Old Ironsides

Reader Nick Martin (letters, July 28) appears to have missed a significant point in the recent sailing of the Constitution.

While the ship did tour both coasts 60 or so years ago, that was made possible by tugboats. On July 20, on the sail from Boston to Marblehead she had a loose tether to a tug astern. On July 21, she was completely untethered for her sail off Marblehead, though only for a couple of hours. The pictures clearly show that her sails are up and filled.

I was not alive for the period Martin mentions but have read many accounts of that time. More recently, my husband and I were honored to be guests sailing on the Constitution on July 20.

ROBERTA SULLIVAN

Granada Hills