PORTSMOUTH -- Clipper ships such as the “Pride of Baltimore II,” which helped save the war for the United States in 1812, would not have been unfamiliar around the Seacoast 200 years ago.

On Saturday, they were a sight to see as visitors stopped everywhere from Four Tree Island to Prescott Park to see a replica of the “Pride of Baltimore II,” as well as the Revolutionary War-era sloop the “Providence.”

The two ships were welcomed to the Seacoast with a parade of sail on Friday. Both are docked at the Commercial Fishing Pier at Pierce Island throughout the weekend as part of Sail Portsmouth 2012. The event continues today from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

On Saturday, visitors stopped on land to take photographs, floated by on kayaks and motorboats, and ticket holders boarded the ships for a look back in time.

Background information on the ships was provided by crew members, as well as marine docents from the University of New Hampshire, who provided an ongoing educational exhibit under a giant tent at the pier.

The tent was a welcome reprieve from the sun and featured varied maritime-themed exhibits, including a well-costumed group called The New England Brethren of Pirates who were a hit with the visitors.

The Piscataqua Maritime Commission hosts the Sail Portsmouth event each year and president Donald Coker said the event is as popular as ever.

He expected about 5,000 people to tour both the “Pride of Baltimore II” and the “Providence” throughout the weekend.

It is the second time in three years the event has been held at the commercial pier instead of the state pier on Market Street.

“It's very accessible to anyone who wants to come down and look at the ships,” Coker said.

He said it is also a more historically accurate venue, with the Sheafe Warehouse in the background.

“This is what it would have looked like 200 years ago,” Coker said, gesturing out at the scene as sea shanty singers serenaded visitors behind him.

Brayden Consolati, 6, of Trumbull, Conn., said his favorite part of the ships was the cannons. He also enjoyed posing with the pirates.

Consolati's mom, Michelle, said they all love ships.

“We have great friends that live in Portsmouth and we always come up for a long weekend. We wanted to make sure we could bring the kids to see a little piece of history,” she said.

Other families also enjoyed the day out on the water.

“I had a great time, especially meeting the pirate,” Malick Ghachem, an Atlantic area historian from North Hampton, said, after a tour of the “Pride of Baltimore II” with his wife, Erica James, and their two children.

James said they had never quite gotten around to visiting the tall ships before and after hearing they would be headed to Boston, decided it would be nice to see them closer to home.

“The pirates were an added bonus,” Ghachem said.

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Gretyl Macalaster may be reached at gmacalaster@newstote.com.