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About Us

Sail Acadia - Our Story

Captain Karl Brunner began Sail Acadia 20 years ago, under the original name of Downeast Friendship Sloop Charters. It was a family loan from Grandma Helen that enabled the purchase of the Friendship Sloop Helen Brooks. The mission was to share a relaxing sailing experience as friends. While the company has grown to include a lobster tour boat, two sailing vessels and a Sail Acadia team, the original mission statement remains true.

Karl is a USCG-licensed captain who grew up sailing on the coast of Maine. While at Colorado College, he earned a degree in Geology and studied in New Zealand. After graduating, he thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail and then returned to Maine to work in the Windjammer industry in Camden. He began working toward his USCG Master’s license by serving as a deckhand aboard a turn-of-the-century wooden schooner sailing from Maine to the Caribbean.

Since then he has logged thousands of bluewater miles by delivering private yachts between the Caribbean and the East Coast. While living aboard a small sloop in the Caribbean and going sailing with friends he decided that would be a cool summer job in his native Maine waters.

At Sail Acadia we maintain and operate our locally built wooden boats with a great respect for Maine’s maritime heritage. We believe in smaller groups and personalized attention for an authentic boating experience in Acadia. Our captains and crew will share their local knowledge and give you their best tour of Mount Desert Island. If you are looking for a unique experience and custom tour please call us and we can work with you to design a fantastic day on the water. As always, we look forward to sailing with you!