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Organizers of the 2008 Tall Ships Festival have landed the Eagle

The three-masted barque from the U.S. Coast Guard has confirmed its participation in the festival, set for June 26-29 — a coup because the vessel is a Class A type, which means it’s one of the biggest tall ships.

Anchoring one or more Class A vessels is critical to drawing crowds, John Anderson, festival chairman, said yesterday. “The Eagle is a big ship with lots of mast and lots of sail. Those are the kind of vessels that draw people to the water.”