involve me and I learn

Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, INVOLVE me and I learn

This quote by Confucius is at the heart and soul of what we do at the Community Boating Center

What we do

We INVOLVE area youth age 5 to 24 in fun, hands-on activities using boating and the marine environment. We take kids out of their comfort zones and expose them to opportunities they never thought would be possible.

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Boats-By-Kids

We teach math and engineering to students by building boats. We use the hands-on building process to help students improve their math skills, learn to use basic hand tools and more.

Sailing

Every time a student steps into a boat, pulls the tiller, or trims a sail they are experiencing hands on, powerful lessons.

Sailing Into Knowledge

The weather above, the water below, everything in-between and on the boat can provide daily, real-world science lessons.

Leadership Training

The Community Boating Instructor Training Program aspires to develop the next generation of young leaders for our communities.

US Powerboating Courses

We deliver on-the-water powerboating instruction for anyone who wants to learn how to safely operate a powerboat or improve their on-the-water boat handling skills. No experience necessary.

CBC

Safe, Fun, Learning is the cornerstone for CBC’s model

A safe environment for kids- socially, emotionally, and physically – built around fun engaging activities, leads to an amazing learning environment. Kids are constantly learning, even when they don’t realize they are learning!

Our story

Safe. Fun. Learning.

The Experiences

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Get involved

Student looking around the mast of a Sonar

It is through these experiences that we are creating future leaders and helping them NAVIGATE the skills they will need as they grow older and head off to college or pursue a career path.

CBC was founded 21 years ago. Fast forward to today and we have grown well beyond our initial Summer Youth Sailing Program. The 5 boats we started with have grown to 100, and the number of youth we serve has increase from 80 to 2,500. We run year-round programs both in and out of school using activities such as boating, boat building, and hands on STEAM lessons.

2019 in Numbers

Boats Built

Greater New Bedford Youths Served

Youths Employed

Programs Delivered

Our programs are designed to be a step by step process in character development, by using boating as a tool to help instill important life lessons in our students. Taught by US SAILING Certified Instructors, CBC introduces students to a safe, fun and nurturing learning environment where they can experience the value of team work in a healthy and challenging activity.

View All of Our Programs

What CBC Means to our Community

Parents have expressed what CBC has meant to them and their children:

“I can’t thank CBC enough for everything they have done for my family. My girls have been with them for years and now it has turned into a steady job for my oldest. They are such good people. They have given my kids an opportunity I would never be able to financially afford & for that I am so thankful.”

“CBC is the best program ever!! My son has been with CBC for years and years. It’s the highlight of his summer. CBC not only teaches about boating and sailing, it teaches one how to respect the ocean, the importance of teamwork, trust and friendship. We want to thank everyone for their dedication, professionalism, passion and hard work. We appreciate everything you do !!”

“My granddaughter and great nephew have had such an awesome sailing experience; they have grown leaps and bounds as sailors thanks to the greatest sailing school. Hats off to CBC!”

Group campers waiting to launch their Picos

Our Team, Our Stories

There are many exciting things going on at CBC this year. Check out what we have been up to on our blog, and meet the team that makes everything happen.

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CBC Blog

Posts written by our staff, keeping you up to date with CBC happenings.

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Our Team

Meet our team that makes this all possible.

Leaders for our community

First and foremost, the JI program is a leadership training program. CBC believes that there is fulfilling employment for all of our students in or around the Massachusetts marine trades and our junior instructors are typically motivated individuals who have shown some interest in boats and boating. Whether they go on to be scientists, boat captains, mechanics, or none of the above, the leadership and responsibility training given to them will be a benefit in life. Community Boating Center succeeds when our people succeed. Our youth development program uses boats, boating and the marine environment as a medium to develop leadership skills. The success of our Junior Instructor program has been growing for 3 years. Sailing and leadership skills have tremendous overlap.

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Critical Thinking

Teaching Sailing facilitates strategic planning and enhances problem solving skills.

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Teamwork

Sailing requires individuals to work together as harmonious teams and gives them the opportunity to overcome challenges together.

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Communication

By leading their crew aboard a sailboat and giving chalk-talks in the class room, instructors will strengthen their communication skills.

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Decision Making

Wind shifts and the unpredictability of young students require developing smart and timely decision-making.

Our Specialty

More than Sailing

CBC teaches positive life values. This includes physical health, environmental stewardship, teamwork, collaboration, and leadership skills. This workforce development project is strategically important to CBC because our homegrown instructors are our greatest assets. The JI program has expanded beyond just training instructors for our Summer Youth Sailing program but to include employment opportunities throughout the year with CBC’s STEAM education programs and Ocean Stewardship programs. Additionally, the JIs are learning to repair our fleet of boats, our docks, and help with work in our administrative office.

After school, during school breaks, occasionally for pay, but mostly for social reasons, teenagers from area high schools are coming to CBC. It has become not just a job but a way of life.

Carlo

Junior Instructor | Year 2

I became a CBC Junior Instructor becauseI wanted to give back to an organization that has brought much joy to my life. During the entirety of my middle school career I sailed at CBC and all of the instructors felt like mentors, but also friends to me because they are always easy-going and joyful. I see myself a bit in them and I want to have the chance to spark passion into young kids, as the have done to me.

Carlyn

Junior Instructor | Year 2

I joined the CBC Junior Instructor Program because I want to give back to the community that has helped me become who I am. I also believe this will help me develop into a stronger leader. CBC has been a huge confidence boost in the past four years for me and I really enjoy the feeling of sailing. Sailing makes me feel more free and like I can overcome obstacles. I love to sharing this feeling with other people. I hope being a CBC Junior Instructor will help me with my career choice too in the future.

Tanner

Instructor Apprentice | Year 3

I became a CBC Instructor Apprentice to teach and to continue developing my sailing skills. In this program, I can share my love of sailing with the students who never sailed before. Along with this love, I can also share my knowledge of sailing to help the children develop their own sailing skills.

The future

Junior Instructors are CBC’s engine driving opportunity to INVOLVE and inspire more youth. They are mentors for future generations.

These kids are New Bedford’s future leaders, teachers, scientists, politicians, technicians. Now we need you to get INVOLVED to help them navigate their future course.

Students jumping off the side of capsized bahia

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Community Boating Center Inc

Community Boating Center of New Bedford is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization which teaches positive life values to youth through boating.

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