Senior Synthesis Project Series: The People

 My journey at The Center for Wooden Boats (CWB) started when I was nine years old as a summer camper. I learned how to sail on the wooden El Toro fleet, which is still used today to teach hundreds of young sailors each season. The feeling of being on the water was exhilarating and freeing. While I never got into racing, I loved being a casual sailor and being at CWB. Several years later, my dad’s work schedule changed, and we started volunteering at The Center for Wooden Boats. We went to a second Saturday volunteer orientation where we met several staff members and Dick & Colleen Wagner, the founders of CWB. Something about this place was special.

Shortly before my dad and I began volunteering at CWB, I convinced my parents to let me transfer to Edmonds Heights K12 (EH), a homeschool resource center in Edmonds. The traditional school route had not been right for me, and because of the nature of the academic accreditation at EH, I could use many experiences to gain school credit. 

On my first day volunteering at CWB, my dad and I signed up for a livery shift, assisting in getting the rowboats and sailboats off the docks and tying them back down when renters returned. The livery “in boating terms is an entity or person that holds one or more boats out for rental, charter, or lease. It is also referred to as a place where livery boats are kept, maintained, and dispatched” (source). On this first day of volunteering, we met Shelby. At the time, Shelby was the livery manager, and she was always enthusiastic about teaching volunteers about sailing and the docks. She loved that I knew a little about boats already, and I was so excited to spend my time there. She suggested I apply for the livery internship before she realized I was only 14, and to apply, I needed to be 16. The encouragement from Shelby throughout all my time at CWB and as I grew up is one of the many reasons CWB is special.

After a couple of months of volunteering at CWB, the boatwright at the time, Bradley, had started to learn that one of the reasons we regularly volunteered was to help me gain high school credit. He was kind enough to help us set up a standing Friday afternoon volunteer shift. Bradley always connected what was happening in the shop to more ‘textbook’ math and was an incredible mentor in learning boat repairs and maintenance. As the summer quickly approached, I realized I could not spend as much time as I wanted at CWB unless I took more initiative. So, I applied as a Junior Sailing Instructor for youth summer camps. I was 14 then and have spent my time on Lake Union every summer since. The Center for Wooden Boats is a lot of the reason I am the person I have become. While school and social interaction might have been hard, CWB was somewhere I could learn about woodworking, sailing, and “boat math.” Here, I got to interact with people from all different aspects of life who loved being out in the world and always encouraged me to be myself.

While many of the staff have been incredible over the years, the volunteers are the real heartbeat that helps the organization forge ahead. The Center for Wooden Boats has around 400 active volunteers annually. Dave Erskine is one of our most notable volunteers and someone I consider a dear friend. Dave has been volunteering for CWB since 1986; he met his wife in CWB’s outdoor pavilion and married in the same pavilion. In a CWB Instagram post from Volunteer Appreciation Month (April 2024), Dave said, “I have donated my time and effort to CWB since June of 1986. The value it has had to my self-esteem and growth as a human is why I continue to do so. I have a strong desire and appreciation of all the knowledge, both technical and emotional, that CWB offers. When you come to a living museum, I can give short snippets of the high quality of community” (Erskine). Dave is one of the most kind-hearted people I know, and he is always ready to assist in any capacity he can. He is a storyteller, and I often wonder how many hours he has spent sharing stories with visitors and volunteers. He is an amazing example of someone who gives his all. 

Almost daily, I work with youth in some capacity. Our junior instructors are volunteers who are typically between 14-17 years old; our youth camp sailing and woodworking staff are typically between 16-21 years old, and the internships we host are for high school and college-aged students. While working with teenagers definitely has its difficulties (especially when you’re only 20), I think working with junior instructors, instructors, and interns has been one of the most rewarding experiences. Over the last few years, I have had many conversations with instructors about why they enjoy teaching sailing and what they feel it teaches students. To be a sailor, you must be observant of your surroundings. Students learn how to account for the movement of the wind and water; they learn to navigate a crowded lake and make quick decisions. On the water, students can learn independently or with others. As a teacher, I like to think about myself as a facilitator for my students. I am not the dictator of what they will learn, but here to help guide students to figure out what they want to learn and how to help them succeed. When teaching in the classroom, I like to create Venn diagrams or lists that students help me complete. We can collaborate and learn together by listening to the many ideas brought to the table and looking at how each idea may work out. Humans are naturally curious, but it so often feels like we are brought to a halt due to the outside ideas of society. By allowing students to ask questions and be involved in their own learning, we can develop connections and skills for later use. 

Youth Summer Camp Team 2022

When I moved out of my parent's house, I quickly learned how expensive being in the city is. At CWB, I’m surrounded by people who work and live on boats. I have always wanted to live on a boat but always thought it was a ridiculous dream; we’ve all heard how expensive boats can be! When I first moved out of my parent’s house, I was in a two-bedroom apartment with three other girls. It was a great experience, and overall, I am glad I did it, but realized I didn’t want roommates moving forward. While talking to my coworkers one day, it finally clicked in my head: why not buy a boat and live on it? If there was any point in my life to purchase a boat, it might as well be while I am still surrounded by boat people. Being a part of this vibrant community of people has made me realize that I can fully embrace who I am in every aspect of my life. They are the most generous, caring, and committed people I have ever met. My creative housing solution has also introduced me to a global community of supportive sailors.

The wood boat and the greater sailing community have become a source of connection and stability in this fast-paced society. Interacting with this community is a unique and enriching experience. The daily interaction of seeing dock neighbors in such a timeless and sincere setting brings a profound sense of humanity and community into clearer focus. The community boaters bring is like no other and will forever continue to inspire.