Schooner Harvey Gamage
The Schooner Harvey Gamage is a historic sail training vessel dedicated to education, character development, and maritime heritage. Built in 1973 in South Bristol, Maine by the renowned Harvey F. Gamage Shipyard, this 131-foot wooden schooner has spent decades at sea, serving as a platform for experiential learning and hands-on seamanship.
The Marine Learning Project and the Harvey Gamage are working closely with he Wiscasset School system. More information on that relationship can be found here.
About the Vessel
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Length Overall: 131 feet
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Rig: Gaff-rigged schooner
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Construction: Traditional plank-on-frame, built from white oak and yellow pine
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Capacity: Accommodates up to 39 students and crew
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Homeport: Portland, Maine
Harvey Gamage is Coast Guard-inspected and certified, and she meets all safety requirements for educational programs at sea.
Mission-Driven Education under sail
The Harvey Gamage is more than a vessel—she’s a classroom under sail. As part of the Marine Learning Project, the schooner hosts dynamic onboard programs designed to:
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Introduce students to Maine’s proud maritime heritage
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Cultivate seamanship, teamwork, and leadership
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Promote interest in maritime and marine-related careers
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Inspire stewardship of the marine environment
Whether participating in a weeklong coastal voyage or a day sail along the working waterfront, students gain invaluable insight into life at sea and the broader marine industry.
The Marine Learning Project and the Harvey Gamage are working closely with he Wiscasset School system. More information on that relationship can be found here.
SEAfaring Summer Camp
A one-week sailing adventure aboard the historic schooner Harvey Gamage during the summer of 2025 is available to all 8th graders and high school students in Maine. Students will dive into maritime history, marine science and oceanic exploration while experiencing life at sea. The SEAfaring summer camp will blend hands on learning with personal growth - all while charting a course toward future opportunities in Maine's Maritime industries.
Through experiential learning, Maine students are introduced to the marine industry and careers and empowered to develop life skills. Through this unique experience provided by a sailing vessel, students have authentic experiences to learn skills in leadership, communication, time management, collaboration, and problem solving, and to embrace resiliency, work ethic, and emotional intelligence, all essential to engaging in learning.
Too many students are disengaged and unenthusiastic about learning. We must connect them with workforce opportunities because the number of qualified employees are declining in Maine. Maine’s current workforce shortage is a perfect storm of three powerful forces: a steady decline in the number of students graduating from high school, an aging population, and growth in job creation across the state following the pandemic. A decade ago, 18,000 young Mainers graduated from high school. Today, there are 11,500 high school graduates.
Donate Now
Would you like to make a donation towards supporting a student experience this once in a lifetime opportunity. The total cost to send one student to this one-week sailing adventure is $1750.
The Marine Learning Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law and directly support our mission to provide hands-on maritime education and environmental stewardship opportunities to youth across Maine.