Christened as Virginia, American Pride was built at Muller Boat Works Inc. located in Brooklyn, New York and launched in 1941 as a two-masted trawler. In 1942, she entered the service as YP-448, a minesweeper based in Key West, FL. From December 1944 to September 1945, she worked as IX-200 or Maratanza on classified operations.

After being decommissioned from the Navy, she became Araho out of Rockland, Maine as part of the O’Hara fishing fleet and then St. Catherine, out of New Bedford, Massachusetts and Lady in Blue (1968-1986) out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. She spent her fishing career fishing the waters of the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, and the Grand Banks in search of cod, haddock, flounder, and ocean perch.

Captain Steve Pagels took ownership in 1986 and converted the trawler to a three-masted schooner at the Wallace Yard in Maine. She was fitted with 17 passenger cabins each with two bunks, a dining room, and lounge in the main cabin, three heads, and forecastle accommodations for a crew of five. In 1987 she was re-christened Natalie Todd and sailed to her new home port of Bar Harbor to sail as part of the Maine Windjammer Fleet.

American Pride was purchased by the American Heritage Marine Institute (AHMI), and began her historic 7,500 mile sail through the Panama Canal to her new home in Long Beach, California where she was operated by the Children’s Maritime Foundation. She served the youth of Long Beach for over 20 years.

In 2018 the Children’s Maritime Institute, a division of Los Angeles Maritime Institute, took ownership of American Pride and performed a modern stem to stern restoration. She received her US Coast Guard certifications in March of 2019 and has resumed her educational, summer camp, and charter programs. A crew of five live onboard.

During the school year, American Pride sails with elementary and middle school students. During these sail trips, the ocean is the classroom providing hands on exploration of the ocean world. Learners set sail and explore the LA watershed and history of California’s coast during these 3-4 hours long sails.

Summer camps are offered with the Los Angeles Maritime Institute during the summer for campers ages 5-17. Dockside day camps and 5-12 day overnights focus on teaching sailing and exploring coastal California by Tall ship.

American Pride is open on many weekends for free dockside educational programs. Weekend public sails and private charters fund our educational programs.
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Sparred Length: 129’

Length on Deck: 101’

Length at Water Line (LWL): 92’

Draft: 10’

Beam: 21.5′

Rig height: 98’

Freeboard Height: 6’

Gross Register Tonnage(GRT): 98

Sail Area: 4,900 Sq ft

Hull: White Oak

Power: 671 Detroit Diesel 250hp (rebuilt and installed 2006)