Outward Bound’s New Expedition Vessel
Southport Island Marine was chosen to help develop and build these boats in 2006. We have worked closely with the Designers and the Client to optimize the effectiveness and success of the design. To date (2011) six boats have been built out of a projected fleet of fifteen.

Why a New Expedition Vessel for Outward Bound’s Sea Program??  The “Pulling Boats” designed by Cyrus Hamlin for Outward Bound in the early 1960’s have proven to be seaworthy, handsome and loved by all that sail them. These venerable 30 foot wooden boats have provided life transforming experiences safely for thousands of students of all ages for over 40 years.  But as the fleet aged, it became evident that designing new boats for the Outward Bound mission was in order.


Here are the reasons:
-Provide Privacy for personal hygiene (a marine sanitation device: a Head).
-The need to deal more responsibly with human waste (a holding tank).
-Boats that will require little maintenance.
-Boats that will be designed with performance in mind – they must sail well, and allow student to transfer what they learn to other boats that they might -encounter.
-The new boats must retain certain traits of the old boats:
     ~Oars as auxiliary power.
     ~Must accommodate the entire crew for sleeping.
     ~Seaworthy as befitting a teaching platform for novice sailors.
     ~Masts easily un-shipped, Shoal Draft to allow gunkholing in any environ.
     ~Able to self rescue in the event of capsize.
     ~Positive flotation