When the Maine Schooners Sail
The Maine schooner season month by month: which boats sail from May to October, the 2027 opening dates, sunset times, water and air temperatures, and the schooner events.
The Maine schooners sail from mid-May to mid-October, and not at all from November to April. The 2026 season ended in October. For 2027, the first day sails on the booking calendars are Surprise in Camden from 10 May and the Margaret Todd in Bar Harbor from 14 May; Boothbay Harbor’s two schooners follow on 28 May and Appledore II in Camden on 10 June, and most run to 11 October (read October 2026). Portland Schooner Co.’s 2027 dates were not on sale yet; its season starts in the first or second week of May. July and August are the warmest months; September is crisp and clear, with earlier sunsets; October brings the autumn colour and the last sails.
The 2027 calendar
| Schooner | First 2027 date on the calendar | Last | The operator’s own season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surprise, Camden | 10 May | 17 October | Mid-May to mid-October |
| Margaret Todd, Bar Harbor | 14 May | 11 October | Mid-May through October |
| Eastwind, Boothbay Harbor | 28 May | 11 October | Late May to early October |
| Applejack, Boothbay Harbor | 28 May | 24 October | Late May to early October |
| Appledore II, Camden | 10 June | 11 October | June 15 to October 11 |
| Portland Schooner Co. | Not on sale yet | May to October | |
| Multi-day windjammers (nine ships) | 27 May | 16 October | Late May to mid-October |
Calendar dates from the Viator and GetYourGuide booking calendars and the Maine Windjammer Association’s 2027 trip list, read October 2026; operators’ seasons from their own websites, which print no year. A boat may still add or drop dates.
Month by month
| Month | Who sails | Sunset at Camden (1st) | Air in Portland, high / low | Sea off Bar Harbor / Portland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May | Surprise, the Margaret Todd, Portland; Boothbay from 28 May | 7:38 pm | 64 / 46 °F | 47 / 50 °F |
| June | All of them; Appledore II from 10 June | 8:12 pm | 74 / 55 °F | 52 / 56 °F |
| July | All of them | 8:24 pm | 80 / 61 °F | 57 / 60 °F |
| August | All of them | 8:02 pm | 79 / 60 °F | 58 / 61 °F |
| September | All of them | 7:14 pm | 71 / 52 °F | 57 / 61 °F |
| October | Most to 11 October; a few to the third or fourth week | 6:18 pm | 60 / 41 °F | 54 / 55 °F |
| November to April | None |
Sunset: NOAA’s solar equations in Eastern Daylight Time, checked against the U.S. Naval Observatory. Air: 1991-2020 normals for Portland International Jetport, NOAA NCEI via the National Weather Service. Sea: NOAA NCEI coastal water temperature guide, monthly averages.
Which month to pick
- May and early June: the first sails and the coolest air, with the sea at about 47 to 50 °F. Not every boat has started: Appledore II does not sail from Camden until June.
- July and August: the warmest air, the longest evenings, and the sunset sails at 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Boothbay Harbor’s Windjammer Days (27 June to 3 July 2027) and the Great Schooner Race (9 July 2027) fall at the start of it.
- September: crisp and clear, the sea still close to its August high, and the sunset sails leaving at 4:30 to 5:30 pm by mid-month. The Camden Windjammer Festival is on Labor Day weekend (4 September 2027).
- October: autumn colour on the shore, sweaters on deck, and the last sails: most boats stop on 11 October, Columbus Day. October is also the wettest month in Portland.
What to wear in any month
Bring a warm layer and a windbreaker even in July: on the water it is 10 to 15 degrees cooler than in town, and the sea off Maine stays cold all summer. Wear soft-soled or non-marking shoes for a wooden deck, a hat and sunglasses, and sunscreen. Several boats carry blankets.
In the off-season
From November to April there is nothing to book for the same week. What you can do is plan: the booking calendars for most day sails and the full 2027 windjammer schedule were open in October 2026, and the listings on this site refund in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before. For the dates by harbor, see Camden, Boothbay Harbor, Bar Harbor and Portland; for a week aboard, the windjammer cruises guide.
Pick a Date for 2027
Appledore II's day sails from Camden are on the 2027 calendar from 10 June to 11 October: two hours past Curtis Island Light into Penobscot Bay.
See 2027 dates