Sabino (steamer) - History

History

Sabino was built in the W. Irving Adams shipyard in East Boothbay, Maine. Originally known as Tourist, the 57-foot vessel was christened on 7 May 1908. Tourist began her career as a ferry for the Damariscotta Steamboat Company on the Damariscotta River in Maine. Tourist sank in 1918 due to an accident, but was salvaged. On 8 October 1921, Tourist was sold to the Popham Beach Steamboat Company on the Kennebec River. The new owners changed the vessel's name to Sabino in honor of Abenaki sagamore Sabenoa.

On 23 July 1927, Sabino was purchased by the Cape Shore Ferry Company in Portland, Maine. Sabino ferried passengers from Portland to the many islands of Casco Bay. Sponsons were added in 1928 to help stabilize Sabino in the open water of Casco Bay. In 1935, Sabino was again sold, this time to the Casco Bay Lines. After a few years, Sabino began to show her age and was put into the company's reserve fleet. Sabino was returned to regular ferry service in 1956, when another ferry ran aground. However, Sabino's usefulness to the Casco Bay Lines was short-lived and in 1958, she was sold to Red Slavit. Shortly thereafter, Slavit sold her to Philip and Irene Corbin of Salisbury, Massachusetts.

Corbin's family then spent a great amount of time repairing the vessel and bringing her up to Coast Guard regulations for a passenger vessel. In 1971, Philip Corbin's son, Jim, began operating Sabino on the Merrimack River running between Salisbury and Haverhill, Massachusetts. In 1975, Sabino was leased for one year to the Mystic Seaport Museum to determine if a steamboat would appeal to the museum's patrons. Sabino became a popular attraction, prompting the museum to purchase the vessel. Under the museum's care, Sabino received regular maintenance and was brought back to her former glory. In 1992, Sabino received designation as a National Historic Landmark. Sabino is noted as one of the few National Historic Landmarks that a person can ride.