Discovery Voyage
Discovery Voyage is a one-week immersive sailing experience aboard the historic schooner Harvey Gamage, offered during the summer of 2025 to Maine 8th-grade and high school students. While living and working at sea, students explore maritime history, marine science, and ocean systems, gaining firsthand exposure to Maine’s working waterfront and maritime heritage.
Through hands-on, experiential learning, Discovery Voyage blends education with personal growth. Students learn by doing—standing watch, sailing the vessel, and participating in shipboard life—while developing leadership, communication, collaboration, time management, and problem-solving skills. The program intentionally fosters resilience, work ethic, and emotional intelligence, helping students build the confidence and curiosity needed to engage meaningfully in learning and to envision future opportunities within Maine’s maritime industries.
Discovery Voyage also responds directly to a growing workforce challenge facing Maine. Too many students are disengaged from traditional classroom learning, while the state faces a critical shortage of skilled workers. This shortage is driven by a declining number of high school graduates, an aging population, and increased job creation following the pandemic. A decade ago, Maine graduated approximately 18,000 students annually; today, that number has dropped to roughly 11,500. By connecting students to real-world experiences and viable career pathways, Discovery Voyage helps bridge the gap between education and Maine’s future workforce needs.
OPSAIL250
In 2026, the historic schooner Harvey Gamage will sail to New York City to participate in OPSAIL 250, one of the world’s premier tall ship gatherings commemorating America’s 250th anniversary. This extraordinary international event brings together iconic sailing vessels from around the globe, transforming New York Harbor into a living celebration of maritime history, seamanship, and cultural exchange.
Harvey Gamage’s participation in OPSAIL 250 places students, crew, and the Marine Learning Project at the center of a once-in-a-generation event. While underway and in port, the vessel serves as a platform for sail training, experiential education, and public engagement—connecting Maine’s maritime traditions to a global audience. Students and trainees gain real-world offshore sailing experience, practice professional seamanship, and take part in international port activities that highlight leadership, teamwork, and life at sea.
This voyage is more than a destination—it is a learning journey. Harvey Gamage’s presence at OPSAIL 250 underscores the Marine Learning Project’s mission to use sail training as a pathway to education, workforce development, and inspiration, while proudly representing Maine as a maritime state on the world stage.
Sail Boston
The historic schooner Harvey Gamage will attend SAIL Boston, a major tall ships festival that brings renowned sailing vessels from around the world to Boston Harbor. This high-profile maritime event celebrates seafaring heritage, international cooperation, and the continued relevance of sail training in the modern world.
Participation in SAIL Boston offers students and crew a rare opportunity to sail into one of the nation’s most historic ports while taking part in a large-scale public maritime celebration. While underway and alongside, Harvey Gamage functions as a floating classroom—providing hands-on sail training, real-world seamanship, and experiential learning that builds leadership, teamwork, responsibility, and confidence.
Attending SAIL Boston allows the Marine Learning Project to showcase Maine’s maritime traditions beyond state borders while exposing students to professional vessels, maritime careers, and the broader ocean economy. These experiences reinforce the connection between history, education, and workforce development—using sail as a powerful tool to inspire learning and open pathways to future opportunities on the water and beyond.
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.