Gloucester Schooner Festival and Race

Our annual trip to Gloucester each year is a beloved tradition and incredible opportunity for the Eagle to get lots of miles run under her keel once again with a chance to see many good friends down the coast. Come along with us for an in depth look at how are days are spent on this adventure.

Outward bound: early 1930's,

The American Eagle is headed out for a swordfish trip here rounding past the Gloucester Halibut Company's wharf, now home to Gloucester's Coast Guard Station. Just behind of which is where much of the Schooner Festival events take place.

photo courtesy of: Nate Cooper

It's a 92 nautical mile transit from our first stop Boothbay Harbor to our destination of Gloucester Harbor. This is one of the few chances we get to do a proper night transit, leaving from Boothbay in the very early morning to arrive in Gloucester in the late afternoon.

photo courtesy of: Elias Porter

After arriving to Gloucester on Thursday evening, we spent the night in the outer harbor. Friday is a day for soaking in the Massachusetts sun: a perfect sail down to Boston and back while enjoying the change of scenery, the beautiful coastline, and the incredible architecture only seen from the water. As we ghosted into Gloucester we met the Adventure, Ernestina Morrissey, and the Dennis Sullivan--the four of us making quite the grand show coming into the harbor.

Saturday is spent roaming around Gloucester, checking out the festivities, museums, and other visiting vessels. Tyler knows all the lunch spots in town so it's a fantastic opportunity to sample some classic favorites many of which have been staples within town for generations.

Sunday Race Day!! After the skipper's meeting all the vessels moved into the harbor to start off for the Parade of Sail. Action and color don't begin to describe the flurry of activity as so many tons of sailing vessel maneuvered so close with a freshening breeze. After two passes by the Stacy Boulevard to the crowds, Tyler rolled the wheel down and began the steady beat to weather out of the harbor to the race course just beyond, while the crew & guests readied for action: stowing gear, trimming sails and eyeing the weather.

photo courtesy of: Fionn McWilliam

Bang! Off goes the starting gun. The jockeying for position along the start is over and a 10 second gap to the starting line was certainly close enough. The schooners surge over the line on their way to the first mark. Two laps and then the finish, a drag race of sorts--just with very large opponents. The breeze continues to freshen, and the pack spreads out. The crew all working as one coaxed every fraction of a knot out of the sail plan while the Eagle boiled along.

photo courtesy of: Fionn McWilliam

Rounding the first mark we held the lead. But coming through the wind brought the pack closer. The tacking crew pass the heads'ls to minimize poor drafting and we built speed in the new direction. Positioning to our fellow vessels is important as we headed to the next mark. two more mark roundings with the pack very close behind brings us across the finish line just 17 seconds ahead of the competiton!

photo courtesy of: Fionn McWilliam

The awards ceremony at Gloucesters Maritime Heritage Center Sunday evening is a great place to meet the other vessels and share stories of the day. This year was Tyler's third straight victory at the helm of the American Eagle, a trend we hope to continue heading in to 2025.

photo courtesy of: Fionn McWilliam

photo courtesy of: George Bekris

Monday Morning: There isn't much time to celebrate before we started our journey back to Maine, leaving early to make the best of the weather windows.

Coastal sailing is a great opportunity to spot wildlife, and the trip back to Maine is no exception. In addition to countless dolphins spotted, we saw a few whales too.

Ahead is a quiet few days of making our way home finding a few more little visited anchorages along the way with a much slower pace than our trip south.

Just like all of our trips each is completely unique and the Gloucester trip is no exception! If you are interested in joining us for the 2025 Gloucester Schooner Festival and Race. Check out our website for more information here. Or give the office a call!

Offcuts & Tailings... Schooner Protection

One of the more creative projects of the winter so far has been making a new fairlead system and block for the winter sternline.

After acquiring two lobster hauler wear plates given by a fisherman, two pieces of steel, quite a few bolts, and big piece of flat stock we finally have a block that will fit the 3 1/2" diameter of our big sternline.

Some chainsawing through an old mooring ball means this contraption will also float with the coming and goings of the tide.

Now attached to a heavy chain with a big tire as a shock absorber this strange new piece of hardware does a fantastic job of giving us lots of control over the "lead" of our heavy stern hawser which takes all the strain off our stern chocks in heavy easterly weather.

An impromptu crew meeting by phone, by video and in person!

Courtney has been enjoying the (mostly) warm weather in southern California this winter.

Recently the Exy Johnson returned from a yard period in San Diego.

Elias made this wonderful woodblock print in one of his classes during the fall.

From Beside the Wheelbox...

Hi everybody,

While we don't have our whole rig to tend to this winter there is certainly no shortage of things to keep me busy! The schooner is happily swinging on her winter chains and we have many familiar faces coming and going through the shop helping and chatting or just visiting.

We have quite the season shaping up and while there is still room on many trips throughout if you have your eye on one in particular give the office a call so you have the best chance to get the spot you wish. It's such a special thing we get to with our summers here in Maine with our lovely fishing schooner and it truely would not be half as delightful without all of you. So if its for 9-nights or just 3 it would be so great to see everyone this summer, even if its just a visit to the Shipyard.

Hope you all are warm and well,