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Trainees working on the fire extinguisher scavenger hunt.  Crew and trainees practicing an abandon ship drill.
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The Kalmar Nyckel offers a premier tall ship volunteer opportunity that is second-to-none. The 1625 re-creation vessel is maintained and sailed mainly by a volunteer crew. Over 200 volunteers support the ship, education program, and Foundation annually. The volunteers comes from all walks of life, bringing various skills and experiences to the organization. Join one of our extensive crew training classes and learn the art of 17th century square-rigged sailing.
No experience required! Four times a year we conduct volunteer crew training classes at our Shipyard in Wilmington, DE. Our winter class is 10 all-day Saturdays from mid-January through mid-April. A 2 ½ week live-aboard spring class, summer class, or fall crew training class is a great way to join the crew, and sail on board during our education seasons. If you are an experienced square-rigged sailor looking to sign on for several months, check out our independent study crew training class. There is a fee for materials, back ground check, and a drug test, required by the US Coast Guard. Sailing crew must be at least 18 yr. old, or 14-17 with a parent/guardian. There is no upper age limit. All crew must be physically able to safely perform all skills needed to sail the ship and keep our guests safe, including climbing vertical ladders (think escape hatches from below decks), and hauling lines. Expect to spend time studying at home, and practicing knot tying daily as well as spending practice time on board the ship. Homework assignments include reading the manual, practicing knots and belays on the ship, worksheets and other hands-on studying on the ship. The crew training class is required for all volunteers who are interested in volunteering as sailing crew. Once trained, volunteers may sail on board for daysails and sail as crew for week long “voyages” to other ports. Sailing crew must maintain active crew status each year by putting in 40 hours of volunteer time each year, and taking a three hour crew refresher class before sailing each year. You can get started on your 40 volunteer hours when the ship gets home in November.
To get started volunteering please e-mail our
Port Captain, Sharon Dounce, at [email protected] or
call the Kalmar Nyckel Foundation office
302-429-7447. Winter Crew Training Class Details Spring Crew Training Class Details
Summer Crew Training Class Details Fall Crew Training Class Details
Independent Study Crew Training Class Details
Phone: 302-429-7447
Email: [email protected]
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