Whether boldly voyaging to unexplored shores or anxiously awaiting a call to war, tall ships have long been an iconic symbol in American history. They have also made their mark on the Seacoast. In honor of the historic tall ships that are distinctive to the region’s maritime history, Portsmouth will welcome a pair of notable vessels in the 14th annual Sail Portsmouth event, hosted by the Piscataqua Maritime Commission.

Sail Portsmouth will be held at the Commercial Fishing Pier at Peirce Island from Thursday to Sunday, July 12 to 15, showcasing reproductions of two historic ships, the Pride of Baltimore II and the Providence. Portsmouth’s own gundalow, the Piscataqua, will also visit the port. Each ship will embark on several two-hour day-sails and a Parade of Sail, both of which will be open to the public. The ships will also be open for deck tours throughout the weekend.

“When you look at those tall ships tied up at the pier, and you look back at Strawbery Banke, it looks pretty much like it did 200 years ago,” said Donald Coker, chairman of the Piscataqua Maritime Commission.

Historically, Portsmouth was a prolific ship-building port on the East Coast because of its location in New Hampshire. According to Coker, the state was known for its abundance of white pine trees, which made strong, sturdy ship masts. Sail Portsmouth will emphasize the nautical history of the Great Bay and Piscataqua regions, as well as those of the visiting ships, he said.

“(Guests) will learn an enormous amount about the ships specifically,” Coker said. “Each ship will have its crew on board, educating people about the ship itself. They will learn about how it works and its history.”

The four-day festival will also feature costumed pirates, sea shanty singers, and fresh-off-the-boat seafood, Coker said. Miss New Hampshire 2012, Megan Lyman, will make an appearance for autographs and photos, he said.

“This is a community-wide event,” Coker said, adding that the PMC is partnering with local organizations such as Strawbery Banke Museum and the John Paul Jones House in Portsmouth for the festival. “It’s just so much to do and to see.”

But the main attraction, of course, is the ships. This year, the event’s two featured ships are replicas of warships whose maiden voyages took place centuries ago. The 157-foot Pride of Baltimore II is a reproduction based on the Chasseur, which first set sail in 1812 as a Baltimore clipper. The Providence—once captained by John Paul Jones—is a modern replica of the original sloop built in 1768. Both the Providence and the Pride have appeared in the event in the past, Coker said.

Fundamentally, the difference between the two ships is in their designs, Coker said.

“The Pride is kind of like the Ferrari of its day. It’s fast. It’s low to the water,” he said. “The Providence is bulkier. It’s not quite as sleek.”  

Though many replica ships come to the Seacoast during Sail Portsmouth, Coker said the festival has seen its share of originals. The Gazela, a tall ship commissioned in the 1880s, visited the event in 2006 and again in 2011. It’s one of the oldest functioning ships of its kind. The ship’s antiquity added an authenticity that the replicas have struggled to achieve, Coker said.

“The Gazela was a fishing boat,” he said, explaining that fish were once placed between layers of salt inside ships for preservation. “If you went down to the hole, wet your fingers and dragged them across the wood, then brought your fingers to your mouth, you could actually taste the salt. It was pretty cool.”

Despite the distinguishing factors that separate the original ships from the replicas, Coker said the reproductions are often more up-to-date and accommodating, yet still maintain the authentic allure of their predecessors.

“The newer ships are much, much better,” Coker said. “They are typically built true to the old vessels, but the old vessels didn’t have motors, refrigeration, or any modern amenities whatsoever.”

Unlike the original Pride, the replica, first launched and commissioned in 1988, contains a diesel and propane stove, and two engines that allow the ship to stay on schedule during its voyages.

But Captain Jamie Trost said he and his crew work to maintain the century-old sailing methods that would have been performed on the original vessel.

“In appearance and in function (the Pride) is mostly the same as it would have been in 1812,” Trost said. “There’s a lot of modern conveniences, but we try to practice the same seamanship.”

Events like Sail Portsmouth help keep the tradition of tall ships afloat, Trost said. He said he and his crew are looking forward to participating in the event, which takes place 600 miles from the Pride’s home port in Maryland.

“Portsmouth has a lot of different layers of history at a glance,” he said. “It’s evolved through the ages, and it’s great to bring a historically evocative ship into a port like that.”

According to Coker, the non-profit festival attracts people from ages “7 to 90” because of its attention to the culture and maritime history of the Seacoast. Coker said he believes another reason for the event’s appeal is the interest and fascination some people develop for the sea.

“JFK was once quoted as saying, ‘The reason we love the ocean is because the salinity of the ocean is exactly the same proportion as the amount of salinity in our blood,’” Coker said. “I’m thinking we are connected to the ocean. We may not realize it, but we are.”

Sail Portsmouth takes place from Thursday to Sunday, July 12 to 15. The Parade of Sail begins on Friday at 8:30 a.m. A Captains’ Reception will be held on Saturday evening at 7 p.m. For more information, visit sailportsmouth.org.