Fastest racing tall ship

The fastest ship to take part in a Sail Training International Tall Ship Race is the Statsraad Lehmkuhl (NOR), which achieved a speed of 12.49 knots (23.1 km/h; 14.3 mph) averaged over 124 hours in 2016.

The speed of sailing vessels varies considerably according to the strength of the wind, and so speed records are typically averaged over a long period to standardize the results. For tall ships, the standard measurement is distance covered over 124 hours; this is what is used for the Boston Teapot Trophy, the award which is given every year to the fastest tall ship.

The Statsraad Lehmkuhl is a famously fast square-rigged ship that has won the Boston Teapot Trophy eight times. She was built in 1914 at the Teklenborg Shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany, and was acquired by Norwegian politician Kristofer Lehmkuhl in 1921. She has a crew of 150 and is operated by a non-profit foundation.

During the 124-hour window measured for the Boston Teapot Trophy the Statsraad Lehmkuhl reached a top speed of 19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)