DulcetTone

Yes, the U.S.S. CONSTITUTION is the oldest wooden (sailing) warship still in commission,afloat AND sailing. Friends of mine form part of the "crew", portraying U.S. Marines of the 1812-1815 period. Apparently it gets interesting when they enter ab active US Navy yard with guns and black powder and meet a gate guy who hasn't read all the memos before starting duty! And the don't just sail her out for a turn around, though I don't think she leaves Boston Harbour: some of my friends have actually fired a 32 pounder "Long Tom" from her deck. Way cool!

And Mr. Allan is right too: HMS VICTORY, Nelson's flagship, is still in commission and still afloat but hasn't left her moorings in decades. So, each unique in her own way.

Victory (like her neighbor, Warrior, in brilliant condition) is in a dry dock, not moored, and is the oldest commissioned warship. Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat.

I have been spending a lot of time aboard this year, shooting video for the present commander, CDR Cooper, who understands fully that Youtube, Facebook and similar tools are powerful ways to cheaply extend the ship's encounters with the public.

Here are some recent videos I have shot. They're taken with a sufficiently nice camera that they'd merit a click-through to play in 720P HD

tone