The Schooner Firefly has long blended maritime tradition with comfortable cruising. Her construction began in 1960 on Deer Isle, and in 1966 she was purchased as the Mistress by Jim Nesbit, who refitted her for the windjamming trade. Under his ownership, she joined the Maine Windjammer Cruises fleet and spent decades sailing the waters of Penobscot Bay.
In 1992, the Mistress underwent a complete rebuild, including a dramatic redesign that lengthened her stern by six feet. She continued sailing with Maine Windjammer Cruises for another twenty years before being sold into private ownership in 2023.
Becky and Nathan Sigwright acquired the vessel in 2024. By then, years of shifting ownership had taken a toll: the vessel needed significant care, and her interior had been stripped in preparation for a rebuild that was never completed. Becky and Nathan spent a year planning out the next steps to rebuild her and return her to the windjammer trade. She will rejoin the Maine windjammer fleet next August under her new name: the Firefly.
The Firefly measures 42 feet on deck and 60 feet overall, carries an auxiliary diesel engine, and accommodates up to six passengers.