Bosun School

There is nothing better than real sea time under sail to gain experience and the skills of a mariner. But sometimes on these hard working ships there is little time to focus on particular advanced skills, such as wire work and sailmaking. And rarely does the opportunity roll around to actually help rig a ship from the keel up or lay a sail out with a professional sailmaker.

Advance your Skills without the Distractions of the Sea

The purpose of the Picton Castle’s Bosun School is to provide an opportunity to young dedicated mariners to advance their skills in a concentrated fashion without the natural demands and distractions of being underway at sea. Conducted by Capt. Daniel Moreland, the crew of the Picton Castle and special guest instructors, the Bosun School allows you to significantly advance your skill level, making your chances at the best berths in good ships of your choice all the more likely. Once signed aboard your next ship you will have that much more to offer and will be a greater contributor to helping the ship on her mission – which is, after all, what being crew is all about.

Build Skills, Tools and your Résumé

Sling your sea bag over the rail and join us for the next running of this highly valuable, unique offering. We’ll cover advanced rope-work, wire seizings, wire splicing, basic sailmaking, cotton and Dacron sail repair, serving as if you had a whole ship to rig, basic welding, ship and boat caulking and pitching, basic carpentry, first-class varnish work, tar and oil mixtures, proper bosun chair work and more! Dip your arms in Stockholm Tar, learn tons, have fun, flesh out your resume, become well acquainted with the seaport's excellent pubs, and meet marine artisans and crafts-folk with generations of ship work behind them. This fall we have a special opportunity to help launch and rig a newly-constructed 48' wooden schooner. When you join your next vessel, you’ll take with you an enriched set of skills and actual tools you made yourself.

Enrollment is limited

This program is designed for people ages 18-30 with previous experience in traditional vessels or who have sailed in ships and vessels of some kind as either a student or crew member.

Upon completion of the course you will receive a certificate of completion from the program, an evaluation and a letter of recommendation from the Bosun School.

The Bosun School will run from August 6 to September 21, 2012 in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Introductory Bosun School

For the first time ever, an introductory Bosun School will be offered at Bristol, Rhode Island, USA for any young people with an interest in advancing their skills in the marine trades. This short course will pack all the basics, including rigging skills, parcelling and serving, coatings and mixtures, knots and splices, small boat handling under sail, power and oar, basic sailmaking, seizings, and wire splicing into ten short days, from June 24 to July 3, 2012.

Dates and Details

For both the full-length Bosun School in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada and the introductory Bosun School in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA, the fee includes instruction, room, board and all course materials. All fees are quoted in Canadian dollars.

Introductory Bosun School in Bristol, Rhode Island, USA - June 24 to July 3, 2012 - $660

Full length Bosun School in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada - August 6 to Septmeber 21, 2012 - $3,250

For more information on either the introductory Bosun School or the full length Bosun School, or to apply, please contact us by calling (902) 634-9984 or send us an email.