Aadhaish, 16, has always feared the water, making him a perhaps unlikely volunteer for the Lower Raritan Watershed Partnership boat build. This LRWP program aims to increase engagement with and understanding of the Raritan River. Moving water is something Aadhaish had avoided for years, yet this was his second year participating in building a canoe as a member of the Sewa International Central Jersey youth program, which he participates in as a junior at JP Stevens high school.
Aadhaish was drawn to the boat building project and the LRWP because of his love for the environment and dream of being an engineer. After building these boats, starting from the paper designs and research all the way through the construction process of fixing the panels in place and weaving the cane seats, Aadhaish now leads his engineering class at school as they use the same processes and skills he’s already learned in the boat house.
Even more than practical skills and insight into the engineering process, he’s gained deep sense of fulfillment, one he struggled to express as he laid his hands on the lacquered hull of last year’s canoe. “Watching the boat come to life” under his hands gives him the energy to come back each week. He gazed at the panels striping the side of the boat with a sense of awe, bordering on reverence. “You see that?,” he said. “We did that.”
As Aadhaishi’s father, Amid, watched his son work with other volunteers to attach the paneling, he expressed his great pride. He always tries to sign up to chaperone the teen volunteers when Aadhashi comes to the build. Not only does he get to watch his son explore his passion, when they return home and Aadhashi inevitably spends dinner enthusiastically talking about what he did at the boat build, Amid can smile along with understanding and pride.
Now, both father and son look forward to the boat launch, when the new canoe will hit the water for the first time this summer along with past years’ boats. Aadhaish can’t wait to paddle down the river that was once such a source of fear.
Join LRWP volunteers like Aadhashi and Amid at our boat-building session on Tuesdays from 6-8 and Saturdays 9-11. Pre-registration required. See you soon!
Our wonderful boat build team of Captain Derek Hartwick, Amber Hennes and Colin Nickel will host an introductory Boat Build Workshop Saturday July 2 from 9-11am. We welcome you to join us!
This is an “in person” build session at our new Boat House location at 101 Raritan Avenue in Highland Park. Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration is FREE and is limited to eight (8) participants.
Throughout 2021, I volunteered with the LRWP to build a wooden boat—a long, narrow rowing shell–destined for use on the Raritan River. During the pandemic, this boat building project was like a good dream. While I spent weekdays working remotely, Saturdays with the boat project meant the smell of cedar, the roar of the power planer, the feeling of smoothly sanded wood, and being with other people. One year later, I decided to live that dream by pursuing carpentry and wooden boat building through a program called The Carpenter’s Boat Shop, located in mid-coast Maine.
Like many volunteers working on the rowing shell with the LRWP, I began with minimal experience. Our workshop was a hands-on classroom where other volunteers generously shared their skills. With this support I quickly gained more experience and confidence. Along the way I discovered that I liked nothing more than being in a workshop environment, making things with wood and tools, teaming with others to solve problems, and getting caked in sawdust.
This past February, I drove up to Maine and entered the 4-month long Carpenter’s Boat Shop program, where I am continuing to learn how to build small wooden boats. This program resembles the LRWP boat build project in that it is centered around building a community and sharing skills. At the Boat Shop, I live and work alongside a group of eight other apprentices, sharing chores, cooking meals, going for hikes along the coast, and building a type of row boat called the Monhegan skiff.
The Monhegan skiff is an historic vessel in this region that is still used by the residents of nearby Monhegan Island. Once used primarily by fishermen, the Monhegan skiff was designed to safely navigate the rolling ocean waters around the island and transport fishermen between the shore and their workboats. The skiffs are still purchased for this purpose. The neighbors who frequently visit the Boat Shop campus may have ties to Monhegan Island or have worked as boatbuilders in the region. It is not uncommon to see old wooden boats—restoration projects in progress—sitting in front yards. It is inspiring to be in a place where there is a palpable sense of history and connection with the natural environment. The craft of building small wooden boats weaves these things together.
Being part of this community in Maine makes me excited about what wooden boats can do for the Raritan region. Building the rowing shell with the LRWP helped me see the history and beauty of the Raritan River, Raritan Bay, and nearby waterways. Bringing a community together to build small, well-crafted boats builds a culture of connection with local waterways, local history, and between neighbors, hopefully leading to increased stewardship and recreational access to the Raritan.
The LRWP seeks volunteers to help us construct two cedar strip boats during winter/early spring 2021. No experience required. This is an “in person” build session at our shop location at 100 Kirkpatrick Street in New Brunswick across from the New Brunswick train station (the former Fresh Grocer site). Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration required. All participants will be expected to wear masks and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocol.
Registration limited to eight (8) participants at each session.
The LRWP seeks volunteers to help us construct two cedar strip boats during winter/early spring 2021. No experience required. This is an “in person” build session at our shop location at 100 Kirkpatrick Street in New Brunswick across from the New Brunswick train station (the former Fresh Grocer site). Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration required. All participants will be expected to wear masks and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocol.
Registration limited to eight (8) participants at each session.
The LRWP seeks volunteers to help us construct two cedar strip boats during winter/early spring 2021. No experience required. This is an “in person” build session at our shop location at 100 Kirkpatrick Street in New Brunswick across from the New Brunswick train station (the former Fresh Grocer site). Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration required. All participants will be expected to wear masks and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocol.
Registration limited to eight (8) participants at each session.
More about the project here.
The LRWP seeks volunteers to help us construct two cedar strip boats during winter/early spring 2021. No experience required. This is an “in person” build session at our shop location at 100 Kirkpatrick Street in New Brunswick across from the New Brunswick train station (the former Fresh Grocer site). Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration required. All participants will be expected to wear masks and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocol.
Registration limited to eight (8) participants at each session.
The LRWP seeks volunteers to help us construct two cedar strip boats during winter/early spring 2021. No experience required. This is an “in person” build session at our shop location at 100 Kirkpatrick Street in New Brunswick across from the New Brunswick train station (the former Fresh Grocer site). Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration required. All participants will be expected to wear masks and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocol.
Registration limited to eight (8) participants at each session.
The LRWP seeks volunteers to help us construct two cedar strip boats during winter/early spring 2021. No experience required. This is an “in person” build session at our shop location at 100 Kirkpatrick Street in New Brunswick across from the New Brunswick train station (the former Fresh Grocer site). Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration required. All participants will be expected to wear masks and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocol.
Registration limited to eight (8) participants at each session.
The LRWP seeks volunteers to help us construct two cedar strip boats during winter/early spring 2021. No experience required. This is an “in person” build session at our shop location at 100 Kirkpatrick Street in New Brunswick across from the New Brunswick train station (the former Fresh Grocer site). Volunteers will learn through hands-on activities.
Registration required. All participants will be expected to wear masks and comply with COVID-19 social distancing protocol.
Registration limited to eight (8) participants at each session.