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Castine Community Invited to Sail Aboard Schooner Bowdoin on September 30th

Posted on: September 21, 2015

CASTINE, Maine—Maine Maritime Academy waterfront staff and students will host a Castine community sail on the arctic schooner Bowdoin on Wednesday, September 30, 2015. Members of the community are invited for a Harbor sail from 4 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Space is limited, so advance reservations are required. Please call or email Tina Pitchford to reserve your spot in advance: 207-326-2364; tina.pitchford@mma.edu.

Bowdoin serves as the key training ship for Maine Maritime Academy‘s Vessel Operations and Technology (VOT) and Small Vessel Operations (SVO) undergraduate programs, as well as the platform for MMA’s Sail Training Minor. When not in use for training purposes, Bowdoin’s popularity and historical charm keep her calendar brimming with public and private tours, appearances, and excursions. A National Historic Landmark, Bowdoin is also the Official Vessel of the State of Maine.

“We want members of our community to have the opportunity to experience a sail on Bowdoin,” said Dana Willis, Marine Operations Manager. “So, we pick a day to invite our neighbors to sail with us at least once a year.”

Starting in October, as part of a long-term maintenance and care plan, work will begin to replace Bowdoin’s deck and complete other upgrades that will be easily accessible once the old deck is removed. Andros Kypragoras Shipbuilding, Inc. of Whitefield was awarded the contract to complete the work. Bowdoin is expected to be delivered to Lyman-Morse Boatbuilding Co. at Wayfarer Marine in Camden, which will provide workspace and additional expertise for the project, on or about October 28th. The deck renovation will be funded through the Bowdoin Centennial Campaign, a $1.6 million fundraising campaign to replace the ship’s deck and strengthen her endowment. The project is targeted to be complete by May 1, 2016.

Maine Maritime Academy is a co-educational, public college on the coast of Maine offering 18 degree programs in engineering, management, science and transportation. The job placement rate for MMA graduates is in excess of 90 percent within 90 days of graduation. In 2014 and 2015, MONEY magazine ranked Maine Maritime Academy the #1 Public College in America on their Best Colleges list. For more information, visit mainemaritime.edu.