Their goal is to transform the Apollonia into the Hudson Valley region’s largest carbon-neutral merchant vessel. Powered by wind and used vegetable oil, the Apollonia will transport her cargo to and from New York City sustainably. This is not a living-history project trying to make the past “come alive”. Instead, they are part of a growing sail-freight movement committed to proving that sailing cargo vessels are not only still relevant, but are in fact intelligent solutions.
Most forms of transportation work against natural forces, using engines and machinery to overcome inertia, friction, and gravity, excluding the influence of the elements as much as possible. Moving in a sailboat depends on your harmony with the forces of nature; you’re not overcoming the forces of nature, but moving with them.
– Jan Adkins The Craft of Sailing
The Apollonia, a 64 foot steel hulled schooner, was designed by J Murray Watts and built in 1948 at the American Electric Welding Company in Baltimore MD. She was built to be a gaff-rigged schooner- the same type that commonly sailed the Hudson over 150 years ago delivering goods. Built from ¼” steel plating, with a 15 foot beam and only drawing 6 feet of water- this rugged design is ideal for freight work. This vessel is designed to be sailed by a small crew and the steel hull will be inexpensive to maintain, by boating standards.
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