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Stavros S Niarchos is a British brig-rigged tall ship, now renamed "Sunset". She was previously owned and operated by the Tall Ships Youth Trust (TSYT). She was primarily designed to provide young people with the opportunity to undertake voyages as character-building exercises, rather than pure sail-training. She was also used for adult voyages and holidays, which helped subsidise the operation of the ship.[1]
In the late 1990s the two schooners (Malcolm Miller and Sir Winston Churchill) then owned by the Tall Ships Youth Trust (then called the Sail Training Association (STA)) were showing their age and becoming increasingly expensive to maintain. The hulls for the two new brigs (Stavros S Niarchos and her sister ship, Prince William) were obtained half-completed from another project in Germany. These were transported to Appledore Ship Yards in Devon, where they were modified to the TSYT's requirements, and fitted out. She was completed in January 2000. The rig was designed by Michael Willoughby, who wrote a few comments on the overall design of the brigs.[2] The Stavros S Niarchos was named after Greek philanthropist Stavros Niarchos whose Foundation Trust funded the vessel.[3]
Following completion of sea trials she was handed over to the STA at Avonmouth Docks. She sailed for her maiden voyage, a training voyage for permanent and volunteer crew, on 13 February 2000. She arrived in Weymouth, UK three days later.
During that trip she encountered a south westerly gale as she came round Land's End. She achieved an indicated speed through the water of under lower tops'ls and fore topmast stays'l alone.
In January 2006 Stavros S Niarchos rescued the two women crew from a vessel taking part in the 2005 Atlantic Rowing race.[4] The rescue was made in heavy weather, with the assistance of a USCG Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. In late 2006 TSYT Captain Darren Naggs was awarded the Thomas Gray Silver Medal of the Marine Society, for exemplary seamanship during the rescue.[5]
Stavros S Niarchos is a brig, that is a two masted vessel with square sails on both masts. She carries five yards on each mast (moving up: Course, Lower Topsail, Upper Topsail, Topgallant and Royal), and a total of 18 sails. In good conditions she has managed speeds of just over .
Stavros S Niarchos (and her sister ship, Prince William) normally sail with a crew of up to 67 people. The crew consists of 6 permanent salaried crew, 11 to 13 volunteer crew and up to 48 voyage crew. The voyage crewmembers, those paying to sail on the ship, are divided into three watches (Red, White and Blue) of 16. Each of these watches has a Watch Leader from the volunteer crew. The remaining crew are assigned as follows:
Permanent crew:
Volunteer crew:
On youth voyages the two Youth Mentors (YMs) are responsible for the various entertainment activities and competitions as well helping with any problems young people aboard may have. They are usually professionally qualified teachers or youth workers.
The 2 or 3 deckhands act as assistants to the bosun and as such are mostly concerned with the cleaning and maintenance of the ship.
In November 2011, the Tall Ships Youth Trust announced plans to sell Stavros S Niarchos, its last remaining tall ship, to focus on smaller vessels. Much of this is due to the high cost of running a vessel of such size due to pilotage charges and mooring fees for a vessel over 400 tonnes. This has become a contentious issue with the trust and its supporters where some see this as the abandonment of the tall ships for yachts within the trust. For others this is a return to the days of Sir Winston Churchill and Malcolm Miller which as smaller vessels didn't incur these charges and perhaps had better sailing and penetration and operation within UK sailing ports and waters. Although the schooners were smaller, some say they ran a much better programme and fulfilled the mandate of the former Sail Training Association, before it became TSYT.
The ship will continue in operation until a buyer is found, which the Trust expects to take several years based on their experience of selling Prince William.[6] [7]
The ship was sold at auction on 30 September 2017 by C.W. Kellock & Co. Ltd., a London-based ship broker. It is no longer part of the Tall Ships Youth Trust fleet. On 16 October 2017, the ship's AIS broadcast name changed to "Sunset".[8]