Plenty of life in the old boat yet

One of 19th-century Auckland's most famous square riggers will soon sail on Sydney Harbour with a cargo of tourists.

The James Craig, a three-masted iron-hulled barque, has been restored to splendid glory by the Sydney Heritage Fleet and will be recommissioned at the city's Maritime Museum at Pyrmont in November.

The square rigger was built and launched in England in 1874 as the Clan Macleod. In 1900 she was bought by Auckland businessman J.J. Craig who renamed the vessel after his son.

She criss-crossed the Tasman for 11 years, taking timber to Australia and returning with Newcastle coal.

The James Craig's career included 23 roundings of Cape Horn and she is one of only three commercial sailing ships from the 19th century still operational under canvas.

The James Craig ended her days as a coal hulk in Tasmania and lay in the mud of Recherche Bay from the early 1930s.

Volunteers worked for 20 years to bring the James Craig back to its former glory, at a cost of $A12 million.

The James Craig will sail on Sydney Harbour and offshore for one day and overnight trips beginning early next year. The heritage fleet says the ship will continue the links between New Zealand and Australia it established during the early development of both countries.