The Capital Campaign: Boathouse 2023
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Boathouse 2023 is a fundraising campaign to provide the support needed to complete the building phase of the Japonski Island Boathouse rehabilitation, so it can be opened to the public and utilized for SMHS programming. This historical building has been under the stewardship of the SMHS since 2005, and steady progress has been made towards its renovation.  This campaign will also enable matching for larger foundation grants, making your donation go even further.
Your gift will have a truly lasting impact.

Donate to Boathouse 2023 Now:

Crew Member (BH2020)

$30.00
Donate

Mate (BH2020)

$50.00
Donate

Navigator (BH2020)

$100.00
Donate

Pilot (BH2020)

$500.00
Donate

Old Salt (BH2020)

$1,000.00
Donate

Commander (BH2020)

$2,500.00
Donate

Master Mariner (BH2020)

$5,000.00
Donate

Partner (BH2020)

$10,000.00
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The Boathouse: A Place for Sitka

A Place for Working

Despite being a sea-dependent community, Sitka has few dedicated spaces for boatbuilders. The Boathouse’s West wing is a workshop area for building and repairing smaller watercraft. The workshop will be available for rental and sharing boatbuilding skills. A future phase will expand the workspace with Sitka’s only public covered boat repair facility.

The Boathouse will provide Sitka with a public workspace for building and repairing boats.
 

A Place for Looking Back

In Southeast Alaska, there is no equivalent maritime center dedicated to preserving the oral history,  stories, knowledge and physical artifacts of our maritime past. The Boathouse will house collections, oral histories,  and exhibits to showcase the many maritime themes of Sitka (cannery, fishing, military, transportation). This effort will enrich Sitka’s visitor experience and contribute to the tourism sector.
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The Boathouse will be a unique space that celebrates our diverse maritime heritage
 

A Place for Learning

The Boathouse will be a center for education where classes and camps on all things watercraft and marine will be taught. Expense and availability of youth activities is a community concern. A core part of our mission is to increase youth engagement in maritime pursuits and empower the next generation by passing on this knowledge, sense of competency, and identity.
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Classroom space in the completed Boathouse will enable us to offer more affordable educational opportunities for Sitka’s youth and families



A Place for Growing

Other communities, like Gig Harbor and Port Townsend, have seen boathouses become heavily used facilities, with widely attended annual festivals growing up around them. We expect interest to reach beyond Sitka and function in the summer as a visitor attraction.
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By building water skills and competency, we serve the economic vitality of Sitka.
 

More About Boathouse 2023:

Boathouse2020 Approximated Costs & Goals:
  • Total Renovation $1,415,533
  • Completed to date $681,000
  • Total remaining $734,533
  • Secured to date $81,000
  • This campaign $653,533
  • Local Goal $100,000
  • Remaining, grants and foundations $553,533
THANK YOU!