The Frayed Knot is a family owned and operated charter; Capt. Claude along with his wife and first…read moremate Judy are both experienced sailors. I reserved an evening cruise for a surprise engagement and they were both very interesting, polite and welcoming people. My guests were blown away by the experience and I hit it out of the park with my surprise, my fiance loved it. I spoke with Capt. Claude before hand and even though I didn't need to ask for much I felt that they were welcoming and would do anything to make the experience a memorable one. Even a last minute request made within reason was accomodated. First of all the boat is beautiful, and it's big and I think that 6-10 people could comfortably enjoy a cruise with out feeling cramped. Every one of my guests were excited and comfortable. ..light snacks were provided and drinks were made available even though this was BYOB. Don't worry about utensils like I did, there were glasses for the toast and champagne had i forgotten to get some. I will spare no praises in saying that they certainly made this experience as easy as possible for me and I appreciate it.

Amazing experience with Claude and Judy sailing off Manchester-by-the Sea! They made it so easy to…read moremeet and get out to the boat. We really enjoyed talking with them, but they were also totally happy to let us enjoy the peacefulness of being out on the water. Gorgeous views from the boat as we traveled around the north shore, with really awesome views you can really only get from a boat. My boyfriend who loves sailing got to take the helm (as did I) to navigate the lobster traps out into the ocean. Absolutely beautiful boat that is super comfortable and we loved the small snacks of cheese and fruit Judy prepared. Overall they were such wonderful hosts and let us make it our own charter. Can't wait to go back next summer!

Great experience...we did an afternoon sail, which was great. . Loved our cruise...boat was great…read moreand loved the small group experience. Very relaxing and the crew was informative and really knowledgeable. Would highly recommend...you won't be disappointed.

Beautiful afternoon on the water! So relaxing, would highly recommend to anyone visiting town…read more Amazing captain and crew, very knowledgeable and friendly. Perfect way to spend a summer afternoon!

Great service and experience. Wonderful sail out in the water. Knowledgeable crew that was very…read moreattentive and helpful.

If you looking for a very relaxing time with a well run operation this would be a trip for you. 2…read morehrs so not long but long enough to see some beautiful cost and we went by the Bush compound stunning.

Excellent experience with Silverlining. The ship was beautiful and they only allow 6 guests which…read moremake for a more comfortable experience. Captain Jack and his crew were friendly, great with kids, and very knowledgeable. This was easily worth every dollar. They sail at various times and can be tailored towards a more romantic evening or more family experience.

We had a great experience with silver lining sailing cruise! It was our first time on a sailing…read morecruise and a fun adventure!

Had a blast on the Schooner on the 4th. There is some historical information provided and a little…read morebit of story telling without taking away from the scenery. There was a nice breeze on the water on the day I went and we were able to use the sails for pretty much the entire cruise. Capt Mike is great, as is his crew although I forgot their names. I passed on the refreshments as they seemed overpriced based on those around me that did get them, but otherwise it was blast. Been on a handful of cruises in the area, and this is the first one that fired a cannon, so that was a fun experience.

I had mentioned to hubby that I wanted to take a local cruise on a sailing ship. Not too long…read moreafter that, he noticed the ticket booth for Fame right on Pickering Wharf. They were closed, but he noted the website, and we checked it out. Not long after they opened for the season, he went to talk to Melissa at the ticket booth, who told him all about it. We were in! I booked us on a sunset cruise for June 24. We kept watching the weather during the day, and there were showers and downpours even as we ate dinner at Sea Level Oyster Bar. Fortune favored us, however, as the skies cleared just before the 5:00 cruise returned. We boarded with about ten other people, and we set off from the dock right on schedule. The Captain and crew told us about the Fame of Salem and the boatyard where she was built. The views were amazing, and once we got away from the dock, the crew asked for volunteers to help hoist sails! Hubby and I each helped, and the feel of the wind in my hair, as we started to pick up speed was awesome! Another couple on board got engaged during the cannon fire ceremony. It was sooo cool to be a part of that moment with them. Drinks and snacks are available on board, and paying was easy (we used Venmo.) The sunset views were breathtaking. There were great views around the harbor of homes and other boats. We will definitely do this again and are looking into doing a private charter for the end of the season!

I wish zero stars was an option, as my family had a horrible experience. There were no positive…read moreaspects, but most importantly, the sail is run in an unsafe, irresponsible manner. The boat is small and shabby, and there's insufficient comfortable seating, which meant that some of our party had to be uncomfortably perched on the side of the boat. We couldn't hear anything the entire sail, although we were told we didn't miss much) and for one person, this included the quietly mentioned instructions to move our feet before we turned. Why this wasn't explained loudly before we even left the cove, is beyond me. This led to him almost being pulled off the boat, and with a terrible rope burn that required medical treatment. The "crew" could not have been less concerned, and expressed nothing but annoyance. Even if this had not occurred, the sail would have been painfully boring if we weren't all trying not to vomit from the rough waves. We sailed straight out, straight back in, and then repeated. There truly couldn't have been less effort put in to the experience. Bottom line, if you value safety and competence, avoid this boat at all costs.

Great bunch of guys , good local flavor fair price, you'll love it just do it. It's one thing to go…read moreon a motorboat on the coast of Maine, but it's another thing to sail.

Amazing! So fun! Saw parts of Boston that we wouldn't otherwise see any got to raise the sail!read more

What a great experience! We sailed with Captain David on a beautiful day in early May. Because my…read morepartner has such a strong desire to learn to sail, he asked a lot of questions to learn about the vessel and different verbiage. David enthusiastically answered every question, while also giving us lessons on different sights around the sail. Highly recommend - hope we can make it back another day!

Great lobster tour. Perfect amount of time to see activity and not too much else going on. Very…read morenice crew and what a nice ride and view!

We did a 1pm Nubble Light cruise September 3, 2025. It was the perfect early fall day--sunny,…read moreclear, temps in the low 70s--for a cruise down the coast to see the lighthouse from all the other angles you can't from Sohier Park. Captain Bob was our captain, and Matt narrated the journey (among other things like getting drinks). Matt was an EXCELLENT tour guide. The historic stories were fascinating, and we felt we learned so much! He was hilarious, too. The vessel itself was sturdy & clean, and I felt very safe. What a thoroughly enjoyable experience! We'll be checking out other tours next summer.

Excellent way to spend sometime inPortsmouth. Gundalow ride was fun and informative…read more Recommend for all ages

We enjoyed an incredible sunset cruise this past weekend. The crew was so kind & very knowledgable!…read moreWe opted for the concert cruise and the music/ambiance of the ride is something I will truly never forget!

We were looking to charter or rent a sailboat to sail the Cape Ann harbor and coast…read more We found Schooner Thomas A Lannon. For a low cost, we were able to buy tickets for a 2 hour midafternoon cruise on a large beautiful sailing vessel, a 4 sail schooner. It was easy to find them at Gloucester harbour, parking was a breeze, boarding the boat no problem. The crew was kind and courteous and experienced. We got out of port under engine power, but then the sails came up, with help from all parties who wanted to volunteer. Once they were up, we were off, doing a brisk 14 knots and making turns and changes of course as needed. The cruise was wonderful. You could see everything on the coasts and on the ocean, it was a sunny day, and a sailing breeze greeted us the entire voyage. It was sublime. The voyage finally ended (all too soon) and one of the crew took time to get some merchandise for my wife for our kids. So nice! Very recommended!

A pleasant trip around Gloucster harbor…read more A little more narrative would be nice, though the crew is happy to answer questions.