# Prince Louis



## Michael Chambers

I sailed on the three masted sailing ship 'Prince Louis', in July 1961, as part of my Outward Bound course at the Moray Sea School, Burghead, Scotland. I've added a copy of my 'log-book', with photos, onto the Outward Bound Trust web-site, with a short history of the Prince Louis. I've also made contact with an American diving school that was reported to be attempting to recover the ship from Los Angeles Harbour. No response yet, but when I do I'll log it on to this board. I would love to see more photos of the ship.


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## john fraser

Michael. There are pictures of " Price Louis" in the Gallery under Sailing Ships.Yyou can also see her as the Bel Espoir 11 on their website.Where the school was in Burghead at the harbour is now flats.


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## Michael Chambers

Thank you John, I'm much obliged.


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## SteveT

Hi Michael
John is correct, in that your Prince Louis is the current Bel Espoir. See this picture for a little detail:
http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/35409/title/prince-louis28ii-29/cat/524

Also see the excellent website Tall-ship fan:
http://tallship-fan.de/index_e.htm
Search by name here and you can see her history. In the first reference, there is talk about a different Prince Louis on the west coast near Los Angeles. This is the vessel you refer to with the diving school. Not the same vessel. She is found in the 5th volume of Kaj Lund's book "Vinden er Vor" (the wind is free). She was built as Astraea, later Fanoe, Lillebaelt, and finally Prince Louis. She sank off LA.

Steve


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## Michael Chambers

Thanks Steve, I'm very grateful for that information, and I will make sure that it gets onto The Outward Bound web-site.


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## Nauticapedia

There is a picture of a crew of Sea Cadets serving in the Prince Louis in the article on Captain Alec Provan on The Nauticapedia http://www.nauticapedia.ca/Articles/Extraordinary/Provan_Alec.php and a mention of his experiences in her very early in his career.


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## swoopphillips

Hi Michael I too was at burghead 07/61 my name was John T Phillips I will try and add my log when I work out this web site my e/mail is [email protected] I still have grope photo so will try and sort out which one is you I am last on right second top row but was only 16 at time 
hope to here from you John


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## neilwilsonla9

Michael Chambers said:


> I sailed on the three masted sailing ship 'Prince Louis', in July 1961, as part of my Outward Bound course at the Moray Sea School, Burghead, Scotland. I've added a copy of my 'log-book', with photos, onto the Outward Bound Trust web-site, with a short history of the Prince Louis. I've also made contact with an American diving school that was reported to be attempting to recover the ship from Los Angeles Harbour. No response yet, but when I do I'll log it on to this board. I would love to see more photos of the ship.
> [ /QUOTE]
> 
> I sailed in her in 1949, the second month of the existence of the Moray Sea School. I didn't know she had ended her days at the bottom of LA harbour! Neil Wilson


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## john fraser

neilwilsonla9 said:


> Michael Chambers said:
> 
> 
> 
> I sailed on the three masted sailing ship 'Prince Louis', in July 1961, as part of my Outward Bound course at the Moray Sea School, Burghead, Scotland. I've added a copy of my 'log-book', with photos, onto the Outward Bound Trust web-site, with a short history of the Prince Louis. I've also made contact with an American diving school that was reported to be attempting to recover the ship from Los Angeles Harbour. No response yet, but when I do I'll log it on to this board. I would love to see more photos of the ship.
> [ /QUOTE]
> 
> I sailed in her in 1949, the second month of the existence of the Moray Sea School. I didn't know she had ended her days at the bottom of LA harbour! Neil Wilson
> 
> 
> 
> Neil.The "Prince Louis" you were on would have been the two masted one.She was taken down to Buckie to be broken up but instead went on fir.Deliberate or not I don't know.The second one was a 3 masted Baltic schooner and it is her that is the Bel Espoir. I live in Burghead and there is a website which may interest you.Some of the Outward Bound School.the newer one. The site is on Facebook. Search Burghead Bulls
Click to expand...


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## price

I remember the Prince Louis at Aberdyfi in, probably 1953, no later, she replaced the Warspite for a while. While in a Scottish Port (East Coast) some years later, in the 1960s I remember seeing a Prince Louis alongside, I am sure that it was a different vessel, she appeared to be smaller and if I remember correctly, she had a green hull. she looked very smart. Bruce


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## neilwilsonla9

john fraser said:


> neilwilsonla9 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Neil.The "Prince Louis" you were on would have been the two masted one.She was taken down to Buckie to be broken up but instead went on fir.Deliberate or not I don't know.The second one was a 3 masted Baltic schooner and it is her that is the Bel Espoir. I live in Burghead and there is a website which may interest you.Some of the Outward Bound School.the newer one. The site is on Facebook. Search Burghead Bulls
> 
> 
> 
> Thank you John - you're right she was two-masted. A sad end! I'll check the Facebook reference.
Click to expand...


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## Trader

price said:


> I remember the Prince Louis at Aberdyfi in, probably 1953, no later, she replaced the Warspite for a while. While in a Scottish Port (East Coast) some years later, in the 1960s I remember seeing a Prince Louis alongside, I am sure that it was a different vessel, she appeared to be smaller and if I remember correctly, she had a green hull. she looked very smart. Bruce


Hello Bruce, I was at Aberdovey in March 1952 course 114. The Warspite was the vessel in use then. There was another vessel laid up in the dock at Aberdovey the "Garibaldi" which I think had been in use before the Warspite. She leaked like a seive and we used to pump her out every day, I don't know what became of her.

Hope you are keeping well, I will be seeing Bill tomorrow for our weekly get together.

Regards........Alec.


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## brucelindsay

Michael Chambers said:


> I sailed on the three masted sailing ship 'Prince Louis', in July 1961, as part of my Outward Bound course at the Moray Sea School, Burghead, Scotland. I've added a copy of my 'log-book', with photos, onto the Outward Bound Trust web-site, with a short history of the Prince Louis. I've also made contact with an American diving school that was reported to be attempting to recover the ship from Los Angeles Harbour. No response yet, but when I do I'll log it on to this board. I would love to see more photos of the ship.


I attended The Moray Sea School at Burghead in 1951 and also sailed on the Prince Louis from Port Mac Duff to Burghead and well remember taking depth readings by Swinging the Lead when one of my Swings came inboard and almost Brained the Steersman as the Steering Wheel was Centre Aft on the Schooner which was Gaff Rigged.We had a Sports Day against Gordonstone School and I was Commended in winning a Race using a single rope over the local River. During my time of one Month there I was the Captain of the Main Top Watch and what a job it was trying to keep the peace and some of the lads from Glasgow in check. In 1953 I went to Sea with Prince Line Ltd. First Ship the MV Nordic ex Chinese Prince on Charter to Shaw Saviile Sailed on Her several time and She was always my favourite Ship - 6 month trips to Australia. Secured my Second and Chief Eng. Tickets at South Shields Marine Tech. College. and rose to Chief Engineer but retired from Merchant Service in early Sixties - back to Drawing Board, working at Richardson and Westgarth Hartlepool where I became Northeast Coast Sales Manager, left in 1970 for the Gas Industry as Sales Manager and final retirement in 1990..


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## David Clay

I was sent to Moray Sea School with a group of officer cadets from RAF South Cerney. WE were there in Feb 1961. As I had some sailing experience I was appointed harbour quartermaster. My duties were to take the wheel whenever we tacked or jibbed, entered harbour of left harbour. As this was the first trip of the year for Prince Louis after we left Burghhead for Dornoch Firth where next day the compass had to be swung. The remaining watches were sent ashore where they had to climb the highest hill just inland. Once the the compass had been swung we set off sailing around the Moray Firth with good sailing weather all the time. When I was not behind the wheel my place of duty was helping the cook.


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