Aaron Lincoln, Captain, Schooner Olad -- Smooth Sailing

Aaron Lincoln, Captain, Schooner Olad -- Smooth Sailing

"Choose a job you love, and you'll never have to work a day in your life," is a line attributed to Confucius. The very wise Aaron Lincoln did just that. One glance at that smile on his face, and his gorgeous boat, will make anyone jealous.

It's the sea that brings most people to Maine. And Aaron might say that the sea is what made him stay. That and Olad.

A much larger, and perhaps more beautiful, cousin to the classic Crosby Catboat and the Wianno Seniors, Olad was designed by Chester Crosby in 1926 and launched in Osterville, MA in 1927. The family Crosby has been in the business of designing and building boats for centuries. And Ned Crosby continues the bloodline with his small shop in Barnstable, MA.

Time spent on Olad is a fun way to experience a beautiful boat under sail, to see the magical local islands and to get to know Aaron. He can tell some great tales. If he ever gets tired of Olad, or perhaps gets an offer he can't refuse, he would certainly be a great bartender or even a politician. A. Lincoln is not just a namesake, the great president is a distant relation.

You can find Olad and Aaron directly on the Camden Harbor. And he has a small shop nearby.

And what they say about Maine, "Anyone lucky enough to be in Maine, is lucky enough," could easily be, "Anyone luck enough to be sailing with Aaron . . ."

At what age did you start sailing? Where?
I started sailing at the age of 23, in Camden, Maine.

How did you find Olad?
I started working for the Nugents (who owned Olad and ran a daysailing business in Camden) ten years ago when I decided to quit my corporate job and then decided to buy the boat in 2004.

What is your favorite local, and distant, sailing destination?
My favorite local spot is the Fox Island Thoroughfare between North Haven and Vinalhaven. I also really enjoying sailing in the British Virgin Islands.

Do you have trouble finding crew?
No, for the most part. I feel like I have made a good name for myself in the business. People seem to be attracted to the boat and working for a fair employer.

How do you handle maintenance?
Every year we do two and a half months of preventative maintenance in the early spring, and daily maintenance such as polishing brass, in order to keep the boat looking as good as possible. We strive really hard, and I feel that it shows. The boat sells itself. As the old saying goes -- "Life is too short to sail an ugly boat."

What do you do in the 'off' season?
Spend time with my family and deliver boats to the Carribean.

Did you have to be certified in some way?
Yes, I have a 100 ton Masters license for sail and motor.

What do you like to do on land?
Spend time with my family, and ride my motorcycle.

Is working on the sea romantic?
I don't feel that way, I just feel as though it is home.

Any funny/interesting cruising stories?
I always find my job interesting. Everyday is different. You never know what you are going to see or who you are going to have onboard. I could tell different stories all summer, about every year and every month.

Any celebrity customers or sightings?
Yes, they do come aboard sometimes but I try to keep their identity secret so that they can actually enjoying going out on the boat like everyone else, without the press.

Any interesting wildlife stories?
One time I told a woman that she would never see a whale in Penobscot Bay and before I could even finish my sentence a young humpback whale breached 20 ft away from the boat. I didn't even skip a beat, which made me correct my story to, "You almost never see a whale in Penobscot Bay."

Any survival sea stories?
To this date I have saved two people from kayaks and three people from catamarans in the Bay. My advice is wear your life jackets! All of those people were very lucky to be picked up before hypothermia set in.

Who is your mentor?
My father, Ken Carlson from Carlson Advertising, and my friend Charlie who really taught me how to sail.

Where would you like to sail that you haven't?
The Greek Islands, which is what I am planning for my retirement.

Who helped you put your business together?
Ken Carlson, and my father did lots of the work. A lot of my friends helped me out as well.

What's the part of your job that you like most / least?
I like leaving the dock and just going sailing. I do not enjoy the paperwork aspect that is involved with keeping a 1927 passenger vessel in service.