Youth Boatbuilding Programs

Drawing on Hampton Roads' rich maritime heritage, TWBW provides unique and exciting experiential learning opportunities. Students learn STEM and other critical life skills as they build wooden boats and are taught to row and sail them on local waters. While participating in these activities, their world expands and learning becomes relevant and fun. They not only learn about boats, they learn about themselves as they master new skills and discover new interests and talents.

Our weekly summer camp programs include various woodworking and nautical activities such as building a model sail boat, leatherworking, steam-bending, learning nautical tools and practices, sewing, painting, an environmental science station, & more. Students are able to take their small projects home. Each session concludes with campers rowing and/or sailing one of our student-built wooden boats.

Our pre-apprentice program is focused on reaching out to disconnected youth ages 17-24. These are students who are no longer attending school and are looking to add experience to their resume to achieve gainful employment. The program follows a specified curriculum, and students receive an educational stipend while in attendance. Each session lasts approximately 20 weeks and concludes with a small graduation ceremony where participants receive completion certificates.