SSV Tabor Boy Completes Summer of Voyages and Celebrations
SSV Tabor Boy Completes Summer of Voyages and Celebrations
The SSV Tabor Boy returned to Marion this week after completing a season that combined an offshore passage to Bermuda with appearances at several of the nation's largest maritime celebrations. Along the way, students and alumni had opportunities to experience bluewater sailing and serve as ambassadors for the school.
After participating in an international sailing exposition in Newport in early June, Tabor Boy departed Marion on June 15 for Bermuda with a crew of 22 students, alumni, and professional mates under the command of Captain Jay Amster. After completing the offshore voyage, Tabor Boy joined tall ships events in New York City and Boston. She welcomed visitors aboard while participating in celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.
Former Executive Officer Peter Mello ’77 was on board Tabor Boy for Boston’s tall ships event. He was lucky, he says, to have also participated as a student in Tabor Boy’s appearance at the bicentennial event in 1976. “That event was so special to me,” he says. “I have a poster of the 1976 parade that is one of my favorite pieces of art. To be here today and to reconnect with this is amazing. To see an event like this, and to see Tabor Boy participating in it, is awesome.”
For those aboard, the summer offered two distinctly different experiences: the demands of life at sea and the public-facing role of representing Tabor and its sailing tradition.
The Bermuda crossing required round-the-clock watch rotations, sail handling, and ship maintenance during days of open-ocean sailing. With no cell phones and limited communication with shore, crew members settled into the rhythm of offshore life.
Life aboard demanded teamwork and adaptability. During the voyage, the crew repaired a failed water filtration system themselves, while balancing sleep, nutrition, and overnight watches.
The voyage also brought together multiple generations of Tabor sailors. Graduates sailed alongside current students, sharing skills and experiences while reflecting on how the program has evolved. By the time the schooner reached Bermuda, crew members had formed close bonds through the shared challenges of offshore sailing.
Following the Bermuda voyage, Tabor Boy shifted into a different role as she joined a series of public maritime events along the East Coast.
The schooner participated in the Sail4th 250 Parade of Sail in New York Harbor and Sail Boston in Boston Harbor. According to public sources, millions of people watched Tabor Boy cruise through the historic harbors of New York and Boston along with tall ships from around the world. At each stop, public visitors were also able to tour the vessel and learn about the Tabor Boy program.
Jim Conroy ’75 spent two weeks on board Tabor Boy as she traveled to and participated in the tall ships events in New York and Boston. “Being part of the schooner crew back in the mid-1970s was one of the most formative experiences of my life,” he says. “It was a special thrill to be back more than 50 years later to take turns at the helm, on bow-watch, and to help with sail handling and all the many other tasks it takes to care for the safety of the crew and the boat.” Conroy calls the opportunity to sail in the parades with other traditionally rigged ships “truly a one-of-a-kind experience.”
By the time Tabor Boy returned to Marion, the schooner had logged thousands of miles and connected generations of Tabor sailors with each other and the public through a summer that blended seamanship, service, and engagement.
Tabor Boy is now in the thick of hosting the school’s series of Summer Experiences, as she welcomes groups of new Tabor students on board for three-day voyages. The experiences give new students a chance to make friends, learn about the school, and practice values of community, collaboration, and exploration.
For a slideshow of photos from Tabor Boy’s voyages this summer, please click here.
Tabor Academy is excited to offer members of the Tabor community two additional daysails this summer, on the afternoons of August 2 and August 8, 2026. For more information on these free opportunities and to register, please click on these links: