A historic Maine schooner is going on the auction block after the current owner was unable to find an interested buyer.
The Victory Chimes, a three-masted schooner that’s on the National Register of Historic Places, was put up for sale by Capt. Sam Sikkema in August 2022. Built in 1900, it’s the last surviving Chesapeake Ram schooner, and was featured on Maine’s 2003 commemorative state quarter.
But the sailing vessel, listed for sale for $650,000 was unable to find a new home, so it’s going onto the auction block on April 23, The Courier-Gazette reported. The online auction, hosted by Keenan Auction Company, will last until 1 p.m. on May 8.
Though it’s well known in Maine, where it has carried passengers since the 1950s, the 131-foot vessel was built in Delaware as the cargo carrier Edwin and Maude. It was later fitted with passenger cabins. Currently, it has 21 cabins and can accommodate 43 passengers.
The vessel isn’t considered seaworthy at the moment, but could once more become a fully-functional passenger vessel in the future.