Exciting news from the crew of the Barque Picton Castle. Full scholarships are now being offered to those accepted in the highly regarded Picton Castle’s Bosun School. From their announcement:
Bosun School is going ahead this summer!
We’re thrilled to hold our tenth session of Bosun School this summer from July 14th to September 29th in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada. Bosun School is a land-based marine skills enhancement program designed for aspiring mariners who want to improve their hands-on ship and boat-related abilities.
Thanks to the support of generous funders and benefactors, we’re offering a full scholarship for every Bosun School student. This means that the cost of food, accommodation, instruction, and course materials are covered for every student who is accepted to attend Bosun School. Students will still be responsible for your own travel costs, but once you’re here there is no fee.
In order to qualify for Bosun School, you need to have spent some time in and around boats, ships or boatyards and you need to be willing to put in the effort to advance your own skills. Usually, we would have students from all over the world, but due to the pandemic, Canada’s borders are currently closed to non-essential travel. We’re keeping a close eye on when they might open up again to allow international students to attend.
At Bosun School, students learn a variety of skills including knots and splices, lifting heavy objects, safe working practices aloft, crossing yards, serving, making ratlines, wooden boat repair, caulking, coatings and mixtures, basic sail repair, launching and retrieving small boats, and much, much more. Small boat handling is a key skill for any sailor so Bosun School students so there will be lots of beautiful small craft on the harbour this summer practicing in small boats under sail, oar, and power on most days this summer.
Applications for Bosun School are now being accepted. Please send your CV/resume and a cover letter that tells us more about you, your experience with boats, and your reasons for wanting to attend Bosun School by email to Captain Moreland at info@picton-castle.com.