Now the Spirit's a real schooner

Heavy lifting, careful choreography combine to set foremast in place

No longer does the Spirit of South Carolina hide among the barges at Charleston Boatworks.

Instead, the ship's 90-foot masts stand tall among the tugboats and barges, demanding the attention of all who walk around the docks or who pass by sail.

Charleston Heavy Lift and the Spirit crew lifted or "stepped" the 6,400 pound foremast made of laminated Douglas fir on Thursday morning, and the heavyweight operation of precise physics ran smoothly.

A large crane, locked onto a barge, carried the spar to the ship's deck and about 12 people centered the mast in place. Once the mast was lowered over a South Carolina quarter for good luck, the crew hammered in wedges to keep the spar in place and tethered the shrouds and stays to the ships sides, fore and aft.

Captain Tony Arrow had visited the ship at 3 and 6 a.m. out of "nervous mother syndrome" to make sure the winds were not damaging the ship's new mast. Volunteers have been keeping watch at the ship each night and now a professional crew member will also join the rotation.

Master shipwright Mark Bayne said he felt relief to see the $4 million project nearing her final form.

"Now it's not a power boat," he said. "It's now officially a schooner."

The S.C. Maritime Foundation began building the 140-foot-long tall ship about seven years ago to be used as an educational vessel for students across the state. The ship will be ready to take student day trips this fall, if all goes as planned. Arrow said the ship could be docked at the downtown harbor by May 2 and sails could be rigged in time for the May 17-20 Charleston Maritime Festival.

Reach Jamie McGee at 745-5856 or jmcgee@postandcourier.com.