Our Crew

Everyone at the Schooner Martha Foundation brings their sailing and life experiences together to carry on the legacy of schooner sailing through the Foundation’s work. All the crew have a deep passion for maritime history and sailing. They love sharing knowledge and experience and will make you feel at home during you stay onboard Martha.

Robert d'Arcy

Captain Robert d’Arcy

Robert d’Arcy is a licensed United States Coast Guard 100 ton Master. Not only is Robert a captain of Martha but he is also the project manager for all restoration projects on board her. Martha has been under the stewardship of The Schooner Martha Foundation since 1996. Robert has completed major restoration projects on Martha each year with the help of many volunteers. Captain d’Arcy grew up sailing on the East Coast with his family and building boats with his father. He worked at Mystic Seaport Museum for 5 years doing historical research and also as shipwright helping to restore the Charles W. Morgan. Holly Kays d’Arcy worked for Sound Sails in Port Townsend and gained experience on local schooners. In the summer of 2001 she was able to join the Alcyone family to sail from Maine to Galway, Ireland. Holly continues to work part-time, seasonally for Sean Rankins at NW Sails. Robert and Holly’s daughter Mary was born in the spring of 2003. Since then she has been an integral part of the crew on board Martha.

Captain Mary Beth Armstrong
Mary Beth is the newest member of Martha’s crew and holds a United State Coast Guard 100 ton Masters license. She has a strong background in maritime education and sail training and is an important edition to our crew. Captain Armstrong comes with an extensive background of on the water education, having worked on boats from 26 ft. to 137 ft. with leading outdoor organizations like Outward Bound, Sound Experience and Sea Education Association. Along with her duties aboard Martha, Mary Beth is teaching maritime history and skills at local high schools on the Olympic Peninsula and is one of the co-captains for Sound Experience on the Crowninsheild schooner Adventuress. For the last 16 years Mary Beth has been creating and leading experiential programs both on and off the water.   She and her husband, Peter Sigmond, look forward to being a part of Martha’s crew for years to come.

Arren and Maggie Day are the newest members of Martha’s crew. Arren is a licensed United States Coast Guard 100 ton Master with a mix of maritime experience. Captain Day got his start commercial fishing in Washington and Alaska in the mid 90’s. In ’99 he was introduced to traditional sailing as a deckhand on the Schooner Adventuress under then Chief Mate MBArmstrong.  Since then he has been deckhand and mate on several local schooners between projects at his boat shop.  Maggie has a social work degree and has been a professional chef. She currently works in the yacht restoration business.  They were happily married in the fall of ‘08.
Maggie and Arren cruise and race their small cutter Crusoe together in their rare spare time.