Ray Ashley News

The Spanish ship San Salvador is the embodiment of California’s origin story. The ship’s voyage in 1542, with Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at the helm, established California as one of the places in America’s landscape where we can say our country truly began. Nearly 500 years later, the Maritime Museum of San Diego has launched a full-sized, fully functional replica of the original galleon. The San Salvador was successfully lowered into the Pacific Ocean by Marine Group Boat Works of Chula Vista.

Maritime Museum of San Diego to ceremonially welcome Vietnam War-era Swift Boat P24, September 18, 2012, restoration work to follow. The event, to be attended by 35 Swift Boat Veterans and Mayor Jerry Sanders, among other dignitaries, takes place at the Museum located at 1492 Harbor Drive in downtown San Diego. It marks the first public appearance of the vessel acquired in July from the Republic of Malta. P24 was originally donated by the United States Navy to Malta’s Maritime Squadron in 1971. It continued in service to that country until being retired in 2010.

San Diego's Knight & Carver YachtCenter recently hosted the re-launch party for Pilot, a vintage 1914 Pilot-boat. More than 200 members of the San Diego Maritime Museum, plus supporters, friends and civic leaders attended the invitation-only ceremony. The event was held on the docks of Knight & Carver, located along San Diego Bay, several miles south of the Coronado Bridge. "We're extremely proud to have been selected to host this historic event," said Sampson A. Brown, chief executive officer of Knight & Carver. The 52-ft. Pilot will officially join the museum's fleet and is scheduled to begin hosting school groups on educational voyages around San Diego Bay early this summer.