Maine Windjammer Association

Portland (Maine)

U.S.A.

Canada & New England

Excellent

Lewis R. French

Stephen Taber

American Eagle

The Canvas Can Do Miracles

Actually it was from Camden, Maine not Portland, this survey company is lacking.

Blissful days and nights of pure sailing, no stinky loud diesel motor in the ship, just pure wood, canvas, rope and rigging.

The way sailing was meant to be back in the days of yore. 

No cheap fiberglass and impersonal steel, just pure wood slicing through the water. The creaking of dissipating tension from the wood. The billowing of 3,100 SF of canvas in the wind.

The food..... abandon ye of all hope, unless you have strict discipline to limit yourself to one serving. Everything is from scratch... do not ask the cook where he got the prepared food from, he will probably answer sarcastically... Wal-Mart....

Crew is top notch, regardless of any weather situation; they have everything ship shape and secure in what they are doing.

This past trip had a situation that tested their mettle, and they responded splendidly with what their experience thought them.

Loose yourself for a few days, loose the electronics, and get reacquainted with yourself and friends aboard.

Soak in the wind, the sun, the ocean.... feel it, as you will not have this moment again once you leave the French, till the next year.

Sailing.... the way it should be.

Cannes

We stumbled upon this on the internet and booked a trip without any info. Wow, we are glad we did! Wonderful to be unplugged on the oldest windjammer in the US. Peaceful, world class views, great grew, good food (prepared on a wood stove in the galley), and some exciting stops (like the Swan's Island Music Festival and our lobster boil on the beach).  We were part of a group of 21 passengers and 5 crew. You never feel cramped. Plenty of room to spread out on deck. The berths are small, but you're only in them for sleeping (at night or a sea nap). Watching the operation of this boat is fascinating. She has two tall masts and carries 6 sails. You can participate or not in hoisting sails, etc. No pressure. We can't say enough good things about this experience. We had many special moments and any one of them would have made the trip worthwhile.

We decided to take this trip to celebrate our 34th wedding anniversary, and every moment of the trip was wonderful! 

Being on the ship was like living in a museum. The crew and Captain were just great, and the food was outstanding. We watched our young chef cook gourmet meals on a wooden stove!

You can't beat Maine scenery for beauty. 

Everyone had an opportunity to work the sails and lines, raise and lower the anchor and sail the ship.

There was a lot of time to read, reflect and/or just watch the gorgeous Maine coast and islands of Penobscot Bay go by.  

Sleeping quarters were a little tight, but we had everything we needed, and the chance to see the scenery, be on the water, watch the full moon rise, and set, were great memories we will keep forever. 

Not recommended for folks with physical handicaps that impede walking or climbing up rope ladders or stairs.

Trip of a lifetime

We stayed on the ship for 4 nights. The trip has fantastic food and plenty of it made by the chef. The mates were very friendly and knowledgeable. It is a fairly primitive, manuel run ship which adds to the draw. It is very cool how the ship has been fitted and changed throughout the years to accommodate guests but everything is still done by hand and many original and old items are still used. There is a wood burning cook stove and oven which heats the water for the shower and sink, and everything you eat is made on it. We got homemade muffins, breads and biscuits every day and everything we ate was made from scratch in the galley. The food was fantastic and eating on deck in the breeze is very relaxing. You can help hoist sails, raise the anchor and drive the ship. Garth, the captain, is very knowledgeable and ready to answer any questions and share his knowledge with you. The cabins have USB charging ports and a sink. The beds are comfortable and while the rooms are tiny, they are cozy. If you think this would be a fun thing to do, absolutely do it. It was really fun and you can do as much or as little as you want. We anchored every night and took row boats out to the shore to hike and sight see, plus one night we had the lobster bake on the beach which was delicious and very cool to experience. I would recommend it to anyone that thinks they are interested.

Very laid back, relaxing and cool experience

This was a wonderful trip. Captain Garth and his crew were excellent and fun to be with. They really made the trip great. The Lewis R French is a great boat and was fun to sail on. We would do it again. The perfect trip to get away from it all and enjoy nature and the fun of sailing. The food was excellent, it's amazing what Jason could do on a wood burning stove. We had a wonderful Lobster bake on an island that was a lot of fun and all the lobster you can eat, really. The weather was perfect and we only had a small amount of rain as we were docking. It is best to bring a jacket and as usual, follow the advice they give you on what to pack. It was a very well run trip and all went very well. We would do it again.

Wonderful trip

I have been to many different places and on many vacations and I can safely say this vacation has been my favorite of all. Our initial motivation for seeking out Windjammers was my  long held love of old schooners. Being able to experience of sailing on a 130 year old schooner for an extended period was a dream come true for us. That said, many of the other facets of the experience they offer fit us comfortably - The small group setting, the relaxed itinerary, the general informal nature of the experience, beauty of the Maine coast...all call us.Our Captain, Garth Wells was extremely knowledgeable, experienced and cool!! He truly loves the ships and enjoys what he does. He went out of his way to ensure all guests had an excellent time. The crew was amazing as well, we all became fast friends. They work hard, always smiling and know the guests by name. The chef  did an excellent job with very delicious meals , all cooked on a wood burning stove. One evening we dropped anchor and had a great lobster bake on an island. 

We would definitely go again and recommend it to anyone, They accommodate single travelers too at no extra cost.

Absolutely wonderful !!!

My wife and I heard about  the beauty of Maine and decided to see it from the water. So, we took a 6 day windjammer cruise on the Lewis R. French, Camden, Maine. We chose this cruise because it was a personable size schooner with the right amount of people ,21. It is a National Historic Landmark, over 140 years old.

This itinerary is very laid back - a great chance to really disconnect from the everyday rush - and just relax. Watching birds, seals, the clouds, islands that we passed while sailing created a serene atmosphere. Captain Garth Wells was more than anyone could have hoped for in a captain. Affable, knowledgeable and capable, he and his crew made us feel very welcome on the well-maintained and beautiful Lewis R. French.  Captain Wells even let me  take over the helm . Just like the olden days ,being  a pilot on a 140 year old windjammer.  The crew was incredible - they worked to make sure we had everything we needed or wanted. Food was great - I couldn't believe the meals  the chef prepared on  a wood burning store in the  ship's galley. 

 If you are a food and nature lover, you will love this trip. My only complaint is that the cruise ended.

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