Sail onboard as a Day-Sail Student! Intended for ambulatory people of average good health, this sailing opportunity offers a six-hour sailing excursion onboard the US Brig Niagara that departs the dock at the Erie Maritime Museum on scheduled Sundays and Mondays during the summer. While Niagara sails with a crew of 16 professionals and up to 24 live-aboard trainees, Niagara may also carry up to 50 daysail students on day sails.
Daysail students are encouraged, based on their interest and ability, to participate in hauling on lines to set sail and to learn the history of the ship, the Battle of Lake Erie, and the War of 1812. All daysail students are required to follow the direction of the ship's professional crew. Daysail students must be prepared to move often, as the crew needs to be able to access all areas of the deck to sail the ship, and space for students to sit down and relax is very limited.
A typical daysail day begins at 9:00 AM at the Erie Maritime Museum with check-in. Daysail students are instructed to arrive and check in with the Purser onboard no later than 9:15 AM prior to sailing. At 9:30 AM the Captain begins the student introduction and safety orientation. All students board at 9:45 AM and the ship departs the dock by 10:00 AM.
No two daysails onboard the Niagara are identical. The sailing plan, schedule, and educational programming may differ from one sail to the next based on the weather, and on the training needs of the crew. The daysail program meets three main objectives:
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It increases opportunity to sail the ship, train the professional crew, and train the Sailing School Vessel trainees who live onboard in the 3-week program.
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It serves as a public introduction to the three week sailing program, and offers a first-hand, albeit brief, look at the history of the
Niagara and the Erie Region, and at how Niagara was (and still is) sailed and operated.
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It increases public visibility for the ship while sailing off the shores of Erie's downtown district and Presque Isle State Park.
If you would like to sail on board as a daysail student, click on the link to download the Daysail Student Information and Application Packet.
>>>>Click for Daysail Application<<<<
