2026 Speakers’ Series

Friday, June 27

Friday, June 26, 12:30 p.m.

Albert Pollard

Chesapeake Sculling Revived

In 2025, Albert Pollard made a resolution to teach himself to scull in the manner of the old-timers on Chesapeake Bay. What he learned is that this method of wagging a paddle across the stern is, essentially, undocumented and appears to be unique in the world. Join him as he battles winds, waves, and museum curators to uncover the history, method, and evolution of sculling without an oarlock. The talk will be followed by an outdoor demonstration of the technique and tips for best results.

Friday, June 26, 2:30 p.m.

Shannon McKenzie

Resilience Planning for the Coastal Museum

Mystic Seaport Museum faces a challenge shared by coastal communities across the country and around the world: rising seas and increasing flooding risk. Building upon years of green initiatives, the museum is taking a comprehensive, campus-wide approach to long-term climate adaptation across its historic waterfront. Shannon, the museum’s vice president for watercraft operations, will describe the campuswide master plan addressing the challenge of living alongside the water with tidal flooding and continuing to improve the visitor experience.

Saturday, June 28

Saturday, June 27, 10:30 a.m.

David Sianez

Constructing a Solo Whitewater Dory

David Sianez, who teaches boat construction at Central Connecticut State University, will discuss design and construction techniques presented in his new book, Constructing a Solo Whitewater Dory. These specialized boats must shed large volumes of water, maintain watertight storage capacity for gear and food even when rolled over, and adeptly maneuver in powerful whitewater rivers. The step-by-step construction narrative, with ample color photos accompanying the text, is intended for first-time builders, and he’ll describe the techniques used for these plywood-epoxy boats, one of which is on exhibit in the “I Built It Myself” section of this year’s WoodenBoat Show.

Saturday, June 27, 12:30 p.m.

The State of Boatbuilding Education in America

Juan Pablo Sarmiento Torres

The Teaching With Small Boats Alliance connects organizations across the United States that use boatbuilding as a tool for education, youth development, and workforce readiness. In this talk, subtitled “Building More Than Boats,” TWSBA’s Executive Director Juan Pablo Sarmiento Torres will share where the field stands today, drawing on TWSBA’s Boatbuilding Educators Fellowship, its national Boatbuilding Certification, and its annual conference bringing practitioners together to advance the work. Before joining TWSBA, JP led the sailing program at Rocking the Boat in the Bronx, New York, and spent a decade in documentary filmmaking and advertising. Originally from Colombia, he brings to this work a deep commitment to experiential learning and expanding who gets to belong in the maritime world.

Saturday, June 27, 2:30 p.m.

VIOLET — A Love Story

Kristi and Gary Maynard

The wooden boat at the heart of Kristi and Gary Maynard’s story about life, love, and family was worth saving—twice. Gary started sailing round the world as a kid aboard the Spray replica SCUD out of Noank, Connecticut, and Kristi raced around yacht club buoys in Vineyard Haven. They met aboard the schooner SHENANDOAH and 35 years ago went on to rebuild VIOLET, a Scottish Zulu fishing boat then 80 years old. They raised a family aboard, chartered, rebuilt other vintage boats, and then cruised VIOLET as far as the South Pacific and Alaska. After selling the boat, they watched from afar for 12 years as she slowly deteriorated and nearly sank. The boat was 115 years old when they decided to rescue her again, concluding her second major rebuild over the winter of 2025–26.