For Nathan Volunteers

The Dorchester Skipjack Committee is a small, all-volunteer, nonprofit organization. We welcome new volunteers, especially those who enjoy multi-tasking and bring a variety of talents to share!

Sail Crew

No prior sailing experience is necessary, as we train all crew thoroughly before awarding full crew status. Sail crew must be 16 years of age or older and fit enough to handle the significant physical demands of the vessel. Those born on or after July 1, 1972, must possess a certificate of boating education, which they must carry at all times on the boat. New sail crew trainees generally are accepted from March through mid-summer, but those interested may let us know at any time so that we can get you into the training schedule whenever possible.

Docent Crew

Docent crew need not go through sail crew training, but need to be able to handle weather extremes and a diverse passenger clientele with a smile and good sense of humor. Sail crew are welcome to train also as docents. We require both sail and docent crew to be certified in first aid and CPR. We provide training on an annual basis to new volunteers and to those whose certification is expiring.

Captains

Captains must have a Masters License with Sail Endorsement and are required to train with the crew prior to serving as captain on passenger trips.

Captains, sail crew and docent crew are the faces of the Nathan to our passengers and the public. As such, they are expected to represent the organization and act in its behalf in a courteous and professional manner.

Sail Crew Training

Sail crew are subject to initial and random drug testing (as are captains). They must meet minimum physical requirements confirmed in writing by their physicians, and renewable every three years or as required by illness or injury. Those entering crew training will be evaluated after a brief initial trial period for acceptance into the program. Acceptance into the crew training program does not guarantee graduation to full crew status.

Training takes place 2 or 3 days a week beginning in late March or early April and continues throughout our sailing season. New volunteers may train at their own pace as it fits their schedules, but will achieve full crew status more quickly if they can commit to more training days. If we have more new volunteers than we can easily train together, some may be asked to sit out training until a little later in the season to allow us to train one group at a time.

Sailing a skipjack is not for everyone and is not like sailing other vessels. Sometimes our best crew members turn out to be those with no prior experience on the water–and no bad habits to break! Because we have numerous crew, it is important for safety reasons that everyone learns how to do things the same way and work together as a team. The way you do things on your boat is not necessarily wrong, but it may not be the Nathan way of doing things.

Maintenance

Wooden boats need lots of work and we need lots of help to do it. We take a week or so in the spring to scrape, sand and paint the deck and cabins. In mid-summer, we haul the boat out and do the same to her hull. Year-round, there is engine maintenance, rigging repairs and plenty of other tasks to keep those with a little bit of boatyard bum in them busy.

It's Not Just About the Boat

Even if you don't want to set foot on the boat, we can still use your help. If you have business and computer experience, enjoy fundraising and staging special events, or just would like to take on individual projects for a worthwhile nonprofit organization, we would welcome your help.

Contact us for more information on volunteering.