Small boat sailor Howard Rice has returned to Erie to help build the Porcupine. Join us as he shares a few of his experiences rounding Cape Horn solo, sailing remote Pacific islands, the Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, and more, via small traditionally rigged boats.

This will be a fascinating presentation of photos, video, and stories touching on people, exotic cultures, and of sailing the smallest wooden boats in some of the most remote, beautiful and challenging places on earth.

Program 6:30pm-7:15pm ∙ Intermission with refreshments ∙ Program continues 7:45pm-8:30pm Q/A, and and on-deck tour
Donation – $25.00 – proceeds help build Schooner Porcupine
Tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adventure-under-sail-tickets-93395122325

Dear Friends of BMC,

Thanks to you, the Bayfront Maritime Center has been able to realize its dream of offering access to boating on Presque Isle Bay to those in Erie who were left out. Over the past twenty-one years, you have made amazing things happen – over 100 boats have been built by kids and nearly 19,000 young people in Erie have been introduced to boating and the potential of a maritime career. A maritime high school program has taken root at BMC on Erie’s Bayfront where students set sail on a catamaran, take the helm, while learning the basics of navigation, sail trim, wind and weather, maneuvering a vessel, nomenclature, and safe boating. During the winter months the classroom moves inside the Bayfront Maritime Center where the boat shop becomes an experiential lab as teens learn to use hand and power tools to craft their own boats.

Over the past two decades, donors and volunteers have built BMC and its programs – the Erie High School Maritime Program, after-school programs, and the national award-winning Erie Adaptive Sailing Experience (EASE), which provides therapeutic and recreational sailing for persons with physical and mental challenges. Our largest project to date – building a historic reproduction of Erie’s 1812 Schooner Porcupine from Admiral Perry’s fleet – is now closer to completion in the BMC boat shop. This unique vessel will be deployed as a floating hands-on educational lab allowing up to 30 students at a time to pursue scientific inquiry on Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie.

Progress at the Bayfront Maritime Center has happened because of your gifts over the years, and another giving opportunity is right around the corner. Erie Gives Day is Tuesday, August 13 from 8 am to 8 pm, a one-day online fundraising campaign where nonprofits across our region will combine to raise over $4 million for their causes and receive pro-rated matching funds from the Erie Community Foundation. To participate in Erie Gives, simply access the secure website – eriegives.org – between 8 am and 8 pm on August 13, locate Bayfront Maritime Center in the search list, and enter your credit card information.

Your donation gives the key to boating on Presque Isle Bay and the qualities of adventure, competence, and mastery, that build character and change lives. Thank you in advance for supporting BMC on Erie Gives Day, August 13.

Sincerely,

Richard Eisenberg
Executive Director

Any on-line donation made to BMC via the Erie Gives website
https://www.eriegives.org/organizations/bayfront-maritime-center
will receive a pro-rated match from the Erie Community Foundation and other community partners.
Your donation will help fund boat building, sailing, and maritime career exploration for Erie County residents. Donations may be earmarked for the Erie High School Maritime Program which serves students on a daily basis throughout the school year. You may also donate to the EASE program, Erie Adaptive Sailing Experience, which provides barrier-free sailing to individuals with physical and mental challenges. If you are interested in supporting the construction of the Schooner Porcupine~Schoolship for Presque Isle Bay, just send an email to amy.eisenberg@bayfrontcenter.org and we will see that your donation is applied to a specific program.
Thank you in advance for your generous support. If you have any questions or would like assistance with your on-line donation please call the Erie Community Foundation at 814) 454-0843, or BMC at 814-456-4077.

Thank you to the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority (ECGRA) for supporting the construction of the Schooner Porcupine currently being built in the BMC boat shop. The Erie Maritime Foundation is the legal name of the Bayfront Maritime Center. Pictured from left to right: Perry Wood – ECGRA Executive Director, Senator Dan Laughlin, Carl Anderson – Erie County Council, Amy Eisenberg – Executive Assistant Erie Maritime Foundation, Mike Paris – ECGRA Board Chairman and Kathy Dahlkemper – Erie County Executive.

We work hard everyday to help at-risk teens get back on track and accomplish their goals. We provide one-on-one mentoring, small class sizes, and hands-on project based learning throughout the school year and offer summer classes during the summer months. We develop career awareness and strategies designed to assist our students’ success in today’s changing job market. We offer an adaptive sailing program for those with special needs. We are building the Schooner Porcupine to serve as a floating STEM classroom for Erie students. All this takes an amazing amount of time and money and effort from both the staff and our incredible team of volunteers. Thank you for supporting our mission.

It’s that wonderful time of the year again where the community of Erie bonds together and donates to wonderful causes. Consider us, the Bayfront Maritime Center on Tuesday, August 14th when making your annual donations. Your on-line donation of twenty-five dollars or more will receive a pro-rated match from The Erie Community Foundation and ten other local businesses. Last year $4,427,877.00 was donated for 374 nonprofits in a 12-hour time span!

For 20 years BMC has been on a mission to provide maritime education for the community regardless of physical, mental, or socio-economic barriers. As a nonprofit organization, BMC relies on community donations to serve thousands of citizens a year. Your donation is 100% tax deductible and is also eligible for employer matching funds. To see what you’re donating towards watch our video https://www.facebook.com/bayfrontmaritimecenter/videos/2187879444558944/

Thank you,
It means the world to us!
Sincerely, Richard Eisenberg and the team at BMC

Heather Geist has joined the BMC staff as an AmeriCorps VISTA.

Please join us in welcoming Heather Geist to the Bayfront Maritime Center staff! Heather is a recent graduate from Gannon University with a degree in Biology. She is a world traveler, musician and hard worker and will serve as the new Americorps VISTA from the Lake Effect Leaders for BMC, Heather, is starting off her new position extremely excited to work and ready to help out!

Build your cardboard creation, and enter to win one of the nine trophies, including Fastest Time (Youth, Teen, Adult and Mixed Ages), Most Creative, Crowd Favorite, Most Dramatic Sinking, and new for 2018, Winner of the Inaugural Slalom Race!  So get your team together and design your boat soon!

Launching the Banana Boat!

Registration Form:  Cardboard Boat Regatta

2018 cardboard rules