Schooners Stephen Taber and Lewis R French in the 2018 Great Schooner Race. (Credit: Richard Ball)
The Maine Windjammer fleet was hit hard by the pandemic last summer. Most of the schooners didn’t sail and those that did offered fewer trips. As things return closer to normal, it is a good time to consider two of the oldest commercial sailing vessels still in service, the schooner Stephen Taber and the Lewis R. French, each celebrating their 150th year.
The Stephen Taber, which sails out of Rockland, ME, was built in 1871 in Glenwood Landing, New York for coastal trading. She worked primarily in New York Harbor until 1920 when she was sold to a captain in Maine.
Her current captain, Noah Barnes has been at the helm for the last 18 years. His parents bought Stephen Taber when he was just six years old and he grew up sailing in the Penobscot Bay. When his parents were ready to retire, he took up the trade of sailing each season from May to October, taking passengers from around the world to visit the more than a thousand islands that dot the bay.
The Lewis R. French, sailing from Camden, was launched in April 1871, in Christmas Cove, Maine. She is the last remaining Maine-built schooner of the 1800s. She carried freight; including bricks, lumber, firewood, granite, fish, lime, canning supplies, Christmas trees; until 1973, when she was converted to the passenger trade. The French has been named a National Historic Landmark.
Garth Wells has served as captain of the Lewis R. French for the last 18 years.
Here is a short video about the history and operations of the two schooners.
Two Maine schooners turn 150 – the oldest vessels still in commercial use in America
Such elegant vessels, much prettier than our Thames sailing barges
Congratulations to two stellar workhorses. A shout out to the Pioneer as well in NY Harbor – a 136 year old beautiful ship. https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/1885-schooner-pioneer/
We had the pleasure of sailing aboard Lewis R French with Captain Garth. In fact, the fictional schooner Andromeda, of Patricia MacPherson’s Nautical Adventures, is loosely based on this historic American vessel.
Having sailed for decades , I wanted to experience big historic schooner sailing. The French did not disappoint ! Nothing like it anywhere, Garth Wells is living the dream! The perfect host, and knowledgeable master, you can learn so much from him.,I spent a lot of time at the wheel, I will never forget that! Thank you Garth , for making that possible. If you like sailing, and history, eating, and a simple way of life, step back in time and go for a trip , A lot of passengers are repeaters, that says a lot. Hello to Garth, can’t believe 18 yrs!!!
I have often seen them as I drove by on route one. Maybe some day I will go for a cruise on one of them