The boat is powered by wind, not engines, and run by an energetic crew, not sophisticated electronics. We'd admired Maine's windjammer fleet from the deck of our own little sailboat and couldn't wait to step aboard one of these historic vessels. The Victory Chimes , the queen of Maine's 13-vessel windjammer fleet, is 100 years old and wears it well. The last three-masted schooner on the East Coast, she's a vision of polished brass, gleaming wood, and tightly coiled lines. Her black spruce masts reach toward the heavens, bearing yards of heavy canvas tethered to oiled-rope halyards.
Berths are smallish, outfitted with bunks, sinks, and portholes.
Downright cozy, in fact. Our kids, accustomed to rustic summer camps and trailside lean-tos, were unfazed. As it turned out, the kids fell right into the rhythms of shipboard life. If you think an overnight might be too much for your clan, or just want to get your feet wet, so to speak, check out the day-sailing schooners. Diane Bair and Pamela Wright coauthored the Boston Family Weekender .