Ship profile for the sailing ship: "Western Union"
Technical data of the sailing ship:
| Name: | Western Union |
| Ex-names: | La Amistad, New Way |
| Registered port: | Key West, Florida |
| Nation: | USA |
| Type of rigging: | SCHONER |
| Type of ship: | Gaffelschoner |
| Year built: | 1939 |
| Yard: | H. Elroy Arch, Thompson Enterprises, Key West, USA |
| Overall length: | 39.62 m |
| Length (hull): | 28.00 m |
| Breadth: | 7.00 m |
| Draught: | 2.40 m |
| Sail area: | 477 m2 |
| Ship's hull: | Holz / Wood |
| Power: | 220 PS |
| Engine: | 2 x 110 PS General Motors |
Portrait of the sailing ship:
Last update: 21 Apr 2002
- built and launched 1939 by Herbert Elroy Arch, Thompson Enterprises, in Key West, Florida, patterned after the schooners used in Key West in the 1800's.
- owned by the Western Union Thompson Fish Company and leased by the Western Union Telegraph Company she served reliably as a cable repair vessel between 1939 and 1974.
- 1974 she was converted into a passenger vessel, captained until 1976 by John Krause (Western Union), later also used as a film vessel "La Amistad", participated the Opsail 1976 in New York.
- 1984 acquired by Vision Quest National, Ltd. from Philadelphia and used to redirect troubled youths, renamed to "New Way".
- 1997 purchased by Historic Tours of America, she became the flagship of Key West, available for dockside tours, day sailing trips, special charter.
- she is a National Historic Landmark.
Contact:
Website (English, 20 Sep 2007):http://www.schoonerwesternunion.org/
Schooner Western Union: history and a photos
Literature for further reading:
We recommend the following references for your further research of the ship. The references marked with have been included in the generation of the ship profile on this page.
American Sail Training Association (ASTA)
"Sail Tall Ships! A Directory of Sail Training and Adventure at Sea"
2000 ISBN: 0-9636483-5-7
(12th Edition)
Page: 260 Source with picture Source with history Source with technical data Quelle with contact
Otmar Schäuffelen
"Die letzten grossen Segelschiffe"
Delius Klasing Verlag 1997 ISBN: 3-7688-0483-6
(9. aktualisierte Auflage)
Page: 350 Source with picture Source with history Source with technical data
(ex-Name New Way)
Otmar Schäuffelen
"Die letzten grossen Segelschiffe"
Delius Klasing Verlag 2002 ISBN: 3-7688-0483-6
(10. aktualisierte und erweiterte Auflage)
Page: 398 Source with picture Source with history Source with technical data
(ex-Name New Way)