Page 6. MAINE COASTAL NEWS May 2012 AMERICA'S FIRST WINDJAMMER TURNS 50
“It had been two generations since any- one had built a commercial schooner so Buds really had the chance to get creative while respecting the lineage of the coasting schoo- ners that had long been a part of his life.” says King. Buds wanted a light, fast boat that would be comfortable below decks with plenty of space to stretch out and relax on above decks.
CAMDEN — Fifty years ago, Captain Havilah “Buds” Hawkins and the Harvey F. Gamage Shipyard launched the MARY DAY, the first schooner built specifically for the windjammer trade. Up until MARY DAY was launched in 1962, most of the windjammers in the fleet were sailing vessels that had been involved in other kinds of commercial trade, carrying different kinds of cargo all over New England. To build a schooner dedicated to her guests—the first of her kind—was a very bold idea.
Buds Hawkins had owned the schoo- ners STEPHEN TABER and ALICE WENTWORTH, both in the Maine windjam- mer trade. With some background in naval
architecture, he drew plans for a schooner designed specifically to carry passengers. Launched in 1962, Schooner MARY DAY was the first windjammer built specifi- cally to carry passengers. On January 21, 1962, MARY DAY was launched in a snow storm in South Bristol. Just a few months later, on April 23, her current owner and captain, Barry King, was born.
Captain Barry says, “The fact that we’re both celebrating 50 is really special. I am on a boat that was built with people, and only people, in mind and that’s what this business is all about. She’s had no other purpose than to be there for our guests.” MARY DAY: Well Designed and Built to Last
Buds had some unique ideas about ves- sel construction. MARY DAY is the only schooner in the fleet with an in-line center- board that passes through the middle of the keel. A unique stem to stern truss rod system helps prevent hogging, the tendency for larger vessels to sag at the ends. This has helped MARY DAY maintain her sheer. MARY DAY was also built without the inner planking common to cargo-carrying vessels, called ceiling, which allows her wood to breathe. Says Barry, “When we rebuilt her during the winter of 1999/2000 we discovered that her oak framing was in remarkable condi- tion after almost 40 years because they had been well ventilated. The cabin houses and decks were originally covered with fiberglass to keep fresh water from leaking below decks causing rot. Even the passenger cabins were well thought out with skylights, windows, and 9 feet of headroom. The main cabin fea- tures a sweeping mahogany staircase, a fire- place, a parlor organ and enough space for three couples to waltz.”
On deck there is a wide single-level deck with no step or break. The cabin houses were designed with sloping rounded edges so there are plenty of comfortable places to sit. There is space for directors chairs along the foredeck and the quarterdeck features a full- size rocking chair, MARY DAY ‘s symbol of comfort and ease. The space between the wheel and the main cabin house was built to have enough room for a square dance and Capt. Barry has called a few. It also makes a great place for evening sing-alongs under the stars.
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Buds Hawkins was captain of MARY DAY for her first 20 years. In 1993, Captain Barry began working on MARY DAY and he hasn’t looked back. He and his wife, Captain Jen, rebuilt the schooner in 2000, replacing the bulwarks, the stern and much of the bow including the stem. ”There was nothing in- herently wrong with her,” says Captain Barry, “We wanted to have a schooner that
was in tip-top shape. What we did was to make sure the foundation of the vessel was solid. We hardly replaced any of the framing because she had been able to breathe.” MARY DAY Today
Since that rebuild, the Captains have continued to upgrade the accommodations, rigging and sails. But they’ve added some- thing even Buds may not have dreamed of: “We’ve put heat in all cabins–baseboard hot-water heat. We put 26 linear feet of coil in the main cabin’s fireplace. Water in the coil captures the heat–up to 170 degrees–and is pumped forward through the cabin radiators. It dries the cabins out and takes the chill out of those occasionally cool days, especially in the early spring or late fall.”
To celebrate 50 years of sailing, Captains Jen and Barry will be hosting celebrations with their guests every week all summer long. There will also be a public celebration on Sunday, September 2 during Camden’s Windjammer Festival, at which time every- one is welcome to tour the schooner at the head of Camden Harbor and share in the festivities. Says Barry, “Without recognizing the entire fleet, their magnificent captains past and present, MARY DAY wouldn’t have the special place she has in the fleet.” Windjamming first got its start in 1936, seventy-five years ago, when Captain Frank Swift came up with the idea of taking vaca- tioners on week-long sailing trips off the coast of Maine. For the first twenty-five years, the vessels were all former fishing and cargo schooners that were refit to carry guests. The launch of the Schooner Mary Day marked the beginning of a new era in which commercial sailing vessels built spe- cifically to carry people were added to the fleet.
MARY DAY offers 3, 4 and 6-day cruises out of Camden, Maine, from May to October. The 90-foot schooner carries up to 28 guests in single, double and triple cabins. Prices start at $550 per person and include all meals, activities and accommodations.
MARY DAY is a member of the Maine Windjammer Association, a consortium of 13 traditional sailing vessels that offer 3- to 6- day cruises out of Camden, Rockport and Rockland, Maine. For more information about MARY DAY and the rest of the fleet, contact the Maine Windjammer Association, 800-807-WIND or
www.sailmainecoast.com.
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