Editing USS Constitution (section)

===Sailing on 200th anniversary===
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As early as 1991, Commander David Cashman had suggested that ''Constitution'' should sail to celebrate her 200th anniversary in 1997 rather than being towed. The proposal was approved, though it was thought to be a large undertaking since she had not sailed in over 100&nbsp;years.<ref Name="MarbleheadMag">{{cite web|last=Cuticchia |first=Rosalie A. |title=Celebrating The History of the U.S.S. ''Constitution'' |work=Marblehead Magazine |url=http://www.legendinc.com/Pages/MarbleheadNet/MM/Articles/USSConstitutionHistory.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111210231815/http://www.legendinc.com/Pages/MarbleheadNet/MM/Articles/USSConstitutionHistory.html |archive-date=10 December 2011 }}</ref> When she emerged from dry dock in 1995, a more serious effort began to prepare her for sail. As in the 1920s, education programs aimed at school children helped collect pennies to purchase the sails to make the voyage possible. Her six-sail battle configuration consisted of jibs, topsails, and driver.<ref Name="Sail200-1">{{cite web |title=Sail200 |publisher=United States Navy |date=21 July 1997 |url=http://www.navy.mil/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=241 |access-date=13 October 2015 |archive-date=8 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208094750/http://www.navy.mil/navydata/nav_legacy.asp?id=241 }}</ref>

Commander Mike Beck began training the crew for the historic sail using an 1819 Navy sailing manual and several months of practice, including time spent aboard the Coast Guard cutter [[USCGC Eagle (WIX-327)|''Eagle'']].<ref name="LAT-05-04-97">{{Cite news | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 4 May 1997 | page = 28 | title = 'Old Ironsides' Readied for Seagoing Birthday | author = Jon Marcus }}</ref> On 20 July, ''Constitution'' was towed from her usual berth in Boston to an overnight mooring in Marblehead, Massachusetts. En route, she made her first sail in 116 years, at a recorded {{convert|6|kn|km/h mph}}.<ref name="fitz-enz">Fitz-Enz (2004), p. 226.</ref><ref Name="CityofMarblehead">{{cite web|title=Visiting & Town History |work=Marblehead Massachusetts Official Website |url=http://www.marblehead.org/index.asp?NID=10 |access-date=3 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090214131312/http://www.marblehead.org/index.asp?NID=10 |archive-date=14 February 2009 }}</ref><ref name="LAT07-22-97">{{Cite news | work = Los Angeles Times | date = 22 July 1997 | page = 1 | title = Constitution Sails on Waves of Time | last = Mehren | first = Elizabeth }}</ref>

On 21 July, she was towed {{convert|5|nmi|km mi}} offshore, where the tow line was dropped and Commander Beck ordered six sails set (jibs, topsails, and spanker). She then sailed for 40&nbsp;minutes on a south-south-east course with true wind speeds of about {{convert|12|kn|km/h mph|abbr=on}}, attaining a top recorded speed of {{convert|4|kn|km/h mph|abbr=on}}.<ref name="LAT07-22-97" /> Her modern US naval combatant escorts were the guided-missile destroyer {{USS|Ramage|DDG-61|2}} and frigate {{USS|Halyburton|FFG-40|2}}. They rendered [[Manning the rail|passing honors]] to "Old Ironsides" while she was under sail, and she was overflown by the US Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the [[Blue Angels]]. Inbound to her permanent berth at Charlestown, she rendered a 21-gun salute to the nation off [[Fort Independence (Massachusetts)|Fort Independence]] in Boston Harbor.<ref Name="Sail200-1" />