Boating Industry....

SUCCESS PROFILE

VICTORY CHIMES

Charter captains are victorious when they catch people, not fish. That's just what Captains Kip Files and Paul DeGaeta are doing with the Victory Chimes off the coast of Maine. Sailing in the cold waters out of Rockland, the Victory Chimes is a warming people-catching charter success story.

In many ways, the success story starts with the historic ship. "People join a charter to sail on a piece of history," says Captain Files. "The Victory Chimes can truly be called a museum under sail. Once people learn about the ship, they're interested. Once they sail on it, they often come back for another taste of sailing history."

The Victory Chimes may now be the queen of Maine's windjammer fleet, but the stately 170-foot schooner certainly has working class origins. Built at a small Bethel, Delaware shipyard in 1900, she hauled cargo along the east coast and in the Chesapeake Bay for more than 50 years. Known originally as the Edwin & Maud, the three masted schooner was limited to 24 feet in width, so she could pass through the Chesapeake and Delaware locks. The vessels came to be called "Rams," because they had rather flat bows, with no jib booms.

In 1945, the Edwin & Maud was converted into a cruise ship and carried passengers on weekly Chesapeake Bay excursions out of her Annapolis home port. She sailed successfully until the owner retired in 1954. The ship was then purchased by Captain Frederick B. Guild, who brought her to his home in Castine, Maine, and set to work--the hull was scraped, caulked, and painted; new decking material was installed; new sails and rigging were purchased; new staterooms were built; and new water tanks and a 32-volt lighting system were installed. When she was ready to sail again, Captain Gould christened her Victory Chimes, after a Canadian coastal schooner that once sailed Downeast and Maritime waters.

From the mid-1950s until the mid-1980s, the Victory Chimes proudly sailed as the only three-masted schooner in Maine's windjammer fleet. It was just a hint of things to come, however, because Captain Guild retired and the ship was sold and moved to the Great Lakes. She was sold again soon thereafter to Domino's Pizza, with a planned use for employee functions.

Domino's decided on an extensive restoration and a young Maine seafarer, Kip Files, was hired to supervise the $1.5 million overhaul. She was christened the Domino Effect and, though Domino's Pizza would get little use out of the ship, the company's resources definitely saved the ship.

In 1990, in a corporate downsizing move, Domino's decided to sell the vessel. A group from Japan proposed to buy the vessel and ship it overseas and 15 miles inland, to become a restaurant on a fresh water lake. But with a last-minute bid and in a strange twist, Kip and his boss at Domino's, Paul DeGaeta, were able to buy the vessel and return her to the Maine coast.

Today, close to 100 years after launch, the Victory Chimes is once again plying the waters off Maine, as the largest passenger sailing vessel under U.S. Flag. "The Victory Chimes is a museum under sail, but she is much more than that," says Captain Files. "She is one of her kind, a real national treasure, and sailing on her--for her crew as well as her passengers--is taking part in an historical event that stays with you."

But getting people to sail on a Victory Chimes charter is what keeps the ship--and her owners--afloat. The marketing effort for the spring-to-fall season is a multi-pronged year-round effort. It takes the effort of people to fill the Victory Chimes with people.

It all starts with Kip Files and Paul DeGaeta. From daily operations to sailing the scheduled charters, these two men have succeeded with a labor of love. Kip belongs to a select group of U.S. Captains that holds a Masters of Oceans license for large sailing vessels. As a professional yacht captain, Paul's travels have taken him from Mexico to Maine, through all of the Great Lakes, down the entire Mississippi, and throughout Canada, Mexico, and the Bahamas.

But it takes much more to fill a ship than two successful businessmen and sailors. Kip's wife, Loraine Dubeau, handles the business side of the Victory Chimes. This position forces her to wear a hat of many colors, as she runs the office and works as "behind-the-scenes" coordinator. While Loraine does much of her work on shore, she is an accomplished sailor (more than 40,000 miles on sailing vessels) and tries to sail often on the ship she markets.

Paul's wife, Joyce, handles the bookkeeping duties, rounding out the management team of the Victory Chimes. She was head accountant for a major advertising firm in Toronto before moving to Florida, where she married Paul in 1985 aboard the Tigress.

The ship currently accommodates 40 guests in a variety of cabins, with hot showers nearby, 110-volt electricity, lots of deck space, and many other modern and historic touches. Passengers can help with sailing and many do, but many people just sit back and relax.

The Victory Chimes has schedule charters starting in early-June and lasting through late-September. These include half-week and full-week options, as well as Race Week, Schooner Gam Week, Full Moon Week, Birthday Week, Camden Schooner Days Cruise, Wooden Boat Sail-In Week, and a fall weekend cruise.

The ship also offers an array of specialty cruises. Each year, the ship hosts special Marine Wildlife Cruises with biologist Skip Wood. Weddings, renewal of vows, and honeymoons have also become quite popular for the Victory Chimes. Couples can choose a three- or six-day cruise, travel with or without the wedding party, or charter the whole ship for themselves and 40 of their closest friends.

Corporate retreats are another successful segment for the ship. "Success and teamwork on a boat is so easily seen," says Captain Files. "Being on a boat also eliminates many everyday distractions, allowing groups to concentrate on building better communication skills and developing more successful business strategies. It's a great medium for corporate retreats."

The fall sailings have become more popular, as well, thanks to targeted marketing efforts. "The air is crisp and dry, the days are warm and the evenings are cool, and we generally have fewer people on board," says Captain DeGaeta.

They've even started planning for the 100th birthday of the ship in 2000. "We have a tentative plan to return to the Chesapeake Bay, the original cruising grounds of the Victory Chimes, for a commemorative visit."

The trips range in price from $375 to $725. Depending on the winds, ports of call often include Acadia National Park, Castine, Monhegan, Somes Sound, Stonington, Vinalhaven, Boothbay Harbor, and the Outer Islands.

While most charter boats, including the Victory Chimes, advertise in appropriate publications and use other traditional advertising venues, the marketing efforts for the Victory Chimes go much further. One key component is the ship's PR firm, Nancy Marshall Communications. President Nancy Marshall and her firm specialize in travel and tourism, with accounts including the state of Maine, Northern Outdoors, and Sugarloaf/USA.

The firm works directly with writers, photographers, and dozens of publications to arrange research visits and get coverage in print. The provide detailed press kits, press releases, brochures, photography, and much more. Their PR efforts have resulted in articles and other coverage in publications like USA Weekend, Boston Globe, The New York Times, Bon Appetit, AAA Car & Travel, CBS Sunday Morning, and many others. This type of publicity leads directly and indirectly to bookings and has played a major role in the success of the business.

The Victory Chimes is also a member of the Maine Windjammer Association, which represents ten ships that offer similar experiences off the coast of Maine. This has led to even more publicity and business for the Victory Chimes.

All of these marketing efforts mean lots of passengers. That's where a good experience leads to repeat business and word-of-mouth referrals. Kip says, "I have a vested interest in the Victory Chimes and it's my business to make sure everyone has a good time and wants to come back."

People have a good time and do come, thanks to a wonderful ship and a great crew. Nancy Allen, who has sailed on the ship eight times with her husband, Warren, says of the crew, "They are so passenger-oriented."

If the fastest way to a passengers' heart is through their stomachs, then it's easy to see why the Victory Chimes is so successful. Chief Steward Mary Walker turns out mouth-watering New England clam chowders and stews, aromatic breads and pastries, and juicy lobster dinners. She even helped put together the Victory Chimes Cookbook, which is a popular souvenir with many passengers and a great marketing idea.

First Mate Jesse Briggs, Second Mate Peter Allen, Boatswain Jeff Richards, and several other dedicated crew members round out the crew members devoted to safety and enjoyment. From helping fix the shower stall to fixing incredible meals, the crew keeps passengers happy and coming back for more.

They definitely get passengers back for more. June Knowles has sailed on the Victory Chimes an incredible 42 times, saying, "She is so beautiful and is kept up so beautifully." Beverly Emerson has returned ten times for the experience that she says is "like stepping off the world. It's very restful and peaceful. You come back with a different perspective."

The people keep coming back and this is building up a good customer base. With proper advertising, an incredible array of strong publicity, and lots of repeat business, the Victory Chimes is definitely a victorious charter success story.