Hello all!
The HMS Surprise (former HMS Rose) is stationed in San Diego at the Maritime Museum until November. Here are some pictures of the Rose, as well as the Star of India.
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture277.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture278.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture280.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture283.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture289.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture292.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture298.jpg
And here are some pictures of a series of 3 models of the Star of India, to the same scale by the same builder, tracing her history from her launching as the "Euterpe", through her working days as the Star of India, to how she appears to day (with sails). The detail is amazing.
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture297.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture296.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture296.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture293.jpg
http://www.warshipmodels.com/~users/JoseGonzales/Picture294.jpg
Some additional comments on the ships:
The HMS Surprise was originally a replica of the HMS Rose. The producers of the movie either bought her or rented her for the movie, and changed her to the HMS Surprise. They also added a few things below deck - namely some modern steering gear and navigation equipment. I don't know if the rose originally had an engine but the Surprise does. Also, above deck she looks like a damned good replica, but below decks... the main or gun deck is not the ~5 ft 6 in from deck to beams, but a pretty tall 6 feet. The guns in the picture were on a raised platform to show how little room there would have been in the original, but the platform only runs on one side, and the guns are fiberglass. The lower masts are hollow steel or iron.
The ship appears a bit run down - the paint is peeling and topsides looks a bit shabby. I'm guessing there isn't much of a regular crew taking care of her. The museum's docents claimed that the ship's keepers intentionally are keeping her appearance this way to make it look worn and old - I don't think so.
The Star of India, on the other hand, is lovingly maintained. She takes a cruise under her own sail out of the harbor every couple of years or so, and has a small but dedicated crew keeping her in working order. She is the oldest iron-hulled merchant ship afloat, and she's a real beauty! A few years back there was a tall ship festival, where dozens of tall ships from around the world visited San Diego Bay. The Star outshone them all, imho.
Jose Gonzales