Please select your home edition
Edition
Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 LEADERBOARD

New Jersey tall ship opportunities

by nk on 31 Jan 2012
Discovery A.J.Meerwald photo by Steve Greer SW
There's nothing like tall ship experience to add to the portfolio of the budding sailor - 'new' techniques, sea miles, the feeling of a great sailing ship moving beneath you, and round the world the tall ship 'industry' is thriving, thanks largely to volunteers. Enthusiastic sailors living anywhere near Delaware Bay in New Jersey in the USA have the opportunity to train on New Jersey's official tall ship, the schooner A.J. Meerwald.

Yes the 2012 sailing season is right around the corner, and the Bayshore Discovery Project is looking for ship-board volunteers to come out and learn the ins and outs of sailing, navigation and maritime lore as carried out on a tall ship, and help to sail the historic tall ship, A.J. Meerwald.


She is a restored oyster dredging schooner, launched in 1928, and was one of hundreds of schooners built along South Jersey's Delaware Bayshore before the decline of the shipbuilding industry which coincided with the Great Depression.

Today, A.J. Meerwald is used for onboard educational programs in and around Delaware Bay in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

The training session begins on Saturday, March 3, and will continue on March 17, 31 and April 14, between 8:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. The classes are free of charge, and will be held at the home port of the Meerwald, 2800 High St. (Bivalve), Port Norris.

Upon completion of the course, volunteers would be responsible for helping the crew sail the historic ship, greeting passengers and presenting education programs. Shipboard volunteers must attend the training session in its entirety.

No previous experience is necessary, but ship-board volunteers must be 18 years of age; teens between the ages of 14 and 17 may attend the training if accompanied by an adult.

The training session is free of charge; the only requirements are Bayshore Discovery Project membership and a minimum commitment of 20 non-sailing volunteer hours plus five sails during the season.

And if you are merely interested in tall ships but don't want to sail, the Bayshore Discovery Project will also be hosting a training session for shore-bound volunteers; those who wish to volunteer ashore may attend the March 31 training session.

Shore-bound volunteers will help in the museum, work in the Oyster Cracker cafe, and with educational programs such as the monthly Second Fridays by the Bay events. Volunteers will also help with mailings, publicity, fundraising and research activities.

The Meerwald’s ports of call for the 2012 season include Bivalve, Burlington, Greenwich, Salem, Jersey City, Edgewater, Alpine, Beach Haven, Atlantic City and Cape May.

To learn more about the Discovery Project, http://www.ajmeerwald.org/!click_here. If you are interested in attending a training session, contact the Bayshore Discovery Project at +1 856 785 2060 .

V-DRY-XHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeX-Yachts X4.0

Related Articles

A dream realised for Litchfield's Hound
The Nielsen 59 Hound finished the Transatlantic Race 2025 on July 5 Dan Litchfield's classic Nielsen 59 Hound, co-skippered by Tom Stark, finished the Transatlantic Race 2025 on July 5 in an elapsed time of 16 Days, 08 Hours, 49 Mins and 22 Secs.
Posted today at 7:08 am
OK Dinghy Europeans at Warnemünde day 1
Race wins for Daniel Björndahl, Andy Davis, Charlie Cumbley and Steen Christensen The 2025 OK Dinghy Europeans got under way in Warnemunde, Germany, on Sunday with race wins for Sweden's Daniel Björndahl, Britain's Andy Davis and Charlie Cumbley and Denmark's Steen Christensen.
Posted today at 4:52 am
Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 2
Philip Köster triumphs again in Pozo Izquierdo Köster survives a late scare to earn an eighth Pozo event title, and first 5-star victory since 2022, in even windier conditions than Saturday.
Posted on 6 Jul
Grae Morris Takes on the iQFOiL Worlds
Shifty conditions on the first day in Aarhus, Denmark Aarhus, Denmark is serving up everything but predictability as the iQFOiL World Championships get under way, and Australian Olympic silver medallist Grae Morris is ready to assert his place at the top of the new Olympic cycle.
Posted on 6 Jul
A perfect start to the 5th annual AEGEAN 600
Cloudless blue skies, crystal clear waters and perfect 12-15 knots of northerly wind At the very southern end of the Greek mainland at Cape Sounion in Attica, today's start to the 5th edition of the AEGEAN 600 was perfect: cloudless blue skies, crystal clear waters and perfect 12-15 knots of northerly wind.
Posted on 6 Jul
29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 4
One race, one storm, and one big lay day vibe With qualification wrapped and the fleet now split into six groups—Gold, Silver, Bronze, Emerald, Purple, and White—Day 4 of the 29er Europeans kicked off with early optimism and an earlier-than-usual launch in pursuit of the morning breeze.
Posted on 6 Jul
iQFOiL Worlds a Aarhus day 1
Full foiling conditions launch the World Championship with four high-intensity races for both fleets The iQFOiL World Championship kicked off today in Aarhus with dynamic and demanding conditions that truly tested the world's top foiling windsurfers. The wind was anything but steady, shifting in both direction and intensity throughout the day.
Posted on 6 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais overall
American Magic Quantum Racing win Rolex TP52 Worlds after breezy week in Cascais. Doug DeVos' American Magic Quantum Racing crew were crowned 2025 Rolex TP52 World Champions today in Cascais, Portugal.
Posted on 6 Jul
Red Bull Sailing Academy Opens
A new hub for current and future superstars to reach the top of their sport Marina Monfalcone, North Italy, made waves yesterday, as sports superstars gathered to open the Red Bull Sailing Academy, marking the beginning of a new era in the sport.
Posted on 6 Jul
Gran Canaria Gloria Windsurf World Cup Day 1
Philip Köster edges out Marcilio Browne in one of the closest finals ever Philip Köster edges out Marcilio Browne in one of the closest finals ever as Pozo delivers 50 knot winds and waves.
Posted on 6 Jul