Sloop GJOA & Roald Amundsen

Gjøa was the first vessel to transit the Northwest Passage. With a crew of six, Roald Amundsen traversed the passage in a three year journey, finishing in 1906. The 70 ft square-sterned 48 ton sloop was built by Kurt Johannesson Skaale in Rosendal, Norway in 1872, the same year Amundsen was born. For the next 28 years she served as a herring fishing vessel, before Amundsen bought her in 1900, for his forthcoming expedition to the Arctic Ocean . Gjøa was much smaller than vessels used by other Arctic expeditions, but Amundsen intended to live off the limited resources of the land and sea through which he was to travel, and reasoned that the land could sustain only a tiny crew. Roald Amundsen became the first European explorer to navigate through the Northwest Passage (1903-1906), and went on to become the first man to reach the South Pole (1911). For the rest of the story CLICK HERE.

Sailing on Penobscot Bay, Part 1

I recently returned from a photo assignment cruising Penobscot Bay, Downeast Maine aboard one of the Maine Windjammers, the ketch ANGELIQUE. This is part 1 of a multi-part photo essay from that week sailing with the Maine Windjammer Fleet. Bowsprit and boat of the ANGELIQUE docked in her homeport Camden, Maine

Schooners GRACE BAILEY & MERCANTILE in Camden, Maine.

Ketch ANGELIQUE underway and three-masted schooner VICTORY CHIMES off the starboard bow.

Restoration of the Barque James Craig

BARQUE JAMES CRAIG for the rest of the story Click Here

Olin Stephens

Olin J. Stephens II, America's preeminent yacht designer of the 20th century -- died September 13, 2008 -- five months to the day after celebrating his 100th birthday. Widely recognized as the most respected, admired and accomplished yacht designer of the 20th century, Stephens once said, "
Stephens' name is most often associated with the prestigious America's Cup Race. In 1937, he collaborated with W. Starling Burgess to design the Super-J, Ranger, which was later selected to defend the Cup after only seven races. Sparkman & Stephens went on to design many of the most revered 12-Meters that raced for the Cup, including Columbia, Constellation, Freedom, Intrepid and Courageous. In 1993, Stephens' and his winning designs were honored when he was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame.

ASGARD II Sinks

Ireland's majestic sail-training ship, the Asgard II, sank mysteriously off the French coast Thursday, but its 25 passengers and crew escaped safely on lifeboats. At the time of its sinking, the Asgard II was nearing the end of a weeklong voyage from Falmouth, southwest England, to the French port of La Rochelle. Its "trainees" were aged from 16 to their mid-60s and included 18 Irish people, a Briton and an Italian. A former captain of the Asgard II, Frank Traynor, said the ship was built to survive hurricane-strength winds. He suspected that a faulty "sea cock" — one of dozens of valves designed to permit sea water to enter the ship to cool engines or flush toilets — was to blame.

Petition to Save FALL OF CLYDE

Please Sign this Petition to save the FALL OF CLYDE

Windjammer News September 2008

Maine Windjammer Association September 2008 Newsletter

Worlds Longest Tall Ship

Tall Ship LIBERTAD

La Libertad, the longest tall ship in the world with the three masts of reaching some 160 feet off the water. At 356 feet, the ship is longer than a football field, carrying 180 cadets from the Argentinean Navy is the country's official sail training vessel. She was built in the 1950s at the Rio Santiago shipyards near Buenos Aires, Argentina her maiden voyage was in 1962. In 1966 she established the world record for transatlantic crossing (only sail navigation) between Cape Race (Canada) and Dursey Island (Ireland), 1,741.4 nautical miles in 6 days and 4 hours.

Collector Prints September Special

Collector Fine Art Prints: September Special " VIRGINIA "

8x17 archival pigment ink print on media, matted 12x20

(includes shipping and handling) $ 45.00

To Order Print Click Here

24th Annual Great Schooner Race

VIRGINIA winner of the 24th Annual Mayor's Race at the Gloucester Schooner Festival .

Rounding a mark schooners ALABAMA, VIRGINIA with AMERICAN EAGLE leading.
Schooners LETTIE G. HOWARD, ROSEWAY and LIBERTY CLIPPER.
For the 24th Annual Great Schooner Race Results CLICK HERE.

Schooner Grace Bailey

Schooner GRACE BAILEY ( catalog #2018 )

The Grace Bailey was built in 1882 by Oliver Perry Smith in Patchogue, New York. Throughout her long history she carried a wide variety of cargoes including lumber, oysters, and granite, It is likely that she carried granite from Crotch Island, Maine to New York City for the Post Office and Grand Central Station. Bought her in 1940 by Captain Frank Swift of Camden,Maine and began her career as a windjammer in the passenger trade. For the rest of the story Click Here.

7 Masted Thomas Lawson

The Thomas W. Lawson was a seven-masted, steel-hulled schooner originally planned for the Pacific trade, but then used primarily to haul coal and oil along the East Coast of the United States. Built in 1902, the ship holds the distinction of being the largest schooner and the largest pure sailing ship (without an auxiliary engine) ever built.
The Thomas W. Lawson was destroyed near the Scilly Isles Hellweather's Reef, in a storm on December 14, 1907, killing all but two of her 18 crew including the pilot who was already aboard ship.