There are now two vessels over 100 metres long which will be arriving in Falmouth for this summer’s Tall Ships Regatta following the announcement that the Polish sail training ship Dar Mlodziezy, pictured, has signed up.

At 108.8 metres in length, the Dar Mlodziezy is slightly smaller than Russia’s Kruzenshtern which measures in at 114.4 metres and is also due to attend the Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta, which takes place between August 28 to 31.

Dar Mlodziezy, which translates as The Gift of Youth, was launched at the Gdansk shipyard in 1981 and commissioned for service the following year at her home port of Gdynia.

She was the first in a series of six sister ships built for the Polish and Russian navy. One of those sister ships, Mir, has been a regular visitor to Falmouth over the years.

The Dar Mlodziezy was the first Polish-built, ocean-going sailing vessel to circumnavigate the globe, a feat achieved over 1987 and 1988.

In 1987 she made her longest trip, to Australia, covering 32,352 nautical miles in 274 days, at the same time making the longest non-stop passage under the sails of 1,241nautical miles, which won her the trophy of the Boston Tea Pot.

She is a three masted tall ship with two of those masts measuring almost 50 metres and the third coming in at 46.5 metres. She has a sail area of 3,015 square metres and is crewed by 40 professionals and 136 trainees.

The Dar Mlodziezy has enough cabins to cater for ten people along with a classroom where the trainees study, a bar and a well equipped galley where real Polish meals are dished up.

As well as competing in Tall Ships Races, Dar Mlodziezy is also in demand as a venue for unique events and special ceremonies. She has played host to members of royal families, heads of state, famous artists and businessmen.

The Falmouth Tall Ships Regatta, being staged ahead of the Falmouth to Royal Greenwich Tall Ships Race, will see over 40 vessels of all sizes moored up with many of them open to the public.

For details of the regatta programme and the ships attending visit www.falmouthtallships.co.uk.