Square Rigger original film

[Ribbit]

I did a search to see if this had been posted before, but didn't find it, so here's something that should give the sailing community a real thrill to see.

Footage of an 8000 ton square rigged vessel sailing from Australia to America, round Cape Horn (in 1929).

Part 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QysNj9Vx9Nk

Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFVPQC0Qnq4

[Orion Jim]

It's called "Around Cape Horn". The full movie is 37 minutes and was shot and narrated by the famous Irving Johnson. Well worth purchasing from Mystic Seaport.

[Don C L]

Great bit of film, thank you for that!

[Ribbit]

Originally Posted by Orion Jim

It's called "Around Cape Horn". The full movie is 37 minutes and was shot and narrated by the famous Irving Johnson. Well worth purchasing from Mystic Seaport.

Wow thanks OJ, I will look for that.

I love old film like this, like the one done riding on the tram in San Francisco, done shortly before the earthquake, and a similar one done just after the earthquake.

[Oldhippiesailer]

What unbelievable filming!!!

Thanks for posting!!

[SVTwilight]

This is a thrillimg film, especially when considering what it took at the time to

A) survive a voyage around the Cape

B) film the escapade with the bulky, sensitive gear of the period.

[redhead]

Wasn't this filmed aboard the Peking? It's sitting in South Street Seaport, Manhattan and I believe I saw this there.

[George DuBose]

That is the Peking and the film was made by Irving Johnson. What is missing is the beginning of the film where he speaks of his original motivation and the fitness training that he imposed on himself.

Riding old boneshaker bicycles and doing handstands on the cross beam of a telephone pole that had a rotten base, so he could simulate the rocking and pitching motion of being on the yard of a square rigger.

Great film, a real part of maritime history.

[Neo]

Thanks, really enjoyed that.

[coastalexplorer]

Irving and his wife exy Johnson are memorialized by the Los Angeles maritime institute sail training (topsail program) By having their ships named after them. Footage of these are also available on line for those who like seeing square sail in action. The movie you bring to attention gets dusted of often at sail training conferences but I do not grow tired of seeing it/

[ryon]

Originally Posted by coastalexplorer

Irving and his wife exy Johnson are memorialized by the Los Angeles maritime institute sail training (topsail program) By having their ships named after them. Footage of these are also available on line for those who like seeing square sail in action. The movie you bring to attention gets dusted of often at sail training conferences but I do not grow tired of seeing it/

They would be the Irving_Johnson and the Exy Johnson built identically, except for the color of their sheer stripes and bottom paint. This Wikipedia article of the Irving actually pictures the Exy, so don't believe everything you see on the internet!

Sailed 'em both, lucky me.

[ImaginaryNumber]

This appears to be the full film -- maybe even downloadable.

Around Cape Horn - Irving Johnson 1929

[captlloyd]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Irving Johnson mastered a ship at one time named ''Yankee''. The ship passed hands and the owner put it on a reef in Hawaii. Does anyone know if they ever got it off of that reef? It was a beautiful steel Briganteen, about 90ft. Could have happened on a more West Pacific island reef.

[Paul J. Nolan]

Magnificent.

Anyone who loves these films will also love The Way of a Ship by Alan Villiers.

I have a copy autographed by the author to my father 1955 Colombia Yacht Club, Chicago.

Paul

[donradcliffe]

Originally Posted by captlloyd

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Irving Johnson mastered a ship at one time named ''Yankee''. The ship passed hands and the owner put it on a reef in Hawaii. Does anyone know if they ever got it off of that reef? It was a beautiful steel Briganteen, about 90ft. Could have happened on a more West Pacific island reef.

The Yankee's last owner was the infamous Mike Burke of Windjammer cruises. He sent the boat off on a RTW expedition in 1964, but it dragged onto a reef in Rarotonga when most of the crew was partying ashore. The boat eventually broke up, and some of the crew married island girls.