James Pearce of the BBC reported yesterday that:
Plans to promote the 2012 Olympics using a ship sailing around the world advertising Britain’s “cultural riches” have been ditched, the BBC has learned.
London’s successful bid team promised that the ship – named the Olympic Friend-ship – would spend four years traveling around the world.
The full-size ocean-going clipper had been due to set sail this August.
Crewed by young people, artists, philosophers and students, the ship was to be run by professional officers.
London 2012 to Shelve Ship Idea – BBC Sport – Olympics March 11, 2008
What a shame! Back on January 4, 2008, Hugh Muir wrote an article in the Guardian entitled Olympic ship plan drifts into troubled waters which highlighted that the sailing ship plan was an integral part of London’s winning bid and that environmental advocates were upset by this significant change.
In may years as executive director of the American Sail Training Association I witnessed dozens of similar grandiose ship plans never get launched. This one is really too bad because a tall ship sailing ambassador on a youth sail training mission celebrating the spirit of the Olympics would have been something special.
Frankly, I think that London 2012 would be better served to jettison their ugly logo and not abandon their majestic ship plan.
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Sea-Fever blog 
I think the Olympics in London would be a much better idea then having the Olympics in China. London people are just so nice and sound so good. :)
They obviously haven’t seen enough of your beautiful and inspirational photography!
This was predictable almost from before London got the games.
Unfortunately, the UK government does not see much beyond London nor understand the maritime side of this country. The only tall ship they know is the Cutty Sark; we are almost unique amongst major nations of the world in not having a national vessel, run by the Navy or a goverment department.