Sylvina W. Beal

The Sylvina W. Beal coming into Gloucester Harbor after sailing down from Bar Harbor, Maine, in October 2018. In the background is the 65' Ardelle, a Maine pinky style fishing schooner popular in the early 1800s in New England. It was designed and built by Harold Burnham in Essex, Mass.

The 77' Sylvina W. Beal was built in 1911 by Frank C. Adams in East Boothbay, Maine, for Charles Henry Beal as a knockabout fishing schooner.

After World War I it worked as a sardine carrier until 1980, when it was rehabilitated as a windjammer by John Worth of Belfast, Maine. It sailed out of Belfast and eventually was sold many times. Harold Burnham bought it from Steve Pagels, who had sailed passengers out of Bar Harbor.

Built as a schooner with auxiliary power, it ran under power most of its working life after being converted to a sardine carrier. That long working life is part of the appeal for Burnham. The vessel is an authentic New England fishing schooner and has a long history of commercial success. The Sylvina W. Beal story goes way back. It is connected to a lot of people with ties to fishing communities all over the Gulf of Maine, said Burnham. Burnham’s boatbuilding roots go back to 1650 in Essex, Mass., where his ancestors built vessels outdoors on the beach in front of their home and where Burnham still does.

Burnham plans to do a complete keel-up restoration. The Sylvina W. Beal will be placed on the National Register. Burnham will develop a preservation plan and secure enough private and public funding to assure the project can be completed. Costs are kept relatively low by cutting wood for the project, using some recycled materials and people who work on the project and work for reduced wages out of enthusiasm for being part of the community project.

The ship will be used to carry passengers and for marine science. “The features that make it good for fishing also make it good for science. It is comfortable and stable, with high sides that make it safe. The mystique of a 107-year-old vessel adds an aura of adventure,” said Burnham.