Who doesn’t want to be a pirate? All you need is the right outfit, some swagger, and a ship. Well, you can check one of those off your list. Right now, there’s a pirate ship available for free on Long Island, listed on Facebook Marketplace.
The headline for the listing reads, “1990 Pirate Ship Sailboat Skipper 20. FREE.” The boat, located somewhere in Massapequa, is ready for pickup to the right pirate immediately.
“FREE Skipper 20 sailboat converted into pirate ship,” the description boasts. “Includes boat and trailer. I have paperwork for the boat, none for the trailer. Has square-rig mast only for show. Pirate effects can be removed. It does float. Please only message if interested. If ad is posted it is available.”
This quirky vessel has a history as colorful as its appearance. The boat’s current owner, who prefers to remain anonymous, originally purchased it from a boatyard. Back then, it was just a bare, white Skipper 20 hull, a boat with a surprisingly large cult following among enthusiasts.
But this wasn’t just any ordinary sailboat for long. The owner, along with a small group of friends, decided to transform it into a pirate ship as part of their annual “Pirate Day,” a private tradition that started as a treasure hunt on a beach. One day the would-be pirates were left behind by their friends waiting for some more kids to come by and enjoy their antics. The stranded pirates thought of an idea.
“We’re gonna build a ship so they can’t leave us,” the owner recalls, laughing. And so, the Skipper 20 was purchased and converted into a pirate vessel. (This was actually their second attempt at a pirate ship.)
They converted the boat, complete with pirate effects, and used it for two years, but only for their yearly pirate-themed event.
“I can’t believe how much joy it brings to people,” the owner mused. “The kids go crazy.”
The ship became a symbol of happiness and fun for the group but at the end of the season, with nowhere to store the vessel, they decided to give it up.
“Let it go to someone else,” the owner decided.
For next year’s party, they might make a new pirate ship—or maybe come up with a new idea. In the meantime, this ship is ready for its next crew.
Better hurry and grab it while it lasts. Head over to the Facebook Marketplace listing to get a gander at this one-of-a-kind pirate ship, and maybe you’ll be the lucky scallywag who gets to call it their own.
Update: Sorry folks! The ship has been claimed.
