Famous Ships to See or Set Sail

Whether your private boat slip rental is in New England, New Orleans or the Florida Keys, coastal locations provide the chance to visit historic ships and experience the nautical past of a location. There are even some ships that offer sunset cruises and overnight excursions. Let’s get going … battleships, schooners, steamboats and riverboats are waiting!

When and If Sailing Schooner

Key West, Florida / Salem, Massachusetts

Sturdy, comfortable and built for speed, the When and If features the classic beauty of teak decks, bronze fixtures and majestic sails. The 1939 wooden sailing schooner was designed and built for General George S. Patten by Naval architect John G. Alden. Patton’s quote (and the way her name came about) went something like this, “When the war is over, and if I live through it, Bea and I are going to sail her around the world.”

Patton passed away in 1945, but the When and If still participates in recreational races and offers day cruises, snorkel excursions and sunset sails. She winters in Key West, Florida and summers in Salem, Massachusetts.

U.S.S. Constellation

Photo: Wikimedia

Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore is within easy access to private boat dock rentals on the Patapsco River or the Chesapeake Bay. The Inner Harbor features a wide variety of attractions, museums and historic ships, including our next one.

Located at Pier 1 in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, the U.S.S. Constellation is about 200 feet long and has 22 guns and three masts. Known as a sloop-of-war, the sailing ship was built in 1854. She was the last warship built and designed by the Navy that was powered only by sails. She’s also the last Civil War vessel that’s still floating.

The ship is a National Historic Landmark and functions as a museum offering exhibits, photographs, documents, tours and educational and overnight programs. Four decks are open for exploration: the top (spar deck) is where sailing operations took place, the gun deck has the gun battery as well as the Captain’s Cabin and the galley, the berth deck is where the crew lived and the hold is where food, water and gear were kept.

USS Wisconsin – BB64

Photo: David/Flickr/CreativeCommons

Norfolk, Virginia

Norfolk’s waterfront is a prime destination from private boat slips for rent along the Chesapeake Bay, Intracoastal Waterway (ICW) or the Elizabeth River. It’s also the home of Naval Station Norfolk, headquarters and home port of the Navy’s Fleet Forces Command. If you’re into maritime or military history, this is the place to be.

The USS Wisconsin is located at Nauticus, the National Maritime Center in downtown Norfolk, Virginia. An Iowa-class battleship, she was first launched in 1943 and served in WWII, the Korean War and Operation Desert Storm where she won dozens of battle stars and awards. Learn all about the ship’s history and climb aboard the deck. The massive ship is 887 feet long, 108 feet wide at the beam and has nine 16-inch guns and 20 5-inch guns as well as anti-aircraft weapons. Her deep V-shaped berth is an imposing sight along the waterfront.

Steamboat Natchez  

New Orleans, Louisiana

There’s just something about a Mississippi Riverboat cruise that makes a trip to New Orleans complete. The steam-powered sternwheeler design of the Natchez combines modern engineering with the style and authenticity of an early era steamboat.

The Steamboat Natchez departs from the Toulouse Street Wharf in the French Quarter. Choose from a brunch or lunch buffet complete with a jazz band playing in the background. You could also do a sunset sail. Be sure to check out the engine rooms, boiler room and big red paddle wheel as well as views of the Big Easy skyline and the Crescent City Connection Bridge.

While the Natchez isn’t as historic as some (she was first launched in 1975), her engines are. The four engines and the steering gear came from the Steamboat Clairton (circa 1925) - which pushed coal and steel in West Virginia - in 1974 when the New Orleans Steamboat Company purchased the Clairton and towed it south.

SS American Victory Ship and Museum

Photo: Wikipedia Public Domain

705 Channelside Drive

Tampa, Florida 33602

Looking for things to do from your private boat lift rental in Tampa Bay? The SS American Victory Ship is a great choice. Located near the Florida Aquarium and the Port Tampa Bay Cruise Terminal (along the Tampa Riverwalk), she’s 455 feet long with a 62-foot beam. Built in 1945, she’s been out of service since 1969 and functions as a ship museum.

On the National Register of Historic Places, the SS American Victory is one of only four operational ships from WWII. Guided and self-guided tours are offered. Check out the gigantic engine room, at seven decks high, as well as the crew quarters and the galley. You can also visit the cargo holds, the flying bridge and the radio rooms. Twice a year, Relive History Cruises are offered.

African Queen Steamboat

Marina del Mar Marina (mile-marker 100 at the Holiday Inn)

Key Largo, Florida

Now it’s time for some movie memorabilia. The African Queen Steamboat was used in the 1951 movie The African Queen starring Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn. After spending time in San Francisco and Oregon, she made her way to Florida. In 1983, a new owner began selling rides to visitors in Key Largo. The novelty took off and has been going strong ever since. Cruises sail through the Port Largo Canal, toward the Atlantic, and back.

Built in 1912 in Lytham, England, she spent her pre-movie life along the Ruki River in the Democratic Republic of Congo where she carried missionaries, mercenaries and hunting parties. Originally named the Livingstone, she was renamed after the movie and is a National Historic Site.

Interesting trivia: The film was the basis for Walt Disney World’s Jungle Cruise ride. It earned Bogart an Oscar and Hepburn her fifth Academy Award nomination.

Whether you’re a maritime history buff or just need a reason to board a boat, we hope this list has given you some ideas for your next day trip.