Have you ever wanted to sail the Great Lakes? Do you like working with your hands, or want to learn? Visit the Maritime Heritage Alliance Boat Shops from 10AM to 3 PM on Saturday, March1, 2025 for their Annual Open House. Visitors are invited can tour the MHA boat shops, view boat maintenance and carpentry projects in progress, learn about the MHA ‘s 2025 Basic Crew Training classes, and chat with MHA members about other volunteer opportunities and summer 2025 Tall Ship sailing adventures. Other special activities include shopping at the maritime book sale, taking a turn making baggywrinkle for the Schooner Madeline and enjoying a cup of soup and a cookie for lunch. The Maritime Heritage Alliance is located at 13638 South West Bayshore Drive, in Traverse City, MI. For more information call 231-946-2647.

Special for this year’s Open House is a Samson Post Cribbage Tournament! In 2024, the Schooner Madeline’s wooden samson posts were pulled for repairs and one of MHA’s carpenters envisioned that one of the discarded posts would make a large and unique Cribbage board. Thanks to the volunteer carpenters, board with its hand-turned belaying pin pegs, is now complete and is the focus for this fun fund and friend raiser.

The Cribbage tournament will be held from 1-3PM on Saturday, March 1st in MHA Shop #1. Visitors of all ages and experience are welcome to participate for a fee of $10 each (singles or doubles) Half will go the winner and half to the Maritime Heritage Alliance.