HudsonRiver Historic Boat Restoration & Sailing Society Inc.

Help Send Historic Sloop Eleanor to Join the Tall Ships Parade 2026

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Historic Sloop Eleanor, listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places, plans to join the Tall Ships Parade when it graces the Hudson River and New York Harbor for the observance and commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States as part of Sail 4th 250th.

But we can’t do that without your help!

Eleanor must have serious restoration work to make the journey and meet maritime standards for inclusion in the event.

Estimated cost of restoration to meet the Secretary of Interior’s Standards to replace the stem on Eleanor’s bow is $16,000.

Eleanor is an historic gem of the Upper Hudson Valley, berthing in Catskill and wintering in Philmont. The sloop is owned and maintained by the nonprofit Hudson River Historic Boat Restoration and Sailing Society Inc. (HR Historic Boat), an all-volunteer membership organization committed to maintaining Sloop Eleanor and enriching the legacy of the Hudson River Region and the maritime history of the United States.

Repair Work

The Secretary of Interior’s Standards will be followed this fall (2024) and early next year (2025) to replace the stem on Eleanor’s bow.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook to see the progress on the repairs.

History

The Eleanor was built in 1903 and was owned by the famed Livingston Family from 1927-1952 when she was purchased by Philip Egan. Upon his death in 1998, the boat was left to his children who launched the HR Historic Boat nonprofit in 2010. As one of the last surviving examples of a class of boats known as “raceabouts” designed for speed, the Eleanor represents a unique chapter in the evolution of sailing. (One other raceabout, The Kid, restored in 2017, makes its home in the Chesapeake Bay.)

Eleanor has sailed and participated in other historical and charitable events including New York Harbor Festival ’77 and ’79, Operation Sail ’86, Albany Port Fest ’89, Relief for World Hunger.

Please make contributions to help pay for this work completed by Chris O’Reilly, Shipwright. This is an Historic Preservation project to ensure that Eleanor remains on the list of National Historic Vessels.

More About the Eleanor

– A vessel 105+ years in age with materials of mahogany, oak, cedar, iron, and copper will provide invaluable restoration experience for master craftsmen and apprentices.

– Length-to-sail-area ratio and ability to come about in less than her own length that inspires design today, much as Clinton Crane was inspired in designing Eleanor, and the 12-meters, Gleam (America’s Cup Selections ‘58, Opera House Cup Winner ’79 & ‘85) and Seven Seas (Cannes Royal Regatta ‘98).

Click here for more information and membership.