That may be why ALMA continues in relatively good condition. She is maintained in working condition.

Charley, I would love to sail a replica Hesper or Luther Little.

Having sailed on a modern square rigger, I know it does not have to be much more difficult to operate than a fore and aft vessel. Much of the "oof" of sailing replica vessels results from a deliberate effort on the part of the owners to replicate the original experience, down to the overweight spars. If Nathaniel Greene Herreschoff were designing today, his boats would have been of modern materials and would have taken advantage of technological changes. His son, LFH, was a prime example of this trend.

The sailing skills transfer from fore and aft to square rig very quickly, especially if you have made the effort to prepare for the transition.

The sea will always be dangerous. That is one of the reasons that cadets are sent out in square riggers. The ability to learn to respect the sea is much greater in a sailing vessel than in a powered vessel.

If you respect your environment, you are more likely to arrive alive than if you simply put your trust in the machinery.