Students and volunteers in the Spaulding Wooden Boat Center Youth Boatbuilding and Sailing Program took their Norwegian pram Guppy for a sail through downtown Sausalito yesterday in the 4th of July parade. The young boatbuilders left hundreds of candies and bubbles in their wake.

Thanks to David MacLaird of MacLaird Construction for the use of his truck and for driving us in the parade.

Saturdays used to be pretty quiet at the Spaulding Center.  But these days, Saturdays at the Center are buzzing with activity.

This past Saturday, the Arques School of Traditional Boat Building was holding their usual amateur’s class of 10+ students who are building a boat.  I arrived at noon to greet a small group from the Traditional Small Craft Association (TSCA), who were arriving back at our dock from a row-out and back.  Two TSCA’s were rowing Guppy, the twelve-foot Norwegian Pram built by our 2008 Youth Boat Building and Sailing Progam (foreground below).

A dock on Sausalito Canal

Accompanying me was Kevin, a new volunteer docent who then helped me conduct an SWBC tour for the TSCA.  But Kevin had to leave early because he was joining a crew of six volunteers who were taking our 1962 Spaulding 33, Pegasus, at 1 pm to the Richmond Yacht Club for the Master Mariner’s Annual Potluck.

Finally, at 1 pm, kids and parents started arriving for Day One of our Youth Boat Building and Sailing Program – Year 2.  Program Director Craig Southard and his four volunteer instructors welcomed nine young people and two Big Brothers this week.  We are still accepting applications and hope for more to join in coming weeks.  After a few Saturdays of basic woodworking, the kids will start building another pram.

All this activity makes the “living” museum alive.  It was a beautiful day!

By the way, the TSCA crew posted their day on the Wooden Boat Forum.  See: http://www.woodenboat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=94552.

The Spaulding Center will host an open house on March 14 at 1pm for the Youth Boatbuilding & Sailing Program that commences March 21 at the Spaulding Center.

Students aged 12-18 will have the opportunity to build and then learn to sail a traditional wooden boat.

You can find information about the program at Youth Boatbuilding & Sailing Program. For further information, call Andrea at 415 332-3179.

Location: Spaulding Center in Sausalito
When: Saturday, March 14, 2009, 1 pm to 3 pm

Photos of Guppy, built by 2008 Youth Boatbuilding & Sailing Program