Schooner reunion in Gloucester

Veterans of several seamanship training programs will havethe chance to sail again on their alma mater vessels at this year’s Gloucester, Mass., Schooner Race.

The schooners Harvey Gamage, Ocean Star, and Spirit of Massachusetts are among the entrants in the Labor Day weekend race, which typically draws crowds of sailors with an affection for traditional craft.

Harvey Gamage, a 130-foot wooden, gaff-topsail schooner that was named after the famed shipwright, will be celebrating its 25th anniversary with an on-board gathering. “We want everyone who has ever sailed aboard Harvey Gamage to turn out for the celebration,” said Kim Drozd, program coordinator for the Schooner Harvey Gamage Foundation in Cornwall, N.Y.

Although not expected to be quite as riveting as a dash in a water-ballasted Whitbread or Around Alone boat, the schooner race is a chance for sailors to return to their roots and enjoy competition at the safer speeds of four to eight knots (as opposed to 15 or 20).

As many as 15 large schooners are expected to compete in the race, which will be held on Sunday, September 6. Contact the Harvey Gamage Foundation at 800-724-7245, the Ocean Star Corp. at 207-772-2466, or the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce at 978-283-1601 for more information.

By Ocean Navigator