Schooner Martha Foundation

Mission

Since its establishment in 1997, the Schooner Martha Foundation has dedicated itself to the restoration of the historic 1907 wooden sailing vessel MARTHA, and to providing an authentic youth sailing training experience. Over 70% of the foundation’s funding comes from donations. Every contribution is directed toward the restoration and upkeep of the vessel, as well as providing sail training scholarships for underserved students.

Description

MARTHA teaches young sailors the full responsibility of operating a classic wooden vessel under full sail. They are tasked with charting the course, maintaining the safety of the vessel, managing the sails, steering the vessel, and ensuring MARTHA's upkeep throughout the voyage. The foundation ensures that scholarships are accessible so that no aspiring young sailor is denied the opportunity to experience sailing.

MARTHA stands as an authentic, 119-year-old wooden sailing vessel, meticulously restored using traditional materials and techniques. Remaining true to her legacy, MARTHA and her dedicated crew actively engage in competitive sailing, participating in local long-distance races alongside modern sailboats. It’s easy to see how MARTHA requires consistent maintenance due to her age and many uses. 

In 2021, shipwrights began observing fresh and salt water infiltrating around port lights, skylights and deck furniture, then emerging belowdecks out of the trim, around light fixtures and running down bulkheads, eventually finding its way through the woodwork and under the fiberglass top. This is a clear demonstration of how porous the original cabin has become over time, and in order to stop any further degradation of the boat, we will launch a substantial restoration project in the fall of 2026 targeting the replacement and repair of MARTHA's cabin top, port lights, cabin sides, and cabin top furniture  We need to raise $50,000 during 2026-2027 to complete this project, so please consider MARTHA in your GiveBig plans.