The NHL GOVERNOR STONE is a gaff-rigged, two-masted schooner built in Pascagoula, MS in 1877. The last original “Gulf coast schooner”. The vessel was sunk {for the fourth time} in 2018 by “Superstorm” Hurricane Michael. Funds have been secured, and rebuild efforts are currently underway. Friends of the Governor Stone, Inc. invites you to join our volunteer organization dedicated since 2005 to preserving, maintaining and sailing this vessel.
Help to get this fine vessel sailing again!
The funds needed to secure the 1.5 million grant from FEMA were raised and the reconstruction of the vessel has begun. The city of Panama City, Florida has graciously given the rebuild a home, at the historic St Andrews Elementary school. The vessel was trucked to the new site, where Capt. Anderson Barnes, and the crew of “Stone Loft Shipwrights” has started on the rebuild. Currently the vessel is being lofted on the floor of the shop. Planks have been removed and the vessel has been stabilized. Thanks to help from the daughter of the late Mississippi Master shipwright Bill Holland, a huge pile of aged cypress boards, and a massive old band saw have been acquired, and will be used in the rebuilding of the schooner. If you find yourself in Panama City, come by and take a look at the last surviving original gulf coast schooner.
Please consider joining “The Friends of the Governor Stone” and help with the rebuilding.
UPDATE: The F.O.G.S. held their annual meeting 2/19/24. There was some great news, and some not so great news.
Great News: After a long long wait we have been told by FEMA that we will be receiving our restoration funds in march, this means we can get back to work on the rebuilding of the Governor Stone. In addition, the F.O.G.S.
board informed the members that work has been started on the construction of a brand new maritime museum for Panama City.
This has been made possible by help from the city of Panama City in finding a suitable location for the museum. In addition there has been the generous donation of a set of plans for a building to house the museum, from local marine contractor, “Gorman Marine”. The plan is for the new museum to provide education about the areas rich maritime history, in addition to an onsite boat shop to be run by the shipwrights of “Stone Loft Boat shop” which will provide hands on training in boat building.
This is very exciting news indeed!
In addition to all this good news, the shipwrights of Stone Loft Boat shop, have completed the refurbishment of a donated
“Lightfoot 18 cat ketch, {one of only 18 built, by the owner of “Island Packet” yachts}
They have given the vessel to the F.O.G.S. organization to be used for sail training while we wait for the G.S. to be placed back into service.
Not so great news:
We have been informed that the G.S. will need to be moved from it’s current location
due to the property having changed owners.
This presents a huge impediment to our rebuild efforts, but we are already working on securing a new home for the rebuild, and crew { F.O.G.S. volunteers} has been lined up to facilitate the move when the time comes.
You can help out by purchasing one of our
“NEVER GIVE UP THE SHIP” tee shirts from our ships store. https://www.governorstone.org/ship-store-1/p/never-give-up-the-ship-2023-t-shirt
UPDATE 2/2025
The vessel has been allowed to stay at the “Historic St. Andrews Elementary School. This has allowed the shipwrights of “Stone Loft” to move the vessel under cover and to continue the hard work of rebuilding. The vessel has been squared up and stabilized and is on the way to rebirth. A massive timber has been delivered to replace the old damaged keel, and once that is in place the “Ground up” restoration can begin in earnest. While the progress is very slow due to the small team doing the work, there is progress. The vessel will sail again!
Please consider joining or donating to the “Friends Of The Governor Stone” to help with the rebirth of the “last” original Gulf Coast Schooner.