CT Maritime Festival 2026 Vessels

USCGC Eagle

USCGC Eagle, formerly Horst Wessel and also known as Barque Eagle, is a 295-foot barque used as a training cutter for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. She is one of only two active commissioned sailing vessels in the United States military today, along with USS Constitution.

Harvey Gamage

The Harvey Gamage was built in 1973 at the Harvey F. Gamage Shipyard in South Bristol, Maine. Designed by naval architects McCurdy & Rhodes, she represents the finest traditions of Maine wooden boatbuilding and has served as an educational vessel for more than five decades.

Named after one of Maine’s legendary shipbuilders, Harvey Gamage carries forward the tradition of using the sea as a classroom. The schooner was specifically designed for educational purposes, with accommodations for students and crew, classroom space, and facilities for marine science research.

Over the past 50 years, thousands of students have learned seamanship, navigation, and marine science aboard the Harvey Gamage. Today, she continues this proud tradition as the platform for the Marine Learning Project’s Discovery Voyages program.

Don’t miss this rare opportunity to step aboard, explore, and sail on a piece of maritime history during the Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival!

A sailing excursion will be offered each evening, Friday through Sunday.

Denis Sullivan

Denis Sullivan is a three-masted wooden gaff-rigged schooner originally from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The only existing replica of a 19th-century Great Lakes schooner. It will be available for tours

USCG MH-60T Helicopter

Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod, situated at Joint Base Cape Cod, flies three Sikorsky MH-60T all-weather, medium-range helicopters for search and rescue, law enforcement, environmental protection, and homeland security missions throughout the waters of New England. The MH-60T is typically operated by two pilots, a flight mechanic, and a rescue swimmer. The helicopter features digital glass cockpit instruments, surface search radar and electro-optical and infrared sensors, and engines standard with the Department of Defense’s H-60 fleet. Air Station Cape Cod also operates EADS HC-144 Ocean Sentry fixed-wing aircraft.

Training Vessel (T/V) Shuman

The Training Vessel (T/V) Shuman is a 65-foot training platform operated by the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT. Originally a survey boat for the Army Corps of Engineers, it is now used to teach cadets hands-on nautical science, navigation, and underway seamanship on the Thames River.

Key Details About T/V Shuman:

• Role: Cadets use the vessel for real-world practice, taking visual bearings of landmarks, learning ship handling, and building basic seamanship skills.
• Mission: It frequently hosts freshman (fourth-class) cadets and NOAA Corps trainees for short training transits.

Will be available for dockside tours

USCG 45ft Response Boat-Medium (RBM)

U.S. Coast Guard Station New London operates one 45ft RB-M. The RB-M is a multi-mission platform ideal for a range of Coast Guard missions such as Search and Rescue, Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security, and Law Enforcement. The 45ft vessel is powered by twin inboard diesel engines with 1,650 horsepower propelling the vessel 40+ knots using water jets. The RB-M can handle up to 12ft seas, 50kt winds, and is self-righting.  It is the primary asset for conducting hoist operations with helicopters, can be outfitted with mounted automatic weapons for security missions, and has a towing capacity of 100 tons.

USCG 29ft Response Boat-Small II (RBS II)

U.S. Coast Guard Station New London operates two 29ft RB-S II. The RBS II is an agile boat suited for all Coast Guard missions. Powered by twin 225 horsepower outboards the RB-S II can reach speeds of 45+ knots, and its small draft makes it ideal for shallow water responses. The RB-S II can operate in up to 6 ft seas, can be outfitted with mounted automatic weapons for security missions, and has a towing capacity of 10 tons.

Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) New London’s harbor security boats (HSBs)

Naval Submarine Base (SUBASE) New London’s harbor security boats (HSBs) guard the waterways in the vicinity of the base. The HSBs are 27 feet long, have twin outboard engines that produce a total of 450 horsepower, and can reach speeds of 40 knots. The boats weigh 8,000 pounds when fully fueled and armed, and are manned by two Sailors. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Tristan B. Lotz/Released)

Kings Point – A Tug Boat

Built in 2014, by the Chesapeake Shipbuilding Corporation of Salisbury, Maryland (hull #116) as the Kings Point for the Vane Brothers Company of Baltimore, Maryland. Named for Kings Point, which is a village and a part of Great Neck in Nassau County, New York. On the North Shore of Long Island.
Powered by two, Tier III complaint, Caterpillar 3512 diesel engines. With Twin Disc MG 6500 reduction gears, at a ratio of 6.04:1. Turning two, Rolls Royce, Troost, 87(in), four bladed, fixed pitch, propellers. She is a twin screw tug, rated at 3,000 horsepower.

TM Diligence

TM Diligence and TM Vigilant are nearly identical sister ships built in 2001 and 2002 to support offshore energy exploration in the US Gulf. Since joining Thayer Mahan they have been used to support internal product development and testing, support of offshore wind construction, marine mammal monitoring systems, and support for multiple US Government operations including Navy Seal training, space vehicle tracking, and support and testing of unmanned sea systems. The vessels are operated by four full-time crew on each vessel and have berthing for an additional 20 mission personnel.

ThayerMahan, Inc. is a maritime technology company specializing in unmanned acoustic intelligence, persistent undersea surveillance, and non-kinetic counter-UUV capabilities. The company provides its government and commercial customers with end-to-end autonomous system deployment, field operations, continuous data collection, and advanced analytics. Using state-of-the-art acoustic and electronic sensors integrated across a range of surface and subsurface platforms, ThayerMahan delivers tailored capabilities that support mission-critical defense, security, and infrastructure protection requirements. Headquartered in Groton, CT, ThayerMahan also maintains offices in Lowell, MA, and Arlington, VA. For more information, please visit www.thayermahan.com or contact the company at sales@thayermahan.com.

Enviro-Lab II “Project O”

Project Oceanology provides more than 20,000 students and adults annually with opportunities to learn about the ocean through firsthand exploration and experiences. Nurturing interest and inspiring enthusiasm for science and for our planet’s marine environment from our year-round waterfront facility in Groton, Connecticut, our vision is to be the center of excellence for inquiry, and place-based science and marine education serving the evolving needs of our global community.