Over the course of one semester, students in the boatbuilding program build a traditional wooden boat from scratch. They learn all aspects of the boatbuilding process including reading boat plans, creating the molds around which the boat is built and designing planks. Students create something that is not only beautiful but really works. No prior carpentry experience is required.

Students in the On-Water program go on afternoon adventures, learning to navigate the Bronx waterways using handmade boats, maps, charts, compasses and sextants. They act as caretakers, assessing the ecological health of the rivers and creeks surrounding the Bronx and working to restore their natural habitats. In colder months, On-Water students will also go swimming at the Bronx YMCA.