The Navy YP claims the distinction as the sole remaining pure timber-hulled vessel in the fleet, except, of course, for Old Ironsides, U.S.S. Constitution, which is still a commissioned U.S. Naval warship.

In the Navy, like so many other tradition-oriented organizations, old habits die hard. In this case, though, it is with good reason. Wood is strong, forgiving, easy to work with and relatively easy to repair. Also, the Navy has been working with wood for its entire 229-year history; it’s a material this organization understands well.

Sadly, however, the days of timber naval vessels are drawing to a close. With the skills required for proper wood vessel construction and maintenance on the wane, this material is no longer viewed by the Navy as desirable, and thus the next class of YPs will be steel.

The Chesapeake Naval Heritage Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation dedicated to the preservation of the US Navy's last wooden boat, and the first experiences on a ship at sea for the extraordinary men and women of the US Navy.