Our History

Classic Harbor Line started off as “Sailing Excursions” and was created by Scarano Boat Building in 1994. Scarano Boat first designed and built the 80-foot schooner Adirondack for day sailing in Newport, Rhode Island. By 1999, the company expanded operations to New York Harbor with building the Schooner Adirondack II, which led to a boat swap between Adirondack and Adirondack II to better suit their respective locations. The success of the New York operation, then known as “Chelsea Excursions”, prompted further expansion, and in 2005, this location commissioned Scarano Boat to build the yacht Manhattan — a powerboat inspired by early twentieth-century commuter yachts. This marked the ‘official’ rebranding of “Chelsea Excursions” to what we now know as “Classic Harbor Line”, which anticipated a growing fleet of historically inspired yachts. By 2007, the fleet adopted Adirondack III.  In 2013, this vessel was used to start their third location in Boston.

The expansion continued with the construction of the America 2.0, a 105-foot schooner that started sailing in NYC during the summer of 2010 and then in Key West during the winter of 2011. Subsequent additions included the Kingston, a 54-foot yacht, and later, the acquisition of Northern Lights in 2016, a 110-foot motor yacht originally from Lake Champlain. The company also introduced the larger Manhattan II in 2015, providing year-round service in New York. In Newport, the fleet expanded with the construction of sloop Eleanor.  In 2019, the 1950 yacht, Full Moon, was fully restored and added to the fleet in NYC as a true classic yacht available for charter and ticketed excursions. These additions reinforced Classic Harbor Line’s commitment to offering elegant, period-style yachts in multiple locations

In 2022, Classic Harbor Line’s sister company further expanded in Newport with the acquisition of Schooner Madeleine and Rum Runner II, leading to the establishment of “Newport Classic Cruises”. The construction of Adirondack IV was completed in 2024.

She operated in Newport starting the Summer 2025. Manhattan III construction began in 2024 with the intention to grow the New York City fleet in 2026 — increasing capacity for their signature Around Manhattan Architecture Tours, Eco Tours, Music Cruises and Holiday Cruises. Classic Harbor Line continues to preserve and innovate within the tradition of classic-style yachting for sightseeing boat tours and private yacht charters