What Schooner J. & E. Riggin does

Schooner J. & E. Riggin operates a historic two-masted, gaff-rigged sailing schooner originally built in 1927 in Dorchester, New Jersey as an oyster dredger and subsequently converted into a passenger windjammer cruise operation. The vessel, named for builder Charles Riggin's sons Jacob and Edward, won the only official oyster schooner race on the Delaware Bay in 1929. Today the company runs all-inclusive 3- to 6-night sailing adventures departing from Windjammer Wharf in Rockland, Maine, exploring Penobscot Bay, granite coastline, spruce-clad islands, and lighthouse-dotted points, with onboard dining prepared by Captain & Chef Jocelyn Schmidt and crew sailing under Captain Justin Schaefer.

The core offering is a capacity-constrained experiential tourism product: eleven cabins (nine double occupancy, two triple occupancy), accommodating a maximum of roughly 24 guests per departure, with private sinks and cold running potable water. Revenue is generated through three streams: passenger fares on scheduled multi-night cruises, private charter and wedding events for exclusive vessel use, and a Ship's Store merchandise e-commerce storefront hosted on Square. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via the company website, toll-free phone reservations, and a quarterly email newsletter; pricing is not publicly disclosed and bookings are quote-based. The business is a member of the Maine Windjammer Association (holding its Certificate of Excellence) and partners with Leave No Trace on sustainability positioning, targeting individual travelers, couples, and private event groups seeking heritage maritime experiences.

Name

Schooner J. & E. Riggin

Legal name

Schooner J. & E. Riggin

Website

https://mainewindjammer.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Schooner J. & E. Riggin operates a historic 1927-built two-masted gaff-rigged schooner offering all-inclusive 3- to 6-night sailing adventures along the Maine coast from Rockland, serving individual travelers, couples, and private charter groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tourism and hospitality / Sailing cruises

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Sailing Cruises (Windjammers & Tall Ships) (THAEADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Luxury Yacht & Small-Ship Expedition Cruises (THAEABAF), Cabin Charters on Private Yachts (By-the-Cabin) (THAEAEAD)

Keywords

• Windjammer sailing cruises
• Maine coastal excursions
• Historic schooner charters
• Multi-night sailing adventures
• Penobscot Bay cruises

Headquarters

HQ city

Rockland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sailing Adventure Packages: Multi-night sailing excursions (3-6 nights) aboard the historic windjammer departing from Rockland, Maine, exploring Penobscot Bay and Maine's coastline. Revenue generated through passenger fares for all-inclusive adventure experiences.
2. Charter and Wedding Services: Private charter services and wedding event hosting aboard the vessel for exclusive use by individuals or groups.
3. Ship's Store Retail: Online merchandise shop selling goods to customers through the company's e-commerce storefront.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Schooner J. & E. Riggin operates all-inclusive multi-night sailing adventures (3 to 6 nights) aboard a historic 1927-built, two-masted gaff-rigged windjammer departing from Rockland, Maine. The core offering combines cabin accommodations, chef-prepared onboard dining, and exploration of Penobscot Bay's granite coastline, spruce-clad islands, and lighthouses. The company also books private charters, weddings, and runs an online branded merchandise store.

Product overview

Schooner J. & E. Riggin operates as a historic windjammer cruise company offering all-inclusive multi-night sailing adventures along Maine's coast. The core offering consists of Windjammer Sailing Adventures (3- to 6-night cruises through Penobscot Bay) combined with onboard Dining Aboard services and Accommodations in eleven cabins. Additional offerings include Charters & Weddings for private events and a Ship's Store merchandise shop. The company is a member of the Maine Windjammer Association.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Windjammer Sailing Adventures Multi-night all-inclusive sailing cruises aboard the historic 1927 Schooner J. & E. Riggin along Maine's granite coastline, spruce-clad islands, and Penobscot Bay lighthouses, targeting adult travelers, couples, and small groups seeking authentic experiential vacations.
• Onboard Cabin Accommodations Cozy onboard lodging in eleven cabins with private sinks and running potable water, included as part of the multi-night sailing adventure package for guests.
• Dining Aboard Chef-prepared onboard meals prepared by Captain & Chef Jocelyn Schmidt and her galley team during sailing adventures, included as part of the all-inclusive package.
• Charters & Weddings Private charter and destination wedding services that allow individuals, families, and groups exclusive use of the Schooner J. & E. Riggin for celebrations and special events.
• Ship's Store Online merchandise storefront selling branded goods and memorabilia associated with the Schooner J. & E. Riggin.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Leave No Trace (LNT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Leave No Trace organization demonstrating the company's commitment to sustainable and environmentally responsible outdoor tourism practices. The partnership aligns with the company's stated values of environmental stewardship.
• Maine Windjammer AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore industry association membership connecting the J. & E. Riggin with Maine's fleet of historic windjammer vessels. The association promotes Maine windjammer tourism and has awarded the vessel its Certificate of Excellence.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Schooner American Eagle: Historic Maine windjammer offering multi-night sailing cruises from Camden, Maine. Directly comparable as a fellow Maine Windjammer Association vessel with overnight cabin cruises along the same coastline.
• Schooner Stephen Taber: Historic schooner offering multi-night windjammer cruises from Rockland, Maine. Direct peer sharing the same departure port and Penobscot Bay itinerary within the Maine Windjammer Association.
• Victory Chimes: Three-masted schooner offering multi-night windjammer cruises from Rockland, Maine. Direct competitor in the same fleet and departure port, targeting the same guests with a similar overnight sailing format.
• Schooner Margaret Todd: Maine windjammer offering multi-night sailing cruises out of Camden and Rockland, Maine. Direct competitor in the same Maine Windjammer Association fleet with a similar small-ship overnight format and Penobscot Bay itinerary.
• Windjammer Angelique: Historic windjammer offering multi-night sailing cruises out of Camden, Maine. Comparable boutique sailing cruise product targeting the same experiential traveler in the same Penobscot Bay region.
• Lewis R. French: Maine windjammer offering multi-night sailing cruises from Camden, Maine. Operates a historic sailing vessel in the same fleet and serves the same experiential travel segment with a similar cabin-based format.

Broad incumbents

• Sea Cloud Cruises: Luxury tall-ship sailing cruise line operating historic windjammer-style vessels globally. Comparable experiential sailing cruise product, but at a premium, larger, and international scale rather than the regional Maine windjammer model.
• Variety Cruises: Small-ship cruise operator offering intimate sailing and motor cruises globally. Comparable in vessel size and experiential positioning to Maine windjammers, though operating internationally at broader scale.
• Windstar Cruises: Small-ship cruise line with sailing yachts offering luxury experiential cruises. Compares on intimate vessel size and experiential positioning, but operates motor and sailing yachts globally at a much larger scale than Maine windjammers.
• Star Clippers: Operator of luxury tall-ship sailing cruises worldwide. Comparable as a sailing-vessel cruise line, but at significantly larger scale and global geography rather than the boutique Maine windjammer niche.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Schooner J. & E. Riggin