Borden intended to sail to Alaska to catch a bowhead whale for the American Museum of Natural History in New York.

During the voyage, Chapman stopped on the Pribilof Islands and captured film of fur seals, which led to efforts to protect their colonies.

Borden's efforts to catch a whale failed and he sold Adventuress to the San Francisco Bar Pilots Association, which marked the beginning of her career as a workboat.

Eventually, she wound up in the care of Monty Morton and Ernestine Bennett, who managed a non-profit sail training organization called Youth Adventure.

In 1988, Sound Experience began conducting educational programs on the vessel, and the following year she was listed as a National Historic Landmark.