ST/V (Sailing Training Vessel) Irving Johnson is named in honor of sail training pioneer Irving Johnson, whose world travels aboard the ketch Yankee were featured in many National Geographic Society articles and television specials. Distinguished by a blue stripe along her side, Irving Johnson is a duplicate to sister ship ST/V Exy Johnson. Irving was completed about two months prior to Exy and was first to unfurl her sails and head for the open ocean in January, 2003.

ST/V Exy Johnson is named in honor of Irving Johnson's wife and travel companion. Identified by a red stripe along her side, Exy Johnson was completed and entered service with the Los Angeles Maritime Institute in April, 2003.

Exy is currently on a series of local sail training trips as her crew prepare for a busy summer in the TopSail Youth Program.

About the Twin Brigantines

Construction of the Twin Brigantines began in December, 2000 at the Brigantine Boatworks, a temporary boat yard set up adjacent to the Los Angeles Maritime Museum in San Pedro, California. They were built by hand using a combination of traditional and modern wooden ship building methods. Master Ship Builder Alan Rawl was in charge of construction, directing the efforts of hundreds of people, many of them volunteers, during the three year long project.

Today both vessels serve with the Los Angeles Maritime Institute providing sail training adventures to "at risk" youth in Southern California. From time to time, TopSail Expedition Voyages are offered as part of the Institute's fund raising activity.

It was a labor of love to build this site and document the construction effort. I want to express my appreciation to Alan Rawl and the L.A. Maritime Institute for allowing me unrestricted access to the ship yard during this time.

The Webmaster.

NEW UPDATE: CREW SHOT!

(July, 2007) I've just come across a scan of a photo Jan Schreckengost took of the entire construction crew. It's a large photo (236KB) so give it a minute to pop up. Enjoy!

BRIGANTINES SAIL TOGETHER

On July 26, 2003, the Twin Brigantines were taken out for their first photo session together, under full sail. See them here.

exy's first sail

On April 11th SS/V Exy Johnson was completed and unfurled her sails off the Southern California coast.

irving's first sail

Join us for her January "Builder's Sea Trial" as Irving Johnson sails for the first time.

port visits: irving johnson

On her maiden voyage, Irving visited Morro Bay and Monterrey. More details are in Events.

Status of Brigantines.Com
We're updating the site after an absence of a few years. Please send me an email if you notice anything broken! The site went offline in 2004 due to a lack of funds to support it, but we've recently found a way to restore and (eventually) bring it up to date. Thanks for your patience as I work to clean things up!