Gdańsk takes action to restore the legendary sailing ship “General Zaruski”.

The wooden gaff ketch was ordered in 1939 in B. Lund’s shipyard in Ekenäs (Sweden) and brought to Poland in 1946, just after the Second World War. Several generations of young people received their maritime education on board of “Zaruski” through her 57 years of service. Sailing has built their characters and inner values, as intended by gen. Mariusz Zaruski, initiator of the ship’s construction.

After drawing her back from use in 2003, the ketch begun to corrode. Several restoration attempts between 2003 and 2008 ended up in failure. In November 2008 the City of Gdańsk bought the vessel and decided to restore her former glory. The refitting works carried out by the Remontowa S.A. ship repair yard in Gdansk are planned to be accomplished in early 2012. The re-born “Zuruski” will once again be dedicated to non-commercial sail training for young people who need positive role models and noble objectives.

In 2009 the idea of an international Maritime and Sail Training project (MAST) emerged. The aim of the project is to make traditional sailing attractive and available for young people from all backgrounds and countries around the Baltic Sea, by providing free-of-charge international sail courses combined with sightseeing and maritime education.

“General Zaruski” is perfectly suitable to host such courses. The offer will be targeted on socially, educationally or otherwise disadvantaged young people, also those with handicaps. MAST project will be submitted to the 5th call of the EU co-financed South Baltic Programme (http://en.southbaltic.eu/index/) in May 2010.

We are still looking for sailing schools, associations and relevant public authorities from the Baltic Region who find this idea worthwhile. To become one of MAST partners contact Mr Jan Fidler: jf@eu-projects.pl