Lettie G. Howard gets newly-repaired mast, prepares for upcoming sail season
The Lettie G. Howard is poised to set sail again.
With its newly-repaired mainmast installed and raised Wednesday, the historic schooner can now undergo a U.S. Coast Guard inspection July 12 before embarking on its first sunset sail of the season July 13.
Billy Sabatini, executive director and fleet captain at Erie's Flagship Niagara League, said he was "feeling great" about the new season.
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"We just want to get out there and do what we do and allow people to see Erie in a new light, getting on the water and looking at our community as a maritime-based city," he said.
What needed to be repaired?
Sabatini said the top part of the mainmast had rotted and needed to be replaced. The repairs were a two-month process led by Adam Stanisz, carpenter for the Lettie G. Howard and U.S. Brig Niagara.
With the mainmast — the tallest mast on the ship — now in place, the rigging team will begin installing lines and sails in preparation for the Coast Guard inspection July 12, according to the Flagship Niagara League.
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Sabatini said the carpentry team will now focus on replacing the schooner's foremast, the mast nearest the ship's bow. He said a new foremast has already arrived in Erie from Maine via Team Hardinger, an Erie-based transportation and warehousing company.
"It should be in by the end of summer," he said, adding the Lettie G. Howard can still sail without a foremast.
What is the Lettie G. Howard's sailing schedule?
The Lettie G. Howard will be sailing daily from Dobbins Landing through October.
It will also visit two other ports, Ashtabula, Ohio, for their Wine and Walleye Festival on July 22-24 and Port Colborne, Ontario, for their Canal Days Maritime Heritage Festival on Aug. 4-6.
A sailing schedule can be viewed at sailfnl.org.
How do I book a ticket? What's the price?
Visit sailfnl.org to book a ticket or call 833-365-7245 for more information.
An hour and a half day sail costs $30 for adults, 13 years old or older; $20 for children, 12 years old or younger.
A two-hour sunset sail or full moon sail costs $40 for adults, 13 years old or older; $30 for children, 12 years old or younger.
Flagship Niagara League members receive a $5 discount on adult tickets.
How do I support the Flagship Niagara League?
Sabatini said the Flagship Niagara League recently launched its "All Hands on Deck" fundraising campaign to support its mission, its programs and its future.
"It's really important that we have the community support, " he said. "And one of the best ways to do that is to buy tickets and go sailing on Lettie G. Howard."
The public can also donate directly to the Flagship Niagara League by visiting its website at sailfnl.org.
"So many people, both residents here in Erie and the tourists, are here to experience everything we have. And a big part of that is Lettie G. Howard sailing off on Dobbins Landing," Sabatini said.
The Lettie G. Howard was built in Essex, Massachusetts in 1893. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
A.J. Rao can be reached at arao@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNRao.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Lettie G. Howard gets newly-repaired mast, ready to set sail July 13
