windjammer cruising

I am finally getting serious about going on a maine windjammer cruise. mostly because of timing the two ships currently in the running are the mercantile and the victory chimes. i would love feedback as to other%26#39;s experiences specifically - is there any ability to learn alittle sailing, how experienced is the crew, how is the food, is it mostly families with kids or couples? how are the ';facilities';, etc... - i figure it is hard to mess up the scenery so i am mostly interested in the boats themselves... thevictory chimes seems much larger, does that matter?

thanks

devil

windjammer cruising

I went on a Windjammer cruise about 17 years ago. It was wonderful. I was single then and I lucked out with having a cabin to myself. Snug quarters and a very make-shift shower on deck when the rain stopped.

To be honest, it rained most of the time and we didn%26#39;t see much of the coast. But the days the fog lifted, magic.

The crew was really nice, the food quite nice and the rest of the passengers very pleasant.

The coast of Maine remains one of my favorite places and my husband, our son and I spend some time there every year.

If you can, ask the captain for names and numbers/emails of previous passengers. That might help. I went on the Issac H. Evans and she was beautiful.

Enjoy!

Ali

windjammer cruising

Hi Devil,

I own the Schooner Isaac H. Evans and am thrilled that you are considering a Maine windjammer trip. The two boats you%26#39;ve chosen are magnificent and the cool thing is, no matter which boat you choose, you%26#39;ll have a similar experience and a great time.

Most people that choose the Evans choose her because she is one of the smallest boats in the fleet. With only 22 guests, it%26#39;s an intimate group. Some people prefer the larger boats...and the Victory Chimes is the largest. One thing you give up on the Chimes is the island lobster bake. They carry a lot of guests and do their lobster dinner on the boat (so you still get lobster!) That doesn%26#39;t mean you can%26#39;t get off the boat...I%26#39;m sure they do at least one shore excursion a trip. Capt. Kip is a great story teller and the crew keep everything clean and shiny. I believe they have an enclosed shower (rather than an on-deck one that the crew has to set up for you.) You may be more likely to see older guests on the Chimes but it is not uncommon to see a variety of ages and groups, couples, or singles on any windjammer trip. I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll see a lot of young kids though as I think they have a minimum age requirement (maybe 12 or 16?) The Chimes sails from Rockland.

The Mercantile is one of the mid-size boats and sails from Camden. If J.R. is your captain, you will likely hear some fantastic guitar music at some point during your trip. There may be other music as well as I remember the Mercantile crew members often being musical. I think they do their lobster bakes on an island and they may also do a barbeque night on board. I%26#39;m also pretty sure they have a below-deck fresh water shower.

The food is great on all of the windjammers. It%26#39;s an important part of every windjammer trip! Most create meals on a wood stove and you%26#39;ll be amazed both by the quantity and the quality of the food. Most boats have fresh baked bread with every meal and hand-cranked ice cream one night. Even if you choose not to help with sailing the boat, you%26#39;ll have an appetite whenever it%26#39;s mealtime....something about being outside in the salt air!

You%26#39;ll find the crew on any of the windjammers to be personable and hard working. They genuinely care if you have a good time. You%26#39;re probably a little more likely to learn about sailing on a smaller boat as it is easier to give up the helm to someone that can actually see over the bow. Be sure to speak up if you%26#39;d like to steer or if you have questions. Basic navigation, history of the area, and local stories are all part of daily conversation.

Although everyone hopes for sun and a breeze during a windjammer trip, you should be prepared for rain and fog. It%26#39;s better to have your foul weather gear and not need it than the other way around! Dressing in layers is important for sailing in Maine.

This will be the 11th season I%26#39;ve owned the Evans and I%26#39;ve learned over the years that people choose different boats for different reasons so a lot is going to depend on your preferences. When you make your reservation, be sure to ask about the things that are most important to you. Don%26#39;t forget things like parking (free? convenient to the boat?) or portholes versus windows or accommodation for special dietary needs or whatever it is that you are looking for.

I hope this helps and have a great windjammer vacation!

When our family comes to visit, we will be booking with Schooner Isaac H. Evans. After much armchair and website research back on Cape Cod, this schooner and team look picture perfect to me!

I like the e-mail updates. Dreaming of summer now!

Hope that helps.

When our family comes to visit, we will be booking with Schooner Isaac H. Evans. After much armchair and website research back on Cape Cod, this schooner and team look picture perfect to me!

I like the e-mail updates. Dreaming of summer now!

Hope that helps.

dispersion of pigment