Sailing the Maine Coast on the Victory Chimes
Maine Windjammers Offer Cruises on Traditional Tall Ships
Jan 10, 2009
First-time passengers to the Victory Chimes might be struck by several things at once: There doesn't look like there's a lot to do, the cabins are very small (mostly bunk-beds with just enough floor space to change clothes), showers and heads are (in the case of most rooms) shared -- and there are probably a few fellow passengers on board who have made the trip for 10, 20, or even more, years. (One passenger recently celebrated her fiftieth cruise on the Victory Chimes!).
What possible vacation is so memorable that guests want to repeat it again and again and again?
"At the end of the week, you'll either understand, or you won't," one old-time explained with a smile.
History of the Victory Chimes
"Her cargo used to be lumber; now it's tourists," says Captain Kip Files, who along with partner Paul DeGaeta, is co-owner and co--captain of the 132-foot Victory Chimes. Built in 1900 in Bethel, Delaware as a Chesapeake bay cargo ship, the Victory Chimes was retrofitted for tourists and can carry 40 passengers. Now based in Rockland, Maine, she is the last three-masted schooner on the East coast, and the largest passenger sailing vessel under U.S. flag.
Victory Chimes is the largest of the 12 tall ships in the Maine Windjammers Association. These ships are each different from the other, ranging in size from the 6-passgenger 46-foot Mistress to the Victory Chimes. (The rest of the ships average between 20 and 30 passengers.) Each has its own character, but they all offer a traditional sailing experience.
Victory Chimes: A National Landmark and More
Victory Chimes has been honored in some interesting ways: She is an American National Historic Landmark and she is also featured on the Maine state quarter, sailing past the Pemaquid Lighthouse. In 2000, the 100th anniversary of her birth, she was named #148 on Boat International USA magazine's "World's Top 200 Yachts." Captains DeGaeta and Files were honored to be on the list, but caution that they don't consider Victory Chimes a yacht. With small simple cabins, shared heads and showers, and communal meals, the experience of sailing on a historic cargo ship is very different than a yacht experience, and probably more appropriate for more adventurous souls.
Sailing along the rocky-isled Maine Coast in a thick fog is an almost spooky experience. On a bright day, the sea glistens, and visitors might find their eyes tricked by the play of light creating mirage islands seemingly just out of reach. The days blend into a sort of soft focus film: Staring out to sea, reading, chatting with other passengers, participating in goofy games old-timers dream up, and of course, enjoying convivial family-style home-cooked meals in the dining room. (The lobster boil is a regular highlight.)
Passengers are welcome to help with chores; almost everyone volunteers to help with hoisting the sails, with passengers and crew heaving and ho-ing as the gigantic sheets are laboriously raised to catch the wind. Itineraries include stops at various island along the way, where passengers can buy necessities, or explore local attractions like a boat-building school or a lighthouse.
Victory Chimes Itineraries Along the Maine Coast
Victory Chimes itineraries range from weekend sails to 4, 5, and 6 day options. The season is early June through late September. Destinations are not fixed, and depend on the winds. She can also nbe chartered for special events.
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