Windjammers were the workhorses of the late 19th century, designed to ferry large volumes of cargo around the world on prevailing winds. Generally built of iron or steel, with three to five masts and square sails, they were slower than clippers but much roomier.
In the late 1900s they fell out of favor as steamships became dominant. Many of these beauties live on as sail-training ships, dockside restaurants and tourist attractions. There’s probably no better place to experience the majesty of these vessels than Maine, so we had photographer Karen Ryan document a six-day cruise aboard American Eagle to give you a taste of what a windjammer adventure is all about.
Book your adventure
Now that we’ve whetted your appetite, you can create your own Maine windjammer memories.
The Maine Windjammer Association offers charters and multiday cruises aboard nine historic boats. sailmainecoast.com, (800) 807-WIND
Maine Windjammer Cruises has multiday day and weekend trips aboard Grace Bailey, Mercantile and Mistress. mainewindjammercruises.com, (207) 236-2938
This article originally appeared in the October 2016 issue.
