Investment 101

There’s something about an old ship that stirs the soul.

Maybe it’s the stories embedded in her timbers. Maybe it’s the promise of adventure. Or maybe — like us — you believe that certain legends deserve a second life.

The Windjammer Way is not a cruise line. We’re not trying to be. We’re a small, spirited crew reviving a way of traveling that lingers in your bones. One that values intimacy, intention, and the wind at your back. And right now, with over $3 million raised through equity crowdfunding, we’re gaining momentum — thanks to a growing community that sees what we see: potential, purpose, and the pull of the sea.

Why We Chose Crowdfunding

We could’ve gone the traditional route (pitched to VCs, closed doors, big names) and we still will after this. But starting that way would’ve missed the point entirely.

From the beginning, we knew this: if we were going to build a new kind of travel, we wanted to do it a new kind of way. That’s why we chose equity crowdfunding for our first round. Not just to raise capital — but to raise a community.

We wanted our audience, the loyal followers, the armchair sailors, the Old Salts, the dreamers who’ve been with Windjammer for decades, to not only feel like they own a piece of this story, but to actually own it.

With equity crowdfunding, you’re not donating. You’re not pledging. You’re investing. You're part of the crew. You're a stakeholder in the revival of a maritime legend and a movement that challenges the stale status quo of tourism.

This isn’t symbolic ownership. It’s real.

Investment Tiers & Perks

Our campaign is open to accredited and non-accredited investors alike, with tiered rewards designed to reflect your belief in the voyage.

Here’s how it breaks down:

$2,500+ – Deckhand

• Permanent name recognition on the Mandalay

• Series A-1 Preferred Stock

• 9% Post-Sail Preferred Return 

• 5% Pre-Sail Preferred Return 

• Exclusive merch item

• One year Membership with early access to booking windows and more

$50,000+ – Second Mate

• Permanent and prominent name recognition on the Mandalay

• Series A-2 Preferred Stock

• 10% Post-Sail Preferred Return 

• 5% Pre-Sail Preferred Return 

• Exclusive merch

• Personalized thank-you from our executive team

• Five year Membership with early access to booking windows and more

$250,000+ – First Mate

• Permanent and prominent name recognition on the Mandalay

• Series A-3 Preferred Stock

• 10.5% Post-Sail Preferred Return 

• 5.25% Pre-Sail Preferred Return 

• Exclusive merch

• Personalized thank-you from our executive team

• Lifetime Membership with early access to booking windows and more

• Access to inaugural Mandalay cruise

$1,000,000+ – Captain

• Name a cabin on the Mandalay

• Permanent, prominent, and completely custom name recognition on the Mandalay

• Series A-4 Preferred Stock

• 11% Post-Sail Preferred Return 

• 5.5% Pre-Sail Preferred Return 

• Exclusive merch

• Personalized thank-you from our executive team

• Lifetime Membership with early access to booking windows and more

• Access to inaugural Mandalay cruise

• Invitation to attend exclusive Friends and Family voyage

Preferred returns range from 9–11%, and every tier comes with a financial stake in The Windjammer Way.

Not Just a Trend, a Turning Tide

The numbers back it up: experiential travel has tripled in recent years. While the global cruise industry is set to reach $203B by 2035, the trend towards larger and more elaborate cruise ships leaves a large segment of the audience behind. People who crave meaning over mass. Journeys over itineraries. In that space, The Windjammer Way is charting our own course.

A Ship Worth Saving

At the heart of our mission is the S/V Mandalay, a 236-foot schooner with more history than most vessels ever live to tell. She’s 102 years old and has already sailed over a million nautical miles, supporting scientific discovery, oceanic research, and generations of seafarers. She’s seen the world. She has stories to share.

And now, she’s being restored — not as a novelty, but as a new standard for boutique adventure cruising. She's coming back to the Caribbean. Not posh, but polished — proud, bold, and better than ever.

This next chapter will see her equipped with modern technologies and engineering upgrades that will allow her to sail lighter, smoother, and more efficiently than ever before. She’ll be fully SOLAS compliant, prioritizing safety and excellence for both guests and crew. She will carry just around 65 passengers in double-occupancy cabins — a world away from the floating malls and megaships that have bulldozed the cruise industry.

Aboard the Mandalay, travelers will feel one with the wind, the sea, the sun, and the Caribbean itself. Hopefully they bring sunscreen and leave with something that lasts longer than a tan.

Why We Sail

We believe in the kind of travel where your feet don't just touch the ground somewhere — you taste it, interact with it, and connect in a way that stays with you.

Our voyages will visit secluded coves and quiet harbors — places massive cruise ships can’t (and shouldn’t) go. You might be sitting next to a fisherman or a Fortune 500 CEO, and no one will care about the difference.

Every itinerary will be rooted in supporting local communities, sustainable tourism, and authentic cultural exchange — not just photo ops. We want our travelers to return home with stories they’ll tell for decades — not just souvenirs. (But hey, hopefully some cool merch too.)

We’re also committed to accessibility — not in lip service, but in structure. From tiered pricing and payment plans to a broad invitation across ages, backgrounds, and experiences, we want to open this way of travel to more people. The romance of tall ship sailing shouldn’t be reserved for the elite. It should be shared. We think everyone deserves to sail towards something.

One Last Chance to Climb Aboard

We’re almost at the end of our investment window. If something in you stirred reading this — a longing, a memory, a sense that you were meant to be part of this — consider this your signal flag. With a minimum investment of $2,500, you can help launch the Mandalay back into the trade winds — not just as a passenger, but as a co-author of her next chapter.

This Is Your Signal Flag

The Windjammer Way is more than a company — we are exactly what the name suggests: a way. A way of traveling. A way of seeing. A way of wondering, wandering, exploring, indulging — and being deeply present.

It’s how we move through the world: slower, more soulfully, with the trade winds always within reach. It’s our way. And if something in you stirs at the thought — then maybe, just maybe, it’s your way too.

We’d be honored to have you aboard.

Invest on Vicinity Capital