Two historic schooners, the Pilot and the Victory Chimes, have sunk in an inlet off New York City's Gowanus Canal, raising concerns within the maritime community about their fate and the circumstances of their submersion. The vessels, owned by New York City-based company Crew, which repurposes historic ships into floating businesses, sank in early July.
The 121-foot Pilot, over a century old, once served in wartime and hosted marine explorer Jacques Cousteau. The 128-foot Victory Chimes, dating to 1900, is notable for being featured on the 2003 Maine state quarter and is the last surviving Chesapeake ram, a type of schooner designed for shallow waterways. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Crew CEO Alex Pincus stated that the company is working with insurers, marine salvage experts, and surveyors to determine the next steps. "Raising wooden vessels of this size is a highly complex operation that requires specialized equipment, careful planning and extensive coordination," Pincus said. "The vessels remain submerged as part of that ongoing process while assessments and planning continue."
Members of the maritime community have expressed dismay and called for transparency. Brad Vogel of the Gowanus Dredgers described the potential loss as "a shame" and "in some ways unforgivable," emphasizing that many desire answers regarding the sinkings. Steve Bromage, executive director of the Maine Historical Society, called the loss of the Victory Chimes "heartbreaking for Maine and the nation's maritime heritage" due to its historical significance and rarity.
Charlie Weidman of Charlie's Marine Service in Rockland, Maine, noted that maintaining such historic vessels is challenging and that rebuilding them would be difficult and costly, partly due to the scarcity of appropriate timber. Amanda Pleau, spokesperson for the Maine Maritime Museum, echoed this sentiment, stating that while the loss is sad, it is not entirely unexpected given the difficulties of preserving century-old schooners.
Both schooners were previously docked at Brooklyn Bridge Park before being moved to the Henry Street Basin, adjacent to the Gowanus Canal, a federal Superfund site undergoing cleanup. The exact cause of the sinkings during recent squalls has not yet been fully determined. Officials from the Coast Guard, New York City, and Brooklyn Bridge Park Corporation did not immediately respond to requests for comment.