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Boston Globe

Mayflower replica takes to the sea

Crew members aboard the Mayflower ll performing sail training off the coast of Plymouth on Wednesday. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Mayflower ll Captain Whit Perry took in a view of the ship. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Mayflower II is a reproduction that is 'as accurate as we can be,' he said. Advertisement The model, originally built in 1957 and restored in 2020, is based on a typical merchant vessel from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. Since there were no pictures back then, builders reconstructed the vessel from 'tiny details' left behind by the Pilgrims in their journals, notes, and books, Begley said. 'I just wish somebody on the Mayflower had a little bit of artistic talent. They could have left us a sketch,' Begley said. The Friday sail, which raised money for the ship's preservation, required plenty of preparation. Since the Mayflower replica has no engines, it's fully powered by the wind. The crew started with a few days of training on land — literally, 'learning the ropes,' Begley said. Advertisement Last weekend, museum visitors watched the crew practice setting up sail at the dock. Crew members climbed up the rigging and dropped the sails, which would then 'unfurl and billow in the wind,' according to Begley. 'We weren't going anywhere. But visitors, that day, got that sense of being out in the ocean,' he said. After on-land training, the crew practiced sailing at sea a few times. Begley hopes there will be more sails next summer. The event, he said, created an immersive historical experience for everyone, not just passengers. By sailing the boat, people can understand what life was like in 1620, Begley said. 'It just opens up this world of questions about our history, how we got here,' he said. The Mayflower ll performed sail training off the coast of Plymouth. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Passengers aboard the whale watch tour boat Capt. John & Son IV caught a glimpse of the Mayflower ll on its way to perform sail training off the coast of Plymouth on August 6, 2025. David L Ryan/ Globe Staff Jessica Ma can be reached at