Overview
The San Francisco Maritime National Park Association teaches boat building and sailing programs for Bay Area high school students. For eight weeks, high school students are immersed in the fresh salt air of the Hyde Street Pier, engaged in building a wooden boat together from scratch. Within fourteen class sessions, our students learn a traditional craft through the process of building a working sail boat from start to finish, as well as learn the basic skills needed to sail their vessel. Classes also include formal lessons on navigation, weather, sailing and outdoor leadership.
Many of our past students are from disadvantaged, low-income backgrounds and respond better to project-based learning as a more accessible and tangible means to teach basic skills, rather than a standard curriculum. Some students who have benefited from this program have come from the San Francisco Unified School District Downtown High School, a continuation high school which offers project-based learning.
This Beach Pea (LOA 13′, beam 4’4″), designed by Doug Hylan, was built in 14 days by 22 students from Downtown High School in San Francisco. In partnership with the”GetOutandLearn” program, and the San Francisco Unified School District. From the October, 2010 issue of WoodenBoat magazine.
Pictured to the right is, Edward Cavanaugh, beloved teacher and founder of Get Out And Learn at Downtown High School. Ed tragicillly passed during the summer of 2015, we miss him to this day. The Cavanaugh family requests to honor his legacy with a gift to Get Out and Learn to ensure his spirit lives on. Click on the G.O.A.L section below to learn how.
The Process
Get Out and Learn is an experiential education project at Downtown Hight School in San Francisco, CA. Each semester the Teachers choose a new theme that will guide their project and curriculum. In addition to the boat building program, the students hike and camp, learn to surf, kayak, sail with Call of the Sea, and explore topics in social justice, health education, and sooo much more!!
“I had fallen off from school and didn’t really like it. But, once I started going to GOAL, I realized school is not that bad. Yeah, we go out, and we learn. We are also learning what we have to: math, reading, and everything required to graduate.” -Kelly Rodas Alumni (GOAL website).
“Backpacking and boat building…. how we weren’t going to be in a classroom all
day…. it just made sense to me. I just wanted to try something new. I was bored of
being stuck in a classroom.”
-Jessica Hernandez
Visit the GOAL WEBSITE to learn more and support their project.
GOAL is a non-profit organization housed by the Tides Center and uses its 501c3 non-profit designation to accept charitable donations.
In Progress..
IN Progress..
IN Progress…
In Progress
Support our Youth!
We and our partners provide full financial aid for all students—there is no cost of enrollment. We rely on grants and gifts to make these classes possible. Please contribute to our success.
- Make a cash donation. Visit https://maritime.org/securedonation/ to make a secure donation. In the comments section, mention Youth Boat Building.
- Make a gift of materials. We need marine-grade lumber, hand tools, power tools, paint, brushes, safety gear, epoxy, and more. Email: ldefelice@maritime.org
- Purchase a boat. Our wooden boats make terrific family vessels for the lake or bay. Make a substantial donation and row one away.
- Order a boat. Sponsor an entire class, and we will build a custom boat to fit your needs. Previous builds nutshell prams, Bevins skiff, and shell-back dingy.
Email: ldefelice@maritime.org