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South Street Seaport Museum

Where New York Begins.

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Charter a Historic Vessel

Charter a Historic Vessel

May–October | You Pick the Time and Date

Book Now and Save!

Looking for a unique and unforgettable way to celebrate a special occasion or impress your clients with an exciting corporate outing? Look no further than the Seaport Museum’s private charters on the historic 1885 schooner Pioneer and the 1930 tugboat W.O. Decker!

These unique vessels, sailing out of Pier 16 from May to October, provide the perfect backdrop for a group adventure, celebration, or corporate event. Whether you’re looking to host a birthday party, anniversary celebration, or team-building outing, the Seaport Museum has got you covered.

And the best part? We’ll help you take care of all the details, from assisting with catering to helping you plan the perfect itinerary. So, all you have to do is sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride.

Pioneer charters range from $2,000 to $3,750 for either a 2- or 3-hour sail, for up to 36 people. W.O. Decker charters are $1,100 for a 2-hour ride for up to 14 people. Early-bird discounts are available for bookings finalized by April 22. Bookings are considered finalized when the sail date and time are confirmed and the signed booking agreement and 50% deposit are received.

Charter a historic vessel and make memories that will last a lifetime. Click below to get in touch and book your next private charter today!

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Sail New York Harbor on Your Own Private Vessel


Get a Taste of Sailing on Pioneer


About the Schooner Pioneer

In the days before paved roads, small coastal schooners such as Pioneer were the delivery trucks of their era, carrying various cargoes between coastal communities: lumber and stone from the islands of Maine, brick on the Hudson River, and oyster shell on the Chesapeake Bay. Almost all American cargo sloops and schooners were wood, but because she was built in what was then this country’s center of iron shipbuilding, Pioneer had a wrought-iron hull. She was the first of only two cargo sloops built of iron in this country, and is the only iron-hulled American merchant sailing vessel still in existence.

By 1930, when new owners moved her from the Delaware River to Massachusetts, she had been fitted with an engine, and was no longer using sails. In 1966 she was substantially rebuilt and turned into a sailing vessel once again. Now she plies the waters of NY Harbor carrying adults and children instead of cargo in her current role as a piece of “living history.”

Today Pioneer is an award-winning sail training vessel teaching volunteers traditional maritime skills and the art of tall ship sailing.


About Tugboat W.O. Decker

The last surviving New York-built, wooden tugboat W.O. Decker was built in Long Island City, Queens, in 1930 by the Newtown Creek Towing Company. Originally named Russell I, after the towing company’s owners, she was renamed W.O. Decker in 1946 after being sold to the Decker family’s Staten Island tugboat firm.  The tugboat was donated to the Seaport Museum in 1986. W.O. Decker is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is an exemplary model of the types of steam tugs that were once an abundant sight in New York Harbor. This unique vessel is a true testament to New York City’s maritime heritage, which is a direct factor in the city’s global prominence today.

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South Street Seaport Museum

12 Fulton Street
NY, NY 10038
(212) 748-8600
Open: Wed–Sun, 11am–5pm

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