The former Danish government ship Gulden Leeuw is the third to be featured in our series profiling some of the vessels due in port for August’s Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta.

The ship was built in 1937 on behalf of the Danish Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. Then named M/S Dana, it was designed and built as an ocean-going ice class ship and was frequently used for marine biological research.

Over the next few years she was sold and re-named a few times before being used as a training ship for the Danish Nautical College in 2000. In 2007 she was finally sold to P&T Charters and converted into a fast three-masted topsail schooner. The company claims: “We built our dream, a big, sturdy sailing ship reminiscent of the 30’s and with the deck layout of a classic yacht.”

The ship is fitted out in luxury, with the Captain’s VIP lounge offering an open fire and Chesterfield sofas, the deckhouse housing a central bar and a dining room that can be transformed into a dancehall, seminar room or dormitory.

As well as offering day trips and quayside parties, the Gulden Leeuw also provides sail training opportunities for up to 60 people. They claim: “On board the Gulden Leeuw we truly believe in sail training and the influence this experience has on the life of young people.

“You can see people change during the time they are on board. Our crew is trained to support trainees within every task; sailing, steering, navigating but also cooking and cleaning are part of the program.”

For more information on the ship visit www.guldenleeuw.com.