February 2019: Information Systems Solutions helps refurbish the Pride of Baltimore, classed as a Tall Ship, while it is winter berthed at Fells Point. Our CEO, Linda Houk, and our Marketing Director Terry Norling and his wife Suzi, helped refurbish The Pride while it was dry-docked at Fells-Point (Baltimore) for the winter. Terry (foreground) assists one of the Pride’s crew members in scraping off the old coating and applying the exterior undercoat, while Linda and Suzi were assigned to sanding and cleaning the deck and rigging.
Linda’s interest in sailing manifested when her first duty assignment directly out of the Air Force’s Officer Training School sent her to a small detachment near San Francisco California, where sailing was a major sport. When asked to compare her experience on the San Francisco Bay versus at the Baltimore Harbor, she stated: “There’s no comparison – they’re both so different. I learned to sail a pleasure craft, a 20′ sailboat, and a two man crew was sufficient. The Pride of Baltimore is aptly named, a real beauty that rides so smoothly on the water, but it takes a dozen experienced crew members, and it is a true ocean-going vessel, and the Pacific and Atlantic oceans also have their own distinct personalities.”
The Pride is a testimony to the shipbuilding expertise of Baltimore during our nation’s early history. Most notably, they gained their reputation as privateers during The War of 1812. The Baltimore Clippers were swift and maneuverable. This agility made them invaluable in eluding the more powerful, but slower British naval vessels.