Tall Ships America ( TSA ), previously known as the American Sail Training Association (ASTA), is the largest sail training association in the world and a founding member of Sail Training International . From starting with a handful of vessels sailing the New England waters, Tall Ships America has grown into an international institution with more than 250 tall ships and sail training vessels representing 25 different countries and navigating all the world 's oceans . TSA was founded on April 3, 1973, by Barclay H. Warburton III , following his return from the Tall Ships Races in Europe in 1972 where he joined the USCGC Eagle with his brigantine Black Pearl as the first US vessels to participate in the races.
3-619: The Tall Ships Challenge is an annual event organized by Tall Ships America alternating in a three year cycle between the Great Lakes , the Pacific and the Atlantic coasts of North America . The event draws hundreds of thousands of people to witness tall ships from the age of sail and allows participants to interact with the crews of different vessels in friendly rivalries as they race from port to port. The series began in 2001 on
6-487: The Great Lakes and saw vessels from six countries and visited seven US and Canadian ports. Since its launch, the series has visited dozens of North American cities, bringing millions of spectators down to the waterfront to experience the tall ships and creating a cumulative economic impact of hundreds of millions of dollars for host communities. It has continued to grow every year and is an eagerly anticipated event in
9-642: The seaside communities that host the vessels (see, for example Philadelphia's Summer Sail 2007)and beyond. Each year, the challenge is designated a Marine Event of National Significance by the US Coast Guard . American Sail Training Association A nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization , Tall Ships America's mission is to Tall Ships America organizes the Tall Ships Challenge , a series of sail training races, rallies and maritime festivals that rotate every three years around In 2016,
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