Lady Nelson

Lady Nelson is a two-masted, square-rigged tall ship: a full-size replica of the original brig, built in Tasmania in 1988 and based at Elizabeth Street Pier on the Hobart waterfront. Short 90-minute Derwent sails usually leave at 11am and 1pm on weekends, with adult, child and family fares. The ship can also be hired for school groups, social and corporate functions, weddings, children's pirate sails and history tours.

She is run by the Tasmanian Sail Training Association and crewed entirely by trained volunteers. Between September and March she makes adventure voyages of two to seven days to the D'Entrecasteaux Channel and Bruny Island, Frederick Henry and Norfolk Bays, and the east coast, sleeping up to 10 passengers with meals included. Guests can take the helm, handle sails, climb the rigging or simply watch for dolphins and seals.

Short sails suit families and visitors wanting a hands-on taste of square-rig sailing, and voyages suit small groups happy with shared bunks. Charters carry a minimum fee, and routes depend on weather and volunteer crew availability.