It was a sunny warm summer day at Chicago’s South Shore Yacht Club, and 15 students were busy sanding, drilling, and creating their own boat.
"The kids take to [the boat-building camp] like ducks to water." said Rob North, the Lead Instructor at the Chicago Maritime Arts Center.
It's all part of a two-week camp where kids learn new skills, and teachers bring the water to young people who wouldn't normally have this opportunity.
"We believe in introducing young people to the beauty of the water,” said North, who grew up in Chicago’s Morgan Park. “There's something magical about it, but unfortunately, a lot of young people who grew up in this city right on the water have no idea what that magic is about. So the Chicago Maritime Arts Center [works] to introduce that to these young folks."
North said boating wasn't a part of his childhood.
"It wasn't until I was in the Marine Corps that I came back home and joined my brother who was into sailing,” North said. “He suggested I join him. When I went out, the wind was going crazy, and the waves were coming over the bow, and I fell in love."
Students ages 8 – 17 can join, and it's free.
Camper Timmy Carter, 12, lives in Pilsen and attends Kenwood Academy. He said building things is in his blood.
"I've always loved water, and I like building stuff, and my mom's an engineer, so that's probably where it comes from," he laughed.
Desiree Smith, 11, is from Bronzeville and attends FXW. She said her mother signed her up for the boat-building camp. She said after one short week, she already feels more confident about her skills.
"I’ve always wanted to build things, so building a boat is exciting." she said.
North said the boat-building camp helps kids develop teamwork skills and learn to use tools, which they can carry with them throughout their lives.
"From day one, we put tools in their hands. We keep a good watchful eye on them, we give them instruction. We have girls and boys, and what I've discovered is that the girls are better. Don't tell the boys I said that," North laughed.
North said the kids in his camp build a finished boat in as little as two weeks.
"We go from scratch, bare material to a completely finished Bevin Skiff with a bunch of little kids, which is pretty impressive,” North said. “Then we spend a week with water safety. It's an experience they normally wouldn't get."
At the end of the program, the students launch their new boat into the water. Executive Director Capt. Toby Lindo, who founded the program in 2017, said the launch moment can't be described.
"It's magic," Lindo smiled. "It's really magic for most kids. Some have a lot of fear at the beginning of this but in the end, they lose that fear and are so proud of their work. Seeing that makes it all worthwhile."
Gabriel Coates, 9, is a fourth grader at Bronzeville Classical Elementary School. He said he can't wait to see the fruits of his labor.
"I've learned how to use tools, and I learned all about boats,” he squealed. “I can't wait to get it in the water."
"If I had to sum it up in one word, it's confidence,” North said. “They've all developed an extreme amount of confidence. They were very leery of touching any tool but now you tell them to grab anything, they grab, they work with it and they understand the safety of it.
Visit Chicago Maritime Arts Center’s website for more information about the boat building camps and other programs.
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