lettie G. Howard will join a parade of registered vessels and a fireboat scheduled to greet the flagship when it returns home exactly one month from now.
How soon Niagara will be able to sail herself will depend on how quickly the vessel can be fully rigged and when a permanent captain and crew can be hired.