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The crew of the 'When and If' schooner live a nomadic life at sea, sharing a unique bond.

Daily life involves four-hour watches, shared meals and constant maintenance work.

Despite the hardships, the crew finds fulfillment in the challenges and the community they build.

Some say Gen. George S. Patton still walks the deck of the When and If , the 1939 schooner he once called his own. In fact, a former captain claimed to have seen the World War II general during a late-night watch.

But more likely, the vision was the haze of exhaustion — a reminder of the long watches and relentless routine of life aboard a tall ship.

For those aboard the When and If, a Key West–based schooner visiting Erie for the Tall Ships Erie 2025 festival , life unfolds in four-hour watches, s

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