Schooners compete in Gaffers Race of coast of Maine

BAILEY ISLAND (WGME) -- Tall ships took to the open waters Monday for the third annual Gaffers Race.

The ships left from Portland early Monday morning and made their way to Bailey Island.

The captain of the schooner “Alert” says Monday's conditions were perfect for sailing.

"If you can get as close as you can to the start line when it’s time to start without crossing the start line early, that's the trick," Captain Perry Davis said.

Alert was just one of four ships racing through the blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

The first order of business in the race was setting the sails.

"You got a block and tackle system,” Davis said. “We have a line that goes up goes through a block and goes down and it's tied to the top off the sail, to the gaff, which the top of the sails is tied to."

This is Perry Davis and Bethany McNelley-Davis' seventh season on schooner "Alert." They sail with their 6-year-old Margaret and 2-year-old Calypso.

"For them to be able to be here, and help raise the sails, and help pull up the lines, and play on board, and help talk to people," McNelley-Davis said.

The seven sails on the schooner help the navigate around the islands off the mainland.

Perry says the conditions Monday were perfect.

"This is comfortable,” Perry said. “We're not going slow. This is great also it's not wavy it's just smooth."

But McNelley-Davis says not every day is like Monday, and challenges frequently arise.

"If it's a heavy breeze and you need to pull on the liens really quickly," McNelley-Davis said.

But on a day like Monday, you can’t beat the views, or the company.

"The sailing is the best part of owning a schooner, and running a vessel with guests, and making things like this happen," McNelley-Davis said.

This was one of the fastest Gaffers Races to date, taking just under three hours and 20 minutes.

It usually takes around five hours.