The Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM), in collaboration with Sail to Shelter, will celebrate World Boating Day, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, May 23 at SBMM.
The event will feature a hands-on family activity on the museum patio at the Santa Barbara Harbor.
SBMM has offered free family day passes for those wishing to participate.
Children will be invited to design and build their own boats from reclaimed materials, complete with handmade sails.
Port, Starboard & Sails: A Hands-On Boating Adventure will offer a creative way to introduce young participants to the world of boating while sparking conversations about boat design, reuse, and life on the water, event organizers said.
Families will also have a chance to learn basic maritime vocabulary and concepts, including the difference between port and starboard; the parts of a boat; and the characteristics of various types of vessels, such as sloops, cutters and keelboats.
“This collaboration with Sail to Shelter reflects a shared commitment to community engagement, creativity, and the educational value of connecting people to the water,” organizers said. “By combining hands-on art-making with boating knowledge, the event aims to make maritime learning approachable, memorable, and fun.”
“World Boating Day is a wonderful opportunity to inspire curiosity and creativity in young visitors,” said Dean Noble, SBMM executive director.
“We are delighted to partner with Sail to Shelter on an activity that invites families to build, learn, and celebrate the boating spirit of Santa Barbara Harbor,” Noble said.
World Boating Day, an initiative by the Superyacht Life Foundation, was created to bring stories about the boating industry to a wider audience.
World Boating Day is celebrated globally each year.
“The global, nonprofit initiative invites marinas, shipyards, brands, training centers, and other boating companies to open their doors and offer the public a behind-the-scenes look at the people, skills, and innovation shaping the world of leisure boating,” SBMM said.
Sail to Shelter works at the intersection of sustainability, sailing, and community impact. Founded to address the growing volume of high-performance sails entering the waste stream, the organization partners with sailing programs, race events, and industry leaders to intercept retired sails and transform them into purposeful, durable goods.
From bags and gear to shade structures and emergency shelter solutions, Sail to Shelter extends the life of these technically advanced materials while reducing landfill waste.
Through local manufacturing and collaborative partnerships, the organization also supports community-based initiatives and creates opportunities for meaningful reuse.