Galleries

Restoration of the Charles W. Morgan

Image No. 1 | The Mystic Seaport launches the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan into the waters of the Mystic River Sunday July 21, 2013 at the seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

The Mystic Seaport launches the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan into the waters of the Mystic River Sunday July 21, 2013 at the seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 2 | Workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Workers load several tons of lead ballast into the hold of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, July 15, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 3 | Shipwright Matt Barnes installs the billethead on the bow of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. The gold-leafed piece, a replacement for the ship's original decorative piece, was carved in 1991 by shipwright Roger Hambidge.

Shipwright Matt Barnes installs the billethead on the bow of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard. The gold-leafed piece, a replacement for the ship's original decorative piece, was carved in 1991 by shipwright Roger Hambidge.

Image No. 4 | Rigger Alex Peacock installs the wind vane atop the mizzen topmast of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Rigger Alex Peacock installs the wind vane atop the mizzen topmast of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 5 | Rigger Tim Reilly and lead rigger Matt Otto watch for a signal from rigger Alex Peacock atop the mizzen mast as they use the ship's windlass to raise the mizzen topmast on the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Rigger Tim Reilly and lead rigger Matt Otto watch for a signal from rigger Alex Peacock atop the mizzen mast as they use the ship's windlass to raise the mizzen topmast on the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 6 | Riggers work to raise the mizzen topmast of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Riggers work to raise the mizzen topmast of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Wednesday, May 7, 2014 at the Mystic Seaport's H.B. duPont Preservation Shipyard.

Image No. 7 | Shelly Larsen and Gary Anderson put a second coat of primer on the lettering across the transom of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Shelly Larsen and Gary Anderson put a second coat of primer on the lettering across the transom of the whaleship Charles W. Morgan Monday, June 10, 2013 at the Mystic Seaport H.B. DuPont Preservation Shipyard as work continues on the 19th century whaleship.

Shipwrights Walt Ansel and Sean P. Kelly work to drill a hole for one of the modern pumps into the hull of the Morgan June 10, 2013.

Image No. 9 | Lead shipwright Rob Whalen puonds a spike to anchor the butt-end of a hull plank ending at the bow stem of the Morgan, Wednesday, March 28, 2012.

Lead shipwright Rob Whalen puonds a spike to anchor the butt-end of a hull plank ending at the bow stem of the Morgan, Wednesday, March 28, 2012.

Image No. 10 | Shipwrights work on the Morgan in August 2012. The $12 million project to restore the last wooden whaling ship has been in progress for more than five years.

Shipwrights work on the Morgan in August 2012. The $12 million project to restore the last wooden whaling ship has been in progress for more than five years.

Image No. 11 | Shipwright Matt Barnes sweeps up after he and Jamie Kirschner, not pictured, fashioned ?feathers? on Jan. 27, 2014, to fill the gaps in the deck planking in the blubber room of the Morgan.

Shipwright Matt Barnes sweeps up after he and Jamie Kirschner, not pictured, fashioned ?feathers? on Jan. 27, 2014, to fill the gaps in the deck planking in the blubber room of the Morgan.

Image No. 12 | Rigger Sarah Clement applies a coating of pine tar over the marline wrapping over a wire rope shroud of the standing rig of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan in the ropewalk at Mystic Seaport Thursday, September 12, 2013. The process, known as worming, parcelling and serving begins when small strands of rope, called

Rigger Sarah Clement applies a coating of pine tar over the marline wrapping over a wire rope shroud of the standing rig of the 19th century whaleship Charles W. Morgan in the ropewalk at Mystic Seaport Thursday, September 12, 2013. The process, known as worming, parcelling and serving begins when small strands of rope, called "worms" are wrapped around the wire rope core to smooth it out. Then the shroud is "parceled" by wrapping it with tar-dipped canvas strips and finally it is "served" by being tightly wound with hemp "marline" (twine) and then tarred again.

The restored Morgan awaits its 38th voyage on May 1.

The Morgan, the last remaining wooden whaling ship remaining and the oldest American commercial vessel still in existence as well as a National Historic Landmark, was re-launched in July of 2013 and will embark on its 38th voyage, a tour of historic New England ports, this summer.