The beautiful three-masted schooner, Sir Francis Drake, was originally christened the Landkirchen (Land Church) in 1917, having been launched in that year on the River Weser in Germany. For the first years of her life, she sailed across the Atlantic Ocean and around Cape Horn, carrying manufactured goods to Chile and returning to Germany with copper ore. Each round trip took approximately 12 months (5-6 months each direction). In all, she sailed around Cape Horn 20 times, under sail power only, as she did not carry an engine until one was finally installed in1930.

All the early written records of the ship were destroyed in early 1945 during Allied bombing of Germany. Contemporary legal documents, beginning in December of 1945, indicate the Landkirchen was sold at an Allied war auction as a war prize. She remained under German ownershsip and operated as a cargo ship until 1979, at which time the vessel went into a two-year re-fit. She came out of re-fit as the Godewind (Good Wind) having been purchased by a German physician. The Godewind operated as a day-sailer out of Martinique, French West Indies.

In 1988 the Godewind was purchased by her present owner and was renamed the Sir Franics Drake. Additional refurbishing was performed by the new owner to bring her up to her present capacity of 30 passengers. She carries Equatorial Guinea registry.

Now, the Sir Francis Drake operates seven-day cruises in the beautiful British Virgin Islands and other exciting Caribbean itineraries.