Pride of Baltimore was an authentic reproduction of a typical early 19th-century Baltimore clipper topsail schooner, designed to embody the classic maritime style of the famed privateer vessels of the War of 1812. Constructed under the oversight of master shipwright Melbourne Smith and designed by Thomas Gillmer, the vessel was built next to the Maryland Science Center on the western shoreline of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. It was launched on 27 February 1977, with Congresswoman Barbara Mikulski performing the ceremonial launch, and commissioned two months later by Mayor William Donald Schaefer. The schooner featured a traditional Baltimore clipper design characterized by heavily raked masts, a sleek hull, and a rigging configuration that included ten sails, such as two large gaff sails, a main gaff topsail, three headsails, and a square topsail with a flying topgallant. Uncommon for modern vessels, Pride of Baltimore also flew studding sails, stun's'ls, and a unique ring-tail sail, reflecting the historical rigging of the era. During its nine years of active service, Pride of Baltimore sailed over 150,000 nautical miles, visiting ports along the Eastern Seaboard, the Great Lakes, the Caribbean, the West Coast of North America, and European ports across the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and Mediterranean. Its voyages commemorated Baltimore’s maritime heritage and served as a goodwill ambassador for the city and state of Maryland. Tragically, the vessel was lost at sea on 14 May 1986 when a microburst squall struck while returning from the Caribbean, causing her to capsize 250 nautical miles north of Puerto Rico. The captain and three crew members died, with eight others rescued after floating in a life raft for over four days. A memorial at Rash Field in Baltimore honors those lost. In 1988, Pride of Baltimore II was commissioned as her successor, built to contemporary standards but styled after the original Baltimore clipper. The newer vessel has continued the legacy, sailing nearly 200,000 miles, and showcasing the historic design and maritime spirit of Baltimore’s clipper ships.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.