Famous Maine Windjammer Featured on State Quarter Sinks

The Victory Chimes, a historic 128-foot-long wooden schooner that was featured on the 2003 Maine state quarter, went down over the weekend along with another vessel called the Pilot.

According to the Midcoast Villager, both vessels sank sometime between Friday night and Sunday after a strong squall moved through the area.

For decades, the Victory Chimes was one of the most recognizable vessels connected to Maine’s windjammer fleet. The wooden schooner was based in Rockland Harbor for years and became well known not only to Mainers, but to anyone who has ever looked closely at Maine’s 2003 state quarter. The coin features a lighthouse, a pine tree, and the schooner, representing the state’s deep connection to the sea, WGME reported.

The news station said that the vessel left Rockland Harbor in 2023 after being towed away with plans for a new life outside of Maine. At the time, there were plans to convert the historic schooner into a restaurant.

That future is now uncertain.

The Midcoast Villager reports the Victory Chimes was eventually sold at auction for just under $76,000. Now, after sinking in New York City, the owners are hoping the Victory Chimes and the Pilot can both be salvaged if possible.

For many in Maine, the loss of the Victory Chimes is more than just the loss of an old boat. It is the loss of a floating symbol of the state’s maritime history.