Tall Ship S/V Denis Sullivan

The S/V Denis Sullivan

The S/V Denis Sullivan is a replica three-masted, wooden, gaff rigged schooner built entirely by volunteer labor in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She was a flagship of both the state of Wisconsin and of the United Nations Environment Program.  Her keel was laid in 1996 and she first set sail in 2000.

Due to the pandemic, the S/V Denis Sullivan had remained docked at Discovery World under the care of staff and volunteers. Discovery World continued to perform maintenance and restoration work. World Ocean School took possession of the Sullivan on September 15, 2022, sailing her through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, down the East Coast to her new port in Boston, then wintering in St. Croix.

The Sullivan has a feature page on the Tall Ships America website; it has been updated to reflect the change of ownership.

While it operated out of Milwaukee, the Sullivan enjoyed many musical programs along with its day sails, featuring “shanty sings” with David HB Drake.  Drake was one of the many volunteers who labored to construct the ship from the keel up.  Also entertaining from time-to-time was Captain Tom Kastle, who was a rated captain and commanded the ship occasionally.  Musician Rick Fitzgerald performed on the ship and served as an educator.  The Bounding Main crew filled in on a “shanty sing” early in their musical venture.  It is not known if the World Ocean School continues to invite maritime music performers to entertain and educate aboard the Sullivan today.

Some Statistics

Height: 95 ft (29 m)
Length: 137 ft (42 m) overall; 98 ft (30 m) on deck
Sail plan: Three-masted schooner, ten sails, 4,597 square feet (427.1 m2) total sail area