AMERICA'S TALL SHIP
The USCGC EAGLE Soars
The 295-foot barque EAGLE is the flagship of the U.S. Coast Guard. She serves as a training vessel for cadets at the Coast Guard Academy and candidates from the Officer Candidate School. The EAGLE is the only active-duty sailing vessel in America’s military, and one of only two commissioned sailing vessels, along with the USS Constitution.
Training on EAGLE
The primary mission of the EAGLE is training. Every cadet who attends the Coast Guard Academy will spend a minimum of six weeks on board EAGLE. In addition to learning the nautical traditions of their profession, cadets learn basic seamanship and navigation skills as well as important team-building and leadership skills. Try doing that at any other college.
Why Sail-Training?
So, why train Coast Guard cadets on a tall ship when most will spend their careers on state-of-the-art ships and aircraft? Because the ways of old still have much to teach. The conditions and situations that you face under sail can’t be replicated either in a classroom or aboard today’s modern ships.
On board EAGLE, cadets find themselves suddenly out of their element. Totally dependent on wind, waves, and currents, they quickly learn how these forces of nature affect a vessel. They gain unmatched skills in ship-handling, decision-making, and meeting unexpected challenges. They learn the importance of crew members working together to handle the ship safely. That’s college exceeded.