Experience the ocean aboard a classic schooner
This is Seamanship
Our Voyages
New England Adventures
Early June-Early October
We sail between New York City and Boston during the world-class New England summer sailing season. Our voyages mostly focus on Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, Block Island, and seeking whales on Stellwagen Bank, one of the best whale-watching locations on Earth.
Summer 2026: Boston and New York City
For our inaugural season, we are going to sail a small number of itineraries between New York City and Boston over the course of three nights. We will depart on Thursday evening and arrive on Sunday afternoon, making this the perfect weekend adventure. Take Friday off from work and come back Monday with stories to last for years to come.
Each voyage will feature an island port stop (Martha’s Vineyard or Block Island) and a transit of Stellwagen Bank, one of the best whale watching locations on Earth. Guest crew are involved in every aspect of the voyage: oceanography deployments, standing watch, setting sails, and navigating the ship. We promise a weekend of adventure, nature, and learning like you have never experienced before. The Voyaging Institute offers the only opportunity in New England to get an authentic multi-day passage-making sailing experience aboard a tall ship.
Key West Adventures
Late November-Early April
We sail out of Key West, FL in the winter, enjoying consistent easterly breezes and the only tropical weather conditions in the continental US. Our voyages explore the many islands of the Florida Keys including Dry Tortugas National Park on our longer voyages.
Winter 2026/2027: Voyaging to Dry Tortugas National Park
Departing on Thursday and returning on Sunday, we aim to sail out and around Dry Tortugas National Park, covering more distance than if we sailed to Cuba. We will also sail through Key West National Wildlife Refuge, stopping to observe lemon sharks, swim to a protected beach, and snorkel on the historic Sand Key Lighthouse.
We are currently awaiting approval from the National Park Service to offer entry to the park.
Long Distance Adventures
October and May
Each fall and spring we do a long distance voyage between our winter and summer ports of Key West, FL and Fairhaven, MA. We open up all or part of these voyages to interested guest crew. If you are interested in sailing the entire transit, we suggest coming on a shorter voyage first but that is not a hard requirement.
Variable Length
Our long distance adventures are usually 3-4 weeks in length, though we sometimes offer shorter sections of these voyages (e.g. New York City to Fairhaven or Ft. Lauderdale to Key West) that Guest Crew can join. Long distance voyages are as close as you can get to the “semester-at-sea” experience and allow to to immerse fully in shiplife and the ocean. We stop in several ports along the way and usually duck into the Intracoastal Waterway for part of the voyage. You will be part of the voyage planning process and will arrive in our destination with an enormous sense of accomplishment from sailing the entire US East Coast.
Brass Tacks
Do I need sailing experience?
Absolutely not. In fact, that is kind of the point. Most of the students on our semester-at-sea programs have never set foot on a sailboat and this voyage is designed to mimic that experience.
We will teach you the skills you need to stand watch and, from there, you will have the opportunity to go as deep as you like on a number of topics. Standing watch is where much of the learning happens. We also teach hands-on classes throughout the voyage. As we go through the routines of setting/striking sails, navigating, and steering, you will get ample opportunities to practice new skills alongside a knowledgeable crew member.
And don’t worry, there is ample time to relax and take it all in.
Will I get sea sick?
Probably not. Our ships are large and heavy and cut through small waves effortlessly. Our ships are also not racing yachts, so the intense leaning that sailboats do (called “heeling”) is minimized. Most of our itineraries stay in areas that are protected from major ocean swells, which are what usually cause motion sickness. We will also be pausing to anchor at intervals that give the body a chance to recover.
If you are prone to motion sickness, we recommend bringing Meclizine (we also stock this aboard). We have ginger, crackers, tea, and other remedies that we stock for our longer multi-week voyages. We have heard mixed reviews of pressure point bracelets: some people swear by them, others throw them away.
Read more details about voyage rules, what’s included, and other common questions on our “FAQ and Brass Tacks” page.