Plimoth Plantation and Mystic Seaport Announce Collaborative Restoration of Mayflower II

Plimoth Plantation and Mystic Seaport, acclaimed New England history museums, are pleased to announce a collaborative project to restore and repair Mayflower II,

a full-scale reproduction ship owned by Plimoth Plantation.

Work on the historic ship will take place at the Henry B. duPont Preservation Shipyard at Mystic Seaport, adhering to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Vessel Preservation Projects. A cohesive restoration plan will be established in conjunction with Plimoth Plantation's Maritime Artisans Program, led by the museum's newly-hired Associate Director for Maritime Preservation and Operations, Whit Perry.

Work began in December on a multiyear phased restoration plan, honoring the ship's original construction and using traditional methods with the goal of restoring the ship to its original state when it first arrived to Plymouth in 1957. Inspections in 2013 revealed that Mayflower II is in need of a major refit, which is normal for a nearly sixty-year-old wooden ship. Recently, Plimoth Plantation completed some major repairs to secure a safe condition for the ship to continue operations on the Plymouth waterfront. These efforts were the initial steps toward addressing the long-term restoration plan.

Upon the ship's arrival at Mystic Seaport, the restoration plan will begin following three phases: survey, document, and restore. A comprehensive marine survey will be completed by Paul Haley of Capt. G.W. Full & Associates, the same firm that surveyed several vintage vessels including the Mystic Seaport flagship Charles W. Morgan, the USS Constitution, the USS Constellation, and many additional projects within the tall ship community. Stone and iron ballast will be completely removed for the first time since the ship's construction nearly sixty years ago, to allow proper inspection of the bilge area. The scope and plan for this winter's restoration work will largely be determined by the needs identified once the ship is out of the water and the ballast is removed.

Mystic Seaport is the nation's leading maritime museum with vast restoration experience and knowledge of historic wooden vessels. The museum recently completed the restoration of its 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan, a National Historic Landmark vessel and America's oldest commercial ship still afloat. The Morgan sailed on its historic 38th Voyage this past summer.

"Part of our mission at Mystic Seaport is to pass on the skills and techniques of traditional shipbuilding and historic preservation to the next generation, and projects such as this enable us to fulfill that goal while at the same time supporting an important member of the history museum community," said Steve White, president of Mystic Seaport. "We are very excited to have the opportunity to help restore Mayflower II, so she can continue to tell the story of the Pilgrims and their brave journey to America."

Mayflower II's future vitality depends on continual preservation. The significant restoration of the fifty-seven-year-old wooden ship is scheduled for completion prior to 2020—the 400th anniversary of the pilgrims' arrival. The celebrated ship is a major exhibit of Plimoth Plantation and a leading tourism attraction in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, drawing millions of people from around the world to Plymouth's historic waterfront to learn about the United States' early Colonial history.

"Mystic Seaport is the clear choice for restoring Mayflower II. She will be in good hands with the museum's skilled craftspeople and shipwrights. The staff and boards of both museums share pride in this collaboration and profound respect for this treasured ship," said Ellie Donovan, Plimoth Plantation's executive director. "We greatly appreciate the enormous support for Mayflower II, especially from the Massachusetts state leadership for ensuring a major part of the funding for her restoration."

Mayflower II will be available for visitors to view in the shipyard at Mystic Seaport, allowing Mayflower II to continue to educate and inspire the public throughout the restoration process. The shipyard is open to visitors during the museum's operating hours. If repairs go as planned, Mayflower II is expected to return to Plymouth in late May 2015.