Practical Skills. Shared Responsibility. Growing Leaders.
Coastwise supports youth leadership and maritime education in Maine, including active Sea Scout Ship 243. We help create opportunities for young people to learn, take responsibility, and work together through training, volunteer support, fundraising, and access to maritime resources.
Learning Continues While Defiance Is Ashore
Ship 243 has remained active while Defiance has been ashore, thanks to the efforts of fellow Maine maritime nonprofit Sailing Ships Maine. Through their support, scouts have continued learning to sail and participating in winter projects, including an introduction to diesel engines, wooden boatbuilding, and making canoe paddles by hand.
Returning Defiance, Coastwise’s 45-foot training vessel, to service will build on those experiences and provide additional opportunities for hands-on training.
Learning by Doing
Maritime experiences give young people opportunities to take responsibility, solve problems, and contribute to a crew. Coastwise supports this learning by bringing together volunteers, vessels, equipment, and community resources. Our immediate focus is supporting Ship 243 and returning Defiance to service, while building toward broader opportunities for youth maritime education in Maine.
Help Create These Opportunities
Volunteer your skills, offer equipment or resources, or support the work to return Defiance to service.
Our educational focus connects maritime knowledge with skills young people can use throughout their lives. Specific activities depend on available instructors, equipment, and suitable facilities. The examples above reflect opportunities provided by Sailing Ships Maine; the areas below describe Coastwise’s broader educational focus.
Leadership & Teamwork
What Young People Learn
Learning together through hands-on maritime training
Planning activities, communicating clearly, sharing responsibilities, and learning to lead and support others.
Putting navigation skills into practice through hands-on chart work aboard Defiance
Navigation & Communications
Developing an understanding of charts, route planning, marine radio procedures, and the decisions involved in navigating on the water.
Building seamanship skills and confidence at the helm of Defiance
Seamanship & Safety
Building knowledge of boat handling, lines and knots, onboard responsibilities, and safe practices around vessels and the waterfront.
Learning what keeps Defiance running through hands-on work in the engine room
Vessel Care & Practical Skills
Learning how boats and their systems work, why maintenance matters, and how preparation and teamwork support dependable operation.
During a long cruise, Ship 243 completed a service project for Boothbay Harbor Marina—giving back to a community that welcomed the crew
Community Service
Developing responsibility to others through service and care for the communities and waterways around us.
Help Create These Opportunities
Volunteer your skills, offer equipment or resources, or support the work to return Defiance to service.