Tall Ship HMS Bounty Haul Out

The MaineSail Journal: Tall Ship HMS Bounty Haul Out

The MaineSail Journal

Tall Ship HMS Bounty Haul Out

By Doug Mills    

    It's not often that great moments happen on such a beautiful day and even more rare when you have a front row seat. Today the tall ship HMS Bounty, star of many movies, was brought ashore in Boothbay Harbor, Maine.

    Tucked away on a quaint winding street lined with small shops is the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard. Today it is the host to one of the worlds most famous and beloved tall ships, the HMS Bounty. For fifty two years the Bounty has thrilled young and old, staring in “Mutiny on the Bounty”, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Mans Chest' and “Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End” as well as in person around the world. This is Bounty's third visit to the Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in her lifetime.

    The haul out is scheduled for 11:00Am. We arrive at the shipyard a little after 10:00Am to find the Bounty Tied up at the dock ready for her big day. Just after 11 the cradle starts to move out toward the Bounty. It is no small task to haul a 180' 400 ton ship out of the water. Two hours of pushing, pulling, checking alignment and pushing and pulling some more, before the Bounty is ready for her journey to dry land.

It is after 1:00pm before the railway starts to move slowly toward the land. If you have not seen a ship of this size hauled out there is no was to describe the feeling as she comes out of the water. I have seen many a historic boat hauled out, but the Bounty is by far the largest. There was a cheer and applause as the railway came to a stop and Bounty was safely on dry land.