E D U C AT I O N rental will be $10 per group, with the rental cost waived for members at or above the Skippers level. The evening series isn’t meant to be a traditional sailing lesson, but rather a time to allow members and visitors the opportunity to practice their sailing skills or go for a twilight cruise. Groups must have at least one sailor with basic sailing skills present in order to rent boats. The focus, according to Ellcome, will be on an informal, friendly atmosphere. “By the end of the summer, I’m hoping people see the Sailing Center as a resource. I’d like it to become an easy point of access for getting out on the water on beautiful evenings,” he said. While improving access to the waterfront is a priority, the Education Department also hopes to better situate the Sailing Center’s curriculum within the Museum’s historical context. “This marriage between more modern sailing classes and the historical education that we do has been a goal we’ve been working towards for a long time,” Cahill remarked. Ellcome hopes to develop new programming that will take advantage of the array of historic small craft available at the Museum— from whaleboats to Beetle Cats. Shannon McKenzie, director of Watercraft Programs, has said that she’s open to collaboration, although talks are still in the beginning stages. The variety of watercraft will not only get sailors comfortable with sailing different boats, but also help them learn the vessels’ history.
THE MYSTIC SEAPORT SAILING CENTER, FORMERLY KNOWN AS THE YOUTH TRAINING BUILDING.
THE JY-15 IS ONE OF THE MAIN BOATS IN THE SAILING CENTER’S INSTRUCTIONAL FLEET.
“We want to stress to our students that even the fiberglass boats have a connection to the past. We don’t want them to think that they’re just learning history through all the wooden boats they’re sailing—we want them to think they’re learning history with every boat they step on,” Ellcome said. This philosophy extends most specifically to the Dyer Dhow, the workhorse of the Museum’s sailing programs, which was originally built during World War II to serve as a lifeboat for the U.S. Navy. The ability to sail these vessels in such a historically resonant setting is what sets Mystic Seaport apart from other yacht clubs and community sailing centers, according to Cahill. “You’re not just renting a JY15 anywhere,” she said. “You’re literally sailing in history.” Even though Ellcome recognizes the historical importance of the fiberglass boats, his first love is wooden boats. The task of caring for wooden boats, he said, also helps people craft a more sustainable lifestyle. “This idea that we can create and regenerate these boats to pass them on to the next generation teaches our children something greater about the idea of ownership,” Ell-
come said. “It also connects to thinking about how we begin to green our communities and connect to the environment.” Boatbuilding seemed to be the most natural way of addressing the topic of sustainability at the Sailing Center. The pilot boatbuilding program occurred this past March, as Ellcome and six college students in the Williams-Mystic Maritime Studies Program constructed several stitch-andglue kayaks in the Sailing Center. These kayaks will form the nucleus of a fleet of vessels built and maintained by Williams-Mystic students. In the future, Ellcome hopes to further develop boatbuilding programs that encourage students to think critically about the elements of science and design that go into creating a seaworthy vessel. Ellcome and his colleagues have laid a strong foundation for meeting the needs of the community. He is optimistic that the Museum’s audience will share the new vision and welcomes Museum visitors to stop by the Sailing Center. “I hope visitors will feel free to come in and say hi. I’m excited for them to rediscover the space,” he said. John Boudreau is the Education Programs Marketing Coordinator at Mystic Seaport.
SPRING/SUMMER 2017
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