Star Of India Ship

Star of India is an iron-hulled sailing vessel built in 1863 at Ramsey on the Isle of Man. Launched originally as Euterpe, she began her service as a full-rigged ship engaged in long-distance commercial trade between Great Britain, India, and New Zealand. After a varied global career, she was sold to American owners, re-rigged as a barque, and served as a salmon-carrying vessel between Alaska and California. Since 1926 she has been preserved as a museum ship in San Diego, California, and is recognised as the oldest seagoing ship still regularly under sail as well as the oldest surviving iron-hulled merchant ship afloat.

Construction and Early Identity as Euterpe

Built by Gibson, McDonald & Arnold of Ramsey, Euterpe was constructed of wrought iron and launched on 14 November 1863 for the Liverpool-based Wakefield Nash Company, which intended her for the Indian jute trade. She was a full-rigged ship, square-rigged on all three masts, and was assigned British Registration No. 47617 with the signal letters VPJK. Weighing approximately 1,318 tons gross and 1,247 tons net, she represented a new era in merchant shipbuilding, reflecting the increasing use of iron rather than timber.
The ship’s earliest voyages were marked by considerable adversity. Her maiden commercial journey, beginning in January 1864 under Captain William John Storry, was interrupted when she collided with an unlit Spanish brig near the Welsh coast, sustaining damage to the jibboom and rigging. The crew mutinied and refused to continue the voyage, leading to repairs at Anglesey and the imprisonment of seventeen sailors at Beaumaris Gaol.
Her second major mishap occurred in 1865 when a severe gale in the Bay of Bengal forced the crew to cut away her masts. The damaged vessel reached Trincomalee and later Calcutta for rebuilding. Captain Storry died on the return voyage to Britain and was buried at sea, adding further misfortune to the ship’s formative years.

Service in the Emigrant and Global Trade Routes

Following two difficult voyages, Euterpe was sold in 1871 to David Brown of London. She then undertook several journey cycles to India before the expansion of steamship traffic, particularly after the opening of the Suez Canal, reduced the commercial competitiveness of sailing vessels on that route. Later in 1871 she was sold to Shaw Savill and Company, an important British emigrant-shipping line, later absorbed into the P. Henderson Co. (Shaw Savill & Albion Line).
Between 1871 and 1897 Euterpe completed twenty-one passages to New Zealand, transporting emigrants and general cargo. These voyages typically took her eastward around the world before returning to England, with durations ranging from 100 to 143 days. She also occasionally made port calls in Australia, California, and Chile, reflecting the flexibility of late-nineteenth-century global sail-trade networks. Births at sea were not uncommon, and at least two children were recorded as having been born on board, one given the middle name Euterpe.
In 1897 she was sold to Hawaiian interests and subsequently, in 1899, to the Pacific Colonial Ship Company of San Francisco. Between 1898 and 1901 she completed four Pacific voyages transporting lumber, coal, and sugar between North America, Australia, and Hawaii. She was formally registered in the United States in October 1900.

Transformation into Star of India and the Alaska Trade

In 1901 the Alaska Packers Association purchased Euterpe and re-rigged her as a barque, converting the aftermost mast from square to fore-and-aft rig. In 1902 she entered the salmon-carrying trade between Oakland, California, and Nushagak in the Bering Sea. Each spring she carried workers, coal, nets, and supplies to Alaska; in autumn she returned laden with tinned salmon. In 1906 the vessel was renamed Star of India, following the Association’s naming scheme.
She completed twenty-two Alaskan voyages before being laid up in 1923, by which time the dominance of steam power had rendered traditional sailing ships largely obsolete. In 1926 she was sold to the Zoological Society of San Diego, which intended her as the centrepiece of a maritime museum and aquarium. Economic setbacks, including the Great Depression and the Second World War, delayed restoration.

Restoration and Museum Role in San Diego

Systematic restoration began in 1957 after maritime writer and captain Alan Villiers publicised the deteriorating state of the ship. His advocacy inspired the formation of the Star of India Auxiliary in 1959, which spearheaded preservation work. By 1976 the vessel had been restored to seaworthy condition and undertook her first voyage in several decades.
Today Star of India forms part of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, where she is maintained in fully operational condition and typically sails at least once a year. Much of her hull, internal structure, and equipment remain original—an exceptional characteristic among restored nineteenth-century ships. As a museum exhibit she hosts educational programmes, including school tours and overnight living-history activities centred on seamanship and nineteenth-century life aboard ship.
She is recognised as both a California Historical Landmark and a United States National Historic Landmark, reflecting her significance in maritime heritage. She is noted as the fourth-oldest ship afloat in the United States and the oldest seaworthy iron-hulled merchant ship in the world.

Home Port and Present-Day Operations

Star of India is berthed permanently at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, situated near the San Diego International Airport along North Harbor Drive. She is moored alongside other historic vessels owned by the museum, including the replica frigate HMS Rose (also known as Surprise). When under sail she generally remains within sight of the San Diego County coastline and returns to port on the same day. Her crew consists of trained volunteers who maintain sailing proficiency throughout the year.
Periodic maintenance is carried out according to modern maritime safety requirements. In 2009 she underwent dry-dock inspection and hull servicing at a cost of approximately $225,000. Her most recent voyage occurred on 12 November 2023, reflecting her continued active status.

Appearances in Media and Cultural Influence

Star of India has appeared in several documentary and television programmes, including episodes of Dirty Jobs, Ghost Hunters, Great Ships, and Haunted Ships. During the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, the vessel was temporarily renamed The Jackdaw as part of a promotional event for Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag. She also appears in children’s educational media, demonstrating her enduring relevance as both a historical artefact and a cultural symbol.