We have always asked the guests aboard the Schooner J. & E. Riggin to be flexible. It is a dynamic environment, without a set itinerary. We venture wherever the wind and weather takes us along the pristine shores of Maine, away from the crowds, in the fresh breeze. As we prepare for a summer of fun and adventure, we ask for your continued flexibility as we adapt to the guidelines set forth for us by the CDC, the state of Maine, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
We want to share with all of you how we intend to keep our vessel a safe, and clean environment for you to relax, and enjoy the familiar comfort of sailing aboard the Riggin.
Pre-Screening:
Guests must furnish proof of vaccination and/or a negative test within 72 hours of boarding the vessel. Rapid tests are available at most Walgreens locations and in the Portland Jetport. This is required of all guests regardless of state exemptions at this time.
A pre-screening health self assessment questionnaire will to be filled out on the dock prior to boarding.
Masks:
Masks will be required below deck and in situations where social distancing is not possible, such as while hauling sail, heaving up the anchor, and on shore trips in the yawl boat.
Masks and gloves will be available on board to anyone upon request.
Meals:
Meals will be individually plated to reduce the risk of exposure posed by serving meals in a buffet-style.
Dishes will be sanitized and put away by the crew.
Cleaning:
All common spaces such as shared companion ways, and heads, will be cleaned and disinfected regularly as they always have been.
All ship linens will be washed and disinfected in between trips as they have always been.
Hand sanitizer will be available throughout the boat.
Crew:
Crew will be subject to testing at regular intervals
Crew will wear masks below decks, during all food preparation, and in situations where they are in close contact with guests.
All of these policies are in adherence with current guidelines set forth for us by the CDC, the state of Maine, and the U.S. Coast Guard and are subject to change. Check back frequently to keep up with these changes, and please call us with any questions or concerns.
After nearly a year of sitting stationary, the Schooner J. & E. Riggin left the dock yesterday under the direction of her new captains, Justin Schaefer & Jocelyn Schmidt. She was bound for North End Shipyard, for her annual haul out. The crew relished in the cool spring breeze on their faces, something they all had missed in their time away.
“It would have been powerful to take her off the dock for the first time regardless of whether or not she had sailed last year.” Jocelyn said. “There was something exceptionally powerful about getting to be the ones to take her out, even just for the short run to the shipyard knowing that it was the first time in a year she had had the chance to stretch her legs. It feels like the start of a really special summer, and the reality of being able to have a season this year is pretty emotional for us.”
This haul-out will be brief, just to put fresh paint on the bottom and replace the zincs which protect the metal beneath the water from electrolysis.
“It feels good to be back out on the water and to return to a familiar routine with the vessel after a year of lying dormant,” said Captain Schaefer. “Generations of Riggin crew spanning several seasons came out to offer their collective support & wisdom which made for an extremely special day.”
While the main cabin house is getting it’s makeover, the navigation station is also getting a total renovation. Those of you who have sailed with us for a while will remember Mouse, a long-time crew member who has, over the years, become a skilled carpenter and shipwright. He’s back in school for naval architecture and on the weekends we get his good, smart self in our shop. This beautiful nav. station will grace our cabin house this summer! Capt. will get to look at all summer long as he stands back by the wheel. Here’s some photos of the progress. We’ll post when it’s all on board and installed too.
It started with a discussion about re-caulking the main cabin house. It journeyed past replacing some cabin planks and lots of layers of varnish. It ended with a completely new main cabin house. Just like replacing a stove in a house which turns into entire kitchen renovation. Exactly like that.
Every year we choose a different area of the Riggin upon which to focus. That’s just how owning a schooner built in 1927 goes. This year, the main cabin house got our attention and we had a number of crew members working on the project. Here are some process photos from start to almost finish. And an hilarious short clip of the guys having fun. We aren’t quite to the final coat of paint or the re-installation of the skylight or nav. station but we’ll post those when that happens shortly.
Details in the galley. Details on deck. Details in the cabins. Some years we’ve got big projects which cause the little projects to be relegated to the bottom of the usually long list. We’ve had a couple of those winters in a row, so things like peapod repair, settee cushions, and new navigation stations have taken a back seat to the big stuff that most people don’t see, but is part of being good stewards of a National Historic Landmark. These would be things like planking and framing, iron work, rig replacement, new sails, etc. When these big projects are part of our budget in a year, they matter. It just means that the other (usually more visible things) need to take their turn and wait a little longer. This is the year of details.
Among the many details being tended to over the course of this winter are the cabins. The little details in the cabins which make your home for a week (or 4-days) nicer, a little more special. This year all of the cabins are getting a going over – new paint, new varnish… new sink skirts.
In cabins 1 to 4, these beautiful skirts hide the plumbing to the sinks and add to the charm of the cabins. This beautiful craftsmanship was done by Tyler King with an assist by Chloe Finger.
While the barn is abuzz with activity and woodworking, there are other folks who are also engaged and actively planning for another fantastic summer on the water with the Riggin. E (Elizabeth) is taking reservations at a rapid pace. And Annie is, among other things, sewing. Curtains, settee cushions, deck cushions, engine box covers, and so on. The list of projects is getting longer by the day!
What began as a “simple” slipcover for the house turned into the list above, which keeps getting additions by the second as Annie gets more comfortable with the work. Annie is lucky enough to have a friend with several industrial sewing machines and she’s always offered to teach Annie how to use them. This is that winter. When Annie isn’t on a horse, or cooking in the kitchen, she can these days be found behind the needle of a sewing machine.
And a powerful one at that. These machines are not your grandmother’s Singer, although they are just as dependable. They are finger-eating, strong-engined machines for which Annie has found some serious respect. They can sew through canvas, sail material, or 4 layers of upholstery material without straining. Magic and terror all wrapped up in one tidy package.
The engine box cover for the yawl boat got a little extra padding to protect that nice paint and varnish.
A look on the underside of the engine box cover. Turns out yoga mats have more than one use! Yes, that’s a yoga mat.
The deck cushions need a little love. The fabric is wonderful and held up nicely, but the foam is substandard. We are replacing the foam so everyone’s bum has a cushy landing.
The barn is abuzz with winter projects. While Louis and Chives prep and sand and scrape and fill, Capt. is busy repairing the peapod. A couple of summers ago she received some structural damage to her mid-section and while she has held up fairly well under the strain, it was time to address her needs.
We carry this sweet little row boat on our davits and lower her all summer long for those who want to do a little harbor exploring or catch a bit of exercise to work off Annie’s meals, so she’s pretty important to our summer operations. In addition, she’s a Jimmy Steele design, one of the many built by the famous boat builder. We are lucky to have such a special little vessel and we are happy to be taking good care of her.
Here’s a little photo journal of the work and care she’s receiving.
Sistering a couple of frames and shoring up some planking
Hey, is that the home stove? And the teapot? Capt. is using both to steam a couple of frames.
Don’t steam the cookbooks! Ahhhh!
Gluing and clamping everything together
Now we wait
The final product – strong and beautiful
And then we add some pretty hardware so she can take us on many more rows this summer.
While the weather outside fluctuates between spring and the arctic, inside the barn, all is toasty and warm… and busy! Louis and Chives, long-timeRiggin crew, are both ‘on deck’ so to speak and in the barn full-time. Right now, much of their work is about making dust as they sand and scrape all of the surfaces in preparation for their shiny coats.
These two goons working away on the barrels – scrape, scrape, scrape
Oars and Captains wheel – gonna be shiny soon!
Hatch covers sanded and ready for the final varnish and paint coats
The yawl boat engine removed and transmission ready for a rebuild and reinstall
Spars for Iolaire getting touch ups and undercoats before the final coat goes on
Photos by Captain Jon Finger and Elizabeth Poisson
