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J. & E. Riggin (schooner) facts for kids
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| History | |
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| Launched | 1927 |
| General characteristics | |
| Length | 120 ft (37 m) LOA |
| Beam | 23 ft (7.0 m) |
| Draft | 7 ft (2.1 m) (centerboard up) |
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J. & E. Riggin (Schooner)
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | Rockland Harbor, Rockland, Maine |
| Built | 1927 |
| Architect | Stowaman's Shipyard |
| NRHP reference No. | 91002062 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | 4 December 1991 |
| Designated NHL | 4 December 1992 |
The J. & E. Riggin is a special kind of sailing ship called a schooner. It was built a long time ago, in 1927, in Dorchester, New Jersey. This ship is so important that it's been named a National Historic Landmark. This means it's a very significant part of history! The J. & E. Riggin is one of the few two-masted schooners still around today. These ships used to be very common in North American waters. Now, the J. & E. Riggin lives in Rockland, Maine. It takes people on fun sailing trips, like a "windjammer."
The J. & E. Riggin: A Ship's Story
A man named Charles Riggin had this schooner built. He needed it for his fleet of ships that collected oysters. He named the ship after his sons, Jacob and Edward. Both Jacob and Edward, along with their father, took turns being the captain. They sailed the ship on the Delaware Bay.
The J. & E. Riggin was always known for being fast, especially in light winds. Its speed was proven in 1929. It easily won the only official Oyster Dredging Race ever held in the Delaware Bay! The ship was used for collecting oysters until the 1940s. That's when the rules for fishing changed.
The Riggin family sold the ship. It was then changed to use an engine instead of just sails. It started fishing for groundfish and mackerel. This happened in places like Cape Cod and Long Island Sound.
In the early 1970s, Dave and Sue Allen bought the ship. They changed it again, this time from a fishing boat to a passenger ship. This is what it still does today! Its engine was taken out. New cabins were added below deck to make space for guests.
The J. & E. Riggin is now part of the Maine Windjammer fleet. It takes vacationers on sailing trips that last 3, 4, or 6 days. These trips happen in Penobscot Bay, Maine. The ship's home port is Rockland, Maine. It sails in areas from Boothbay Harbor, Maine to Bar Harbor, Maine. A lot of the ship's original parts are still there. This includes much of its deck, the wood under the water, and its main structure.
The J. & E. Riggin was officially named a National Historic Landmark in 1992.
What Does the J. & E. Riggin Look Like?
The J. & E. Riggin is 120 feet (37 m) long from the very front to the very back of its spars (the poles that hold the sails). Its main deck is 89 feet (27 m) long. The ship is 23 feet (7.0 m) wide, which is called its beam. It sits 7 feet (2.1 m) deep in the water when its centerboard (a fin that helps with stability) is pulled up.
It's a "bald-headed schooner," which means it doesn't have a topmast above its main mast. It has low sides and a "spoon bow," which is a rounded front end. The ship uses a small boat called a yawl boat for extra power. This yawl boat acts like a tiny tugboat. It helps the J. & E. Riggin move in and out of the dock. It also helps when there's no wind and the ship is stuck.