Here’s Your Chance to Own A Historic 123-Year-Old Maine Schooner

Here is your opportunity to own a real piece of Maine maritime history.

According to WABI, the 123 year old three-masted wooden schooner "Wind Chimes" is coming up for auction.

According to the Keenan Auction website, the schooner was built in Delaware in 1900.  For the first four decades of the vessel's life, she was used as a general cargo hauler.  Then, in 1946, she was converted to be a passenger cruise ship.  She has been taking passengers on cruises up and down the Maine coast since 1954 and Rockland has been her home port for many decades.

It earned the designation of a National Historic Landmark and was featured on the Maine State Quarter

The ship has a length of 127.5 feet, a breadth 23.8 feet and a depth 8.6 feet.  Her mass is 208 gross tons.  As a true schooner from the very early 20th century, she does not have a motor.  However, she does have a small boat that is used to maneuver the ship around when needed.  This small boat was built in 1991 and allows the vessel to keep up with similar passenger schooners that have engines to use when they are needed.

The ship has 21 passenger cabins that are configured in a variety of ways.  The new owner could turn it into a sail yacht or keep using it to take visitors from around the world on multi-day cruises up and down the Maine coast.

According to the listing, the vessel does need work before it can be recertified for passenger service by the US Coast Guard.  As a result, the owner has decided to sell it instead of paying for the needed repairs.

Interested in being the next owner?  You need to create an account HERE.  The online bidding starts at 9 AM on Sunday, April 23rd and runs through Monday, May 8th at 1 PM