45 years under sail: STS Pogoria. A Polish maritime icon designed by Zygmunt Choreń

STS Pogoria / fot. Dawid Ziniewicz

As a three-masted barkentine nearly 50 meters in length, Pogoria was the first large sail training vessel in postwar Poland designed specifically to combine traditional seamanship with modern construction and safety standards. Today, 45 years later, she continues to serve under the Polish flag with Sail Training Association Poland (STAP), taking part in international regattas such as The Tall Ships Races and delivering hands-on maritime training to young sailors from around the world.

Zygmunt Choreń – architect of modern tall ships

Pogoria was designed by Zygmunt Choreń, a naval architect, experienced sailor, and participant in the Whitbread Round the World Race. Often referred to as the "father of modern tall ships," Choreń successfully blended classical lines with advanced engineering to produce vessels that are both seaworthy and iconic.

A graduate of the Gdańsk University of Technology and Leningrad Shipbuilding Institute, Choreń founded his own design office, Choreń Design & Consulting, which has since become a global leader in tall ship architecture. His designs are known for their elegant silhouettes, safety, and functionality – particularly for training, educational, and expedition purposes.

The Choreń fleet – a global legacy

The launch of Pogoria marked the beginning of a remarkable design lineage. Choreń's tall ships now sail under various flags across the world, including:

• Dar Młodzieży (Poland) – the flagship of the Gdynia Maritime University
• Fryderyk Chopin (Poland) – a two-masted brig for youth sail training
• Iskra II (Poland) – sail training ship of the Polish Navy
• Alexander von Humboldt II (Germany)
• Mir, Nadezhda, Pallada (Russia, Ukraine) – sister ships designed in the 1980s
• Royal Clipper (Bahamas) – currently the largest full-rigged sailing ship in the world
• Running on Waves (Cyprus) – luxury class boutique cruise tall ship
• Golden Horizon (formerly Flying Clipper) – the largest sailing ship in history, currently sailing under the Croatian flag

Choreń’s vessels sail in the Baltic, the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and even the Pacific. His impact on modern sail training is hard to overstate – with Pogoria being the very first testament to his vision and craftsmanship.

With 45 years of service, STS Pogoria remains a proud ambassador of Polish maritime heritage – a ship that not only shaped a generation of sailors but also gave rise to a fleet that continues to carry the spirit of sail training around the globe.