San Diego Shipbuilders Reach Rib Milestone

Shipbuilders in San Diego have finished hand-carved ribs for the Pilgrim III, a replica of an 1825 tall ship.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Construction

Curved hand-carved wooden ribs fitted into an open wooden hull frame inside a coastal shipyard shed, lit by warm afternoon sun. — Shipbuilders in San Diego have finished hand-carving all ribs for the Pilgrim III, a donation-funded replica of an 1825 tall ship. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Shipbuilders in San Diego have reached a milestone on the Pilgrim III tall ship, with all ribs hand-crafted and lined up in the hull frame. The project recreates the 1825 tall ship known as The Pilgrim, funded entirely by donations.

Why it matters

The project preserves historical shipbuilding craftsmanship, relying on hand-carved exotic woods alongside power tools since no blueprints for the original Pilgrim exist. The finished vessel is planned to operate as a floating classroom along the California coast.

The original Pilgrim sailed in 1825, and the replica project is just over one year old with a projected christening in 2028. The project is funded entirely by donations, and the timeline beyond that christening was not detailed.

The players

Pilgrim III Foundation

The Pilgrim III Foundation is a non-profit corporation that runs the Pilgrim III project, which is funded entirely by donations.

Doug Sharp

Doug Sharp is a Master Ship Designer who previously recreated the Spanish galleon San Salvador, now displayed at the Maritime Museum along the Bay.

The details

Each piece of the Pilgrim III is hand-carved from exotic woods sourced worldwide, with shipbuilders combining old-world methods and power tools. Designers relied on historical knowledge to recreate details because no original plans exist, and the project is run by the non-profit Pilgrim III Foundation.

1542: Juan Cabrillo landed in San Diego Bay and discovered California.
1825: The original tall ship The Pilgrim sailed.
2026: Shipbuilders reached the rib milestone on the Pilgrim III.
2028: The Pilgrim III is scheduled to be christened.

Construction Heritage

The Pilgrim III follows the same reconstruction approach Master Ship Designer Doug Sharp used for the Spanish galleon San Salvador, now displayed at the Maritime Museum along San Diego Bay. Like that project, it rebuilds a historic vessel from historical knowledge alone, since no original plans for the 1825 Pilgrim survive.

The Pilgrim III is funded entirely by donations, so public support directly shapes whether the project moves forward. Its planned role as a floating classroom along the California coast means it may offer educational programs to visitors once completed.

The takeaway

Projects that rebuild historic vessels without original plans depend on accumulated historical knowledge and modern tools working together. Readers interested in maritime heritage can follow how the Pilgrim III develops toward its planned 2028 christening.