Fleet

Our Fleet

We've built a fleet of boats that is fit for a museum, but we think that boats should be used as their builders intended! From small Optimist Prams to historic Friendship Sloops (and plenty in between), Midcoast Sailing Center at the Sail, Power, and Steam Museum offers you a chance to get out on the water. Whether you are an experienced sailor and just beginning, we offer many opportunities for you to sail with us. Check out our sailing lessons, daysails, and charters.
Contact info@midcoastsailingcenter.org for more information

Enjoy a harbor cruise aboard Jocky, a classic power launch. Your personalized tour can focus on local lighthouses, maritime history, or the harbor’s unique ecology. Every trip is led by a knowledgeable USCG-licensed captain

Friendship Sloops

Our two gaff rigged Friendship Sloops are the pride of the museum! 40' Blackjack is the oldest Wilbur Morse built Friendship Sloop still afloat! She was meticulously and authentically restored in our boatshop by volunteers over hundreds of hours, then launched (the old fashioned way), transported by Oxen to the launch site. What a site it was! See below for her full story. (Summer 2025 - currently not in the water)

34' Persistence began her life in the 1950s when her keel was stretched by a Friendship fisherman. He set up some frames and became terminally ill. The back bone sat for 60 yrs until the Museum received it and our volunteers finished it off as a fishing sloop as was intended. She is now an able, hansom craft. AVAILABLE FOR CHARTER AND PRIVATE SAILING LESSONS

Muscongus Bay Sloop

The Muscongus Bay sloop was a forerunner to the Friendship Sloop, used for inshore fishing and lobstering in the midcoast of Maine in the mid 19th century.

Jade is currently a work in progress. Her builder started her as the culmination of a life-long dream, but was not able to finish her. She came to the Sail Power and Steam Museum unfinished, and our wonderful volunteers are working hard to get her out of the shop and in the water where she'll join the sailing fleet of the Midcoast Sailing Center!

Herreshoff 12-1/2s

We currently have two of these beautiful classic boats working in our fleet. Skimmer is a restored gaff rigged delight that you will see sailing around the bay this summer. While Merryweather, a marconi rig, is on proud display in the Wing on Wing building up at the museum. Merryweather was purchased from the Herreshoff Mfg. Co. in 1927 by Nelson and Happy Rockefeller. At that time a fleet of this design was being developed in Northeast Harbor. We are especially anxious to get her back in "fighting" (sailing) form!
(SKIMMER - AVAILABLE FOR CHARTER AND LESSONS)

Catboats

With a single sail on a single mast, set well forward in the bow of the boat (traditional rig is gaff), most catboats have a shallow draft and center-boards. Their beam is half as wide as the hull length at the waterline. From the 1850's to the early 1900's, catboats were the dominant inshore boat along the New England Coast, used for both fishing and pleasure.

Two of our two catboats are Beetle Cats. These boats were a 12' 4" gaff-rigged catboat, first built in 1920 in New Bedford, Ma., by members of the Beetle family. Over 4,000 have been built.
The Cat boat pictured is a Dynamite Payson creation, home built and donated to our sailing fleet (AVAILABLE FOR LESSONS)

Blue Jay

The Blue Jay is a classic little sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens (S&S) in 1947. It’s a hard-chined daysailer, 13′ 6″ long, 5′ 2″ at the beam. It is a very pretty little boat both under sail and at a mooring.

J22

For a decidedly more modern experience, join us for a lesson aboard our J22. Too Too (our J22) is AVAILABLE FOR LESSONS OR limited CHARTER

Optimist Prams

Sunfish

Sailing Dinghies

"Optis," as they are affectionately called, are the backbone of our FREE Youth Sailing Camp -- Fabulous little boats for kids learning to sail. In an Opti, they are fully in charge of their own vessel, utilizing all that they have learned in the classroom and together in one of our larger boats. Join us on the last fully wooden Opti fleet in the country!

With a flat, board-like hull, these personal sized vessels can be launched right from a beach or boat launch. They carry a lanteen sail, mounted to an un-stayed mast. Developed by Alcort, Inc., they first appeared on the sailing scene around 1952 as an improvement on their popular Sailfish. A great little boat, they are still around, providing a great sailing experience for both new and experienced sailors.
(AVAILABLE FOR LESSONS OR RENTAL)

We have a host of small sailing dinghies to muck around on from 420s to prams. Come for a visit and see what we have on the float this season!
(AVAILABLE FOR LESSONS OR RENTAL)

Boats for Sale

Check out our BOATS FOR SALE! All proceeds go to support SKFF!

For details on the building of the Friendship Sloop Persistence and the rebuilt and launch of the Friendship Sloop Black Jack, visit the Sail Power and Steam Museum Vessels' page.