Gunboat Schooner Porcupine at BMC

06/21/2024

08/08/2021

https://www.eriegives.org/organizations/erie-maritime-foundation-d-b-a-bayfront-maritime-center
Please consider making a donation to BMC on Erie Gives Day, Tuesday August 10th.The Bayfront Maritime Center offers engaging opportunities for the community to learn about and participate in local maritime culture, build boats, sail, and to provide access to Presque Isle Bay for all community members. Programs and services include Erie Adaptive Sailing Experience (EASE) for those with disabilities, Erie High School Maritime Pathways Program, Community Boat Shop, and Youth Summer Camp Program.

12/22/2020

Both pin rails are set. The channels are installed, sealed, and are ready to paint.

12/18/2020

Happy Holidays From The Schooner Porcupine Crew!

We’ve been as busy as ever. Here are a few photos of some of our current work, installing stanchions for life lines, and building the pinrails and posts.
The gorgeous stanchions were custom built by Erie’s own American Railing Systems, Inc. Not only are they beautiful, they are also incredibly strong.

All of us here at the Erie Maritime Foundation extend a heart-felt thank you to Mark Bliley and his talented crew for their generous donation of craftsmanship, time and materials. American Railing System's work is very much in keeping with Erie’s long-standing tradition of high-quality manufacturing and ship building. We are recreating one of the significant ships of Perry’s fleet built right here in Erie, Pennsylvania by Daniel Dobbins to confront and defeat the British fleet during the war of 1812.

It is precisely this kind of support that keeps this project moving forward to the projected 2021 launch. The Porcupine will not only be a significant piece of American heritage; it will also fulfill its mission as the “School Ship for Presque Isle Bay.” The Erie Maritime Foundation’s primary role for the past 22 years has been to help change the lives of the under-served youth of Erie county and the Porcupine is our most ambitious and meaningful project to date.
We invite you to become a supporter at any level you can manage by visiting https://bayfrontcenter.org/take-action/donate/.

Sincerely, Rich, Ron, Howard and Jake

12/04/2020

Captains License Course at the Bayfront Maritime Center

A USCG Captains License Course is scheduled to begin soon, on January 9th at the Bayfront Maritime Center. For more information and to reserve your space in this years limited class, please call 814-602-0550, or email [email protected].
The course is scheduled for January 9th 2021 and runs three weekends, Saturdays and Sundays, 8AM to 5PM, and one weekday, usually a Thursday, beginning at 9AM for review and exams.
The cost is $795 for the Coast Guard OUPV license course, which is sometimes referred to as a 6-Pack License. This includes all course materials. The USCG Masters License upgrade class is scheduled the following Saturday and Sunday.
The course is offered by True North Maritime, a school that writes, administers, tests and grades the USCG approved courses and exams.
This year the class size is limited to 14 or 15 students due to Covid-19. So if you are considering earning a USCG license, this is an excellent opportunity for you this winter in Erie. All participants will stay physically distant and wear masks.
For more information or to reserve your space in class, please call 814-602-0550, or email [email protected].

11/30/2020

We hope you are all as excited about this as we are.
Tell your friends!
More info coming soon.

11/06/2020

Work continues in the BMC boatshop on the 1812 US Navy Gunboat Schooner Porcupine, it never stopped.

10/14/2020

BMC is a community based nonprofit organization which focuses on maritime education.

10/12/2020

Justin attended the hands-on Erie High School Maritime Program at the Bayfront Maritime Center. While here he built two boats with his classmates, learned chart plotting/navigation, sailed, and assisted in the construction of the 1812 US Navy Gunboat Schooner Porcupine, and much more. We are so proud of his accomplishments and wish him all the best in his Coast Guard Carreer!

09/19/2020

Fundraiser for the Schooner Porcupine is tonight! It looks like clear skies for Howard Rice's presentation, Adventure Under Sail, Sept 19, 2020 at 7:30 pm. Due to crowd size, we will be gathering outside BMC, so dress warmly. If you would rather enjoy the show via Zoom, the Meeting ID is 868 8379 5979. $25 donation. Hope to see you there, one way or another!