Schooner Captain - Tabor Boy

About the Position:

Tabor Academy is seeking a full-time Captain for the historic schooner Tabor Boy. The Captain will serve as one of two adult leaders aboard the vessel, working alongside the Senior Captain and a student crew.

For over 75 years, Tabor Boy has been a cornerstone of Tabor’s experiential learning programs. During the school year, students crew the vessel as part of an after-school, co-curricular sailing program, taking leadership roles while learning seamanship, navigation, and teamwork. In the summer, the schooner runs both offshore voyages for current students and the Tabor Boy Summer Experience, multi-day educational voyages for newly enrolled students focused on sailing, marine ecology, and the history of the New England coast. Winter periods include vessel maintenance and seasonal sailing programs in the Caribbean.

The Captain is responsible for ensuring safe vessel operations, mentoring student crew, and supporting the continued growth of the Tabor Boy program throughout the academic year and summer program.

This is a full-time exempt faculty position. Housing may be included in the compensation package.

Key Responsibilities

• This is a critically important leadership role that works in clear partnership with the Senior Captain to advance the general use of the vessel by Tabor students and the wider Tabor community.
• This role is also charged with boosting the participation levels of students on the Tabor Boy during the academic year so that this valued institutional asset is effectively leveraged to enhance the value proposition we offer to new and existing students, alumni and parents.
• Tabor leadership is looking for the Captains to work together to integrate the use of the Tabor Boy into weekend activities and identify other opportunities such as winter programming, if the vessel is docked in Florida from mid-November to late March during the winter of 2026-27 and beyond.
• Tabor leadership wants the Captains to explore restoring programming in the winter of 2027-28 in the US and British Virgin Islands.

Marine Operations

• Ensure safe navigation and operation of the vessel in compliance with U.S. Coast Guard regulations.
• Assist in maintaining vessel systems, safety equipment, rigging, sails, machinery and overall vessel repairs and maintenance.
• Conduct safety drills and maintain required vessel logs and documentation.
• Coordinate inspections, certifications, and shipyard maintenance periods.
• Assist with hiring, training, and supervising seasonal professional crew.
• Responsibilities will involve helping operate Tabor Boy in Florida, the Bahamas, and/or/ areas of the Caribbean, potentially starting in the winter of 2026-27.

Program & Voyage Support

• Assist with planning and executing fall, spring, and summer sailing programs.
• Support voyage planning, logistics, and provisioning.
• Prepare the vessel for extended voyages, including winter sailing programs.

Student Leadership

• Mentor and train high school students in seamanship and vessel operations.
• Support student officers managing deck operations.
• Foster a safe and positive onboard learning environment.

Outreach

• Assist with admissions and alumni events aboard the vessel.
• Support and develop program recruitment efforts and initiatives.
• Represent Tabor Academy professionally while operating the vessel.
• Tabor would like this leadership role to work to identify new strategic and working partners with other educational institutions to enable the vessel to operate in southern / warm waters starting in the winter of 2026-27.

Status & Schedule: Full-time, Exempt

Salary Range: $80,000 - $100,000, commensurate with experience.

Qualifications:

• Prior command experience on similar auxiliary sailing vessels.
• Merchant Mariner Credential:
  • Minimum required: 100T Near Coastal Master of Power and Auxiliary Sail
  • Preferred: 200T Oceans Master or 500T Oceans Mate
• AB Sail and Lifeboatman endorsements.
• STCW certification appropriate for international voyaging.
• TWIC credential.
• Experience with vessel maintenance (deck and engine systems).
• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• Experience working with high school-age students.
• Strong leadership skills and commitment to mentoring young sailors.
• Clean drug testing history and ability to enroll in required maritime drug testing program.

To Apply:
Electronic materials only, please. If interested, please send cover letter and resume to employment@taboracademy.org with “Captain” in the Subject line.

About Tabor Academy

For nearly 150 years, Tabor Academy has served the Marion, Massachusetts community as a premier coeducation, college preparatory boarding and day school. As the School by the Sea, Tabor offers an uncommonly beautiful setting in which to live and learn for students grades 9-12. The school provides a wide breadth of academic offerings for students to achieve the school’s mission. We invite all interested in learning about the school and our strategic vision to visit the school’s website.

Tabor Academy is committed to fostering an inclusive community where diversity, equity, and belonging are essential to our mission. Grounded in our values of care, collaboration, curiosity, and courage, we recognize that building a vibrant and supportive environment for students and faculty requires intentional efforts to welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds and experiences. As such, we seek a diverse applicant pool and encourage candidates who bring varied perspectives, including those who have been historically underrepresented in independent and boarding school settings to apply.

Tabor Academy does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of age, gender, religion, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, disability, or national or ancestral origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic and other Academy-administered programs, or in the administration of its hiring and employment practices.