Schooner Stephen Taber Gets a Bit of Shipyard TLC

May 22, 2025

Each spring, the Schooner STEPHEN TABER, like all the Maine Windjammers, makes her way into the cradle at North End Shipyard in Rockland, Maine for her annual haul-out. This time-honored ritual is an essential part of preserving these historical vessels and ensuring they’re ready for another season of sailing the Maine coast.

This year, Captain Noah Barnes and crew undertook the usual repainting and Coast Guard inspection, but added on a few special projects as well. As with any wooden vessel, especially one launched in 1871, the oak planks of the hull need to be replaced every so often. This time among the planks that needed replacing was one that might have been part of the original construction—an incredible discovery marked by the presence of wooden trunnels, or “tree nails,” an old-fashioned fastening method that predates the use of metal hardware.

To haul STEPHEN TABER out, the captain motors her (via her yawlboat, as the TABER doesn’t have an inboard engine) onto a massive wooden cradle submerged in the shipyard’s ways. Once she’s in position, supports are slid under her hull, and a winch slowly pulls the entire cradle—with schooner—out of the water. Staging is then built around her so that every part of the hull is accessible, from keel to waterline.

The first step? A serious pressure wash. Barnacles, mussels, and algae are blasted off the hull, revealing the wood beneath and exposing any seams that need attention. This year Captain Barnes had scheduled four planks to be replaced. Mike Rogers, the seasoned shipwright who led the rebuild of Schooner Ladona in 2015, came aboard to lend his expertise.

Each new plank was cut from 2.5-inch-thick oak—dense, strong, and ideal for boatbuilding. But getting those planks to fit the graceful curves of the hull is no simple task. They must first be steamed for about an hour per inch of thickness—in this case, two and a half hours—inside a long wooden steam box. Steaming softens the wood, making it pliable enough to be bent and pounded into place.

Once shaped to the hull, the new planks are fastened with galvanized spikes. The seams between each plank are then caulked in the traditional fashion: first a strand of cotton is driven in with a caulking mallet, followed by a strand of oakum—a tarred fiber that swells when wet to seal the seam. The final step is to putty over the seam, ensuring a smooth and watertight finish. Painting the hull is both functional and artful. The crew carefully cuts in the waterline by hand before spraying on a fresh coat of bottom paint.

By the time STEPHEN TABER rolls back down the ways and into the harbor, she’s ready for another season under sail—and with a few new planks that could last another 100 years. The work done during haul-out isn’t just maintenance—it’s stewardship. It’s what keeps this historic schooner not just afloat, but thriving, ready to welcome guests aboard for another unforgettable summer on the coast of Maine.

Want to see more? Check out this video we put together: