On-the-Water Programs Get Youth Sailing By Libby Urner One of the highlights of this 36th annual Festival is the wide range of vessels and programs offering on-the-water opportunities, particularly for teens. Hands-on, experiential learning has been how young people learned seamanship for centuries, and the success of these on-the-water programs (on both tall ships and small ships) indicates just how relevant and important such learning continues to be. Popular schooners Well-known to Port Townsend and Festivalgoers, schooner Adventuress has been offering on-the-water environmental education and sail training for youths and adults since the 1960s. Sound Experience’s mission states, “We use the ship as a metaphor for our planet: a closed system that requires
Dragonheart appeared on local waters in 2011, a product of a Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding community project. Submitted photos
understanding and care…Our focus is educational because we believe that people will protect what they learn to value.”
Also based in Port Townsend, schooner Martha offers sail training trips for youths and families. Visiting the Festival for the first time in many years is Pacific Grace, owned and operated by Sail and Life Training Society, and offering both Salish Seabased and offshore marine education programs. She is homeported in Victoria, B.C., Canada. Sea Scout ships Odyssey and Yankee Clipper both offer sail training programs for area Sea Scouts. Northwest Maritime Center longboats Bear and Townshend also are used for Sea Scouts, as well as other local on-the-water programs. NWMC Thunderbirds Caveat and Risa are the “classroom” for learn-to-sail classes for both youths and adults, and Martha J and Dorjun are both used as support vessels for NWMC on-the-water programs.
Dragonheart explores New to the festival this year is Dragonheart, the latest vessel to be built by the highly successful Community Boatbuilding project spearheaded by longtime Adventuress captain Wayne Chimenti and based at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding in Port Hadlock. Built during the 2010-2011 school year by students earning high school credits while developing marine trades skills, Dragonheart now is used for hands-on, on-the-water education for programs such as Puget Sound Explorers. New: On-land programs Also new are two non-sailing onthe-water programs. Fishing Access Network will be displaying Hull No. 1 of their prototype vessel Accessible. Their mission is to provide disabled veterans – Continued on next page
The 99-year-old schooner Adventuress. Your National Historic Landmark. She belongs not to one, but to all.
Become a part of her story. Now embarking on the final phase of her multi-year Centennial Restoration Project during winters 2013 and 2014. To learn more – and/or to contribute your skills or financial resources –
visit www.soundexp.org 28 • 2012 WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL
Port Townsend & Jefferson County Leader