Full Sail News

On September 12, the Royal Navy of Oman formally accepted ownership of its new sail training vessel at a ceremony at Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. The three-masted steel clipper, named RNOV Shabab Oman II, will sail the world’s oceans as an ambassador for Oman, demonstrating the country’s centuries-old maritime tradition. The 87-metre vessel is Damen's third such clipper, proving the value of Damen’s reliable craftsmanship and engineering. Among the guests at the ceremony were representatives of the Royal Navy of the Netherlands and Omani diplomats.

The 80-year-old four-masted bark Sea Cloud was built for the American entrepreneurial married couple Edward Hutton and Marjorie Merriweather Post but now offers trips blending magnificent natural beauty with ideal sailing grounds in which the legendary Sea Cloud and her crew can demonstrate their skill under full sail. Dates: San José/Costa Rica - San José/Costa Rica, 3 to 10 January/10 to 17 January 2013, 8 days from US$ 3,555 per person incl. shore excursions. Dates: Barbados-Barbados, 20 December 2012 to 3 January 2013, 15 days from US$ 8,725  per person incl.

The Port of Kiel opens its 2012 cruise shipping season on Saturday, March 31st. With a firework display to see her off, this year’s first guest, “AIDAcara,” will leave the port’s Ostseekai Terminal around 1700 for the Norwegian fiords. “We are well prepared and looking forward to the new season, which will, once again, be longer than last year,” said Dr. Dirk Claus, Managing Director of the Port of Kiel. Regular maintenance and overhaul work on gangways and operational areas was all completed punctually at the Ostseekai Terminal in time for the start of the new season. One new feature is that the terminal facility is now eco-powered – meaning that its electricity is 100 percent generated by water.

On Tuesday March 24, at 6:00pm, Confident Captain/Ocean Pros will be hosting Captain Will Sofrin who will be presenting his film entitled "Voyage of the Damned."  Captain Sofrin has experienced, survived, and made a movie about his unforgettable voyage from Newport, RI to San Diego, CA aboard the H.M.S. Rose. This film, nicknamed "Voyage of the Damned" by those who experienced it first hand, features extreme weather, dismasting under full sail, and other life threatening conditions about the 179 ft tall ship replica. On March 24, 2009 Captain Sofrin will be presenting a video that he has created from many hours of film shot during his treacherous voyage.

Norwegian shipowner Østensjø Rederi AS has placed an order with Voith Turbo Marine for two Voith Schneider Propellers (VSP) for a Platform Supply Vessel (PSV), a landmark order for the propulsion manufacturer as this is its first application on this vessel type. Designed by Norway’s Skipsteknis, the vessel will be built in Spain at Astilleros Gondan shipyard. The PSV is scheduled to begin working in the beginning of 2007. The PSV will be Dynamic Positioning (DP II) capable. According to the propulsion manufacturer, a PSV driven by two VSPs requires 10 to 20 percent less power, depending on the load conditions and the sailing speed, helping to save fuel and reduce maintenance. First model test series were carried out at Marintek in Trondheim, Norway, in February 2002.