96 Years of History

Voyager is passed to the next generation. Purchased by Bill Bennett (son-in-law) and Loch Phillipps, (son) in 2016, she gets an injection of new, if unsteady energy. It will take a few years before the new crew figures out how to take care of the old girl the way the old man and mate Jeanette learned to do.

The round the world trip ends in 2005. Captain Peter Phillipps, understandably tired of climbing in and out of wobbly dories in his early 70s decides to slow down. He and Jeanette, architects, build their dream home in Rockland, ME, with Voyager on her mooring within view. Sadly Pete passes in 2010 just after construction is completed. His 50 years of adventure on Voyager are over.

Voyager is reborn in Thailand. All that Jeanette and Pete have learned over their first 40 years of sailing is put into a new hull. Hidden beneath her black topside paint are hardwoods that should last 50 years or more.

Voyager’s greatest adventure begins with a transatlantic crossing in June of 19XX.

Voyager spent the rest of that night off the north coast of Crete has remained in clear focus against the blurred background of other events. At one point the dark sky opened, and the light of a full moon silhouetted cliffs and moun-tains 4,000-8,000' high that were closing on our transom. We tacked, keeping a close watch on the moon. The four of us sat without talking as slowly, a shadow moved across its face and extinguished all light. Again in darkness, each of us sat thinking of Odysseus, whose well-worn saga had passed among us all.

was built in 1929 for Alexander Tener, of longleaf yellow pine on oak with galvanized fastenings by Charles A. Morse and Sons of Thomaston, Maine. She was the second of seven built, the first being the WHO, now sailing as TAR BABY out of Center Harbor, New Hampshire. Both were built at a cost of $4,800, hull, spars and rigging. Their sister ship ZAIDA, hull 390E, was owned by George Ratsey. General George Patton sailed another sister ship to the South Pacific. When the 390 series was built, none of the vessels was expected to last 50 years, but their materials were carefully selected and their construction sound as a matter of practice.
VOYAGER sailed out of Camden for about 20 years, skippered by her second owner, Robert Gardner, until she was sold upon his death in 1954 to William Ashton. Ashton had owned the schooner for three weeks when hurricane Carol brought VOYAGER against the Jamestown, Rhode Island, jetty, where she struck twice and landed on Main Street with her starboard side stove in.

My grandfather bought Voyager in 1954. At the time, my father was 21 and he had two older sisters that were married. He had a brother 15 years younger (my Uncle Bill whom I believe you know) and a sister a couple years younger than Bill. It was my father and Uncle who sailed Toddywax after my grandfather, William Ashton, passed away in 1974. It is my belief that he likely purchased Voyager to raise his two younger children on. Sailing had always been a part of my grandfather’s interests and my father’s upbringing but WWII likely prevented any large commitments to boats during my father’s early childhood. My father was 21 at the time, at the University of Pennsylvania and going into the Army after graduation.

1929. Thomaston, Maine, at the Morse Shipyard: Tyrone rolls down the way for her first splash. Her 2nd owner rechristens her Voyager. This is what we know of her design and first four owners.