Windjammer Gatherings of the Fleet

At certain times of the year and for special events the sailing ships of the The Maine Windjammer Association get together in what is called the “gathering of the fleet”.

It is a rare thrill to see all these beauties together.

The line up for 2011 gatherings includes:

• Schooner Gam – Week of June 13th, 2011
Kick off the summer season with a windjammer gathering of the entire fleet! Relive the age of sail during this quiet rendezvous of more than a dozen 19th-century-style sailing ships. Location is determined by the weather of the day!



• Windjammer Days – Week of June 20th, 2011
Participate in a grand sail parade through picturesque Boothbay Harbor. Majestic windjammers come from up and down the coast to participate in this exciting early-season event. Shoreside activities include music and fireworks.



• Great Schooner Race – Week of July 4th, 2011
More than two dozen tall ships gather for an exciting all-day race in which guests may participate. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Great Schooner Race, North America’s largest annual gathering of tall ships!



• Maine Windjammer Parade – Friday, July 15th, 2011
The entire windjammer fleet participates in an afternoon Parade of Sail past the mile-long Rockland Breakwater, providing spectators with stunning, close-up views of Maine’s fleet of tall ships. Festivities also include tours of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse, free trolley rides to satellite parking areas and Owls Head Transportation Museum flyover.



• Music Festival – Week of August 1st, 2011
Many of the windjammers gather midweek for the Sweet Chariot Music Festival on Swans Island where more than a dozen groups perform traditional music of the sea. Fleet also gathers on Friday night for live shipboard performances ranging from sea chanteys and blues to story-telling and folk.



• Camden Windjammer Weekend – September 2nd & 3rd, 2011
The fleet gathers in picturesque Camden Harbor for festivities reminiscent of the days when hundreds of coastal schooners lined the waterfront. Festivities include a parade of sail, flag-raising ceremonies, live music, dancing and fireworks. 


• WoodenBoat Sail-In – Week of September 12th, 2011 (Tues. Sep. 13th)
The fall gathering of the fleet takes place in Brooklin, Maine, headquarters of WoodenBoat Magazine and WoodenBoat School. Now in its 25th year, the event includes refreshments, live music, tours and a harbor full of historic schooners.

For an overview of the ships of the Maine Windjammer Association, take a look at the Prow's Edge Cruise Magazine profile at http://www.prowsedge.com/cruise-lines-maine-windjammer-cruises.html or for more information about the Maine Windjammer Association visit the web site at http://www.sailmainecoast.com