Bayfront Maritime Center

Founded in 1998 in Erie, PA, the Bayfront Maritime Center was born out of a dream to provide universal access to the water and offer maritime-based education to all. Our founder's vision was to create opportunities for the community to connect with the water, learn valuable skills, and experience the joys of the maritime world. Our work is driven by a belief in the year-round transformative power of Lake Erie and the boundless opportunities that come with it. While our programs are maritime-based, their true purpose is to empower and educate everyone in our community – regardless of ability, background, or financial means.

Our mission is to “design and implement engaging, hands-on, maritime-themed educational, vocational, and recreational opportunities for the community in a universally accessible waterfront facility.” Through our programming, we aim to cultivate a deeper connection with our local waterways, foster learning and personal growth, and provide an inclusive space for our community to experience all that Erie’s unique maritime location has to offer. 

BMC has its roots in educating Erie’s youth populations. Our current summer and after-school programs focus on providing school-aged children with valuable teamwork skills and hands-on experiences in STEM. Our most recent educational program, Project Compass, was offered in collaboration with the IU5 Migrant Education Program and created opportunities for students that reinforced concepts from the classroom. Through Project Compass, students engaged in a variety of hands-on, confidence-building activities such as: constructing and testing cardboard boats, rowing skiffs on Presque Isle Bay, sewing canvas ditty bags, weaving carrick mats, and navigating teamwork challenges. 

Our on-the-water programs, including Erie Adaptive Sailing Experience (EASE) and Erie Community Boating (ECB), are designed to create access to the water for everyone. EASE – the only adaptive sailing program in Pennsylvania – has been serving Erie for over 20 years, providing those with disabilities the opportunity to sail on Presque Isle Bay. For some EASE participants, this experience is therapeutic and supports their mental health. For others, sailing encourages autonomy and increased independence. Similarly, ECB was created to make recreational sailing more accessible by reducing the financial barriers that often prevent local individuals and families from exploring Lake Erie through sailing. Through ECB, participants are introduced to beginner-level sailing skills and experiences at little or no cost. These introductory sailing courses are open to everyone in Erie County and have taught all ages, from children to retired adults. 

Your Erie Gives donation plays a vital role in our ability to continue offering this wide range of programming to our community. Every donation strengthens our ongoing efforts to make the water accessible to everyone and contribute to our community’s education, development, and economic growth. We are truly grateful for your support as we work to make a lasting impact in our hometown. Thank you for considering the Bayfront Maritime Center on Erie Gives Day!

Who We Are

The Bayfront Maritime Center is a not-for-profit, 501 ©(3) community-based educational organization. Our mission is to design and implement unique, experiential, maritime-themed educational, recreational and vocational opportunities for the community in a universally accessible waterfront facility.

We began operating in May 1998 and have worked with thousands of area youth and adults to create positive learning experiences through sailing, building boats, studying navigation, learning about the environment and having fun on beautiful Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie.