ROCKLAND — The Maine sailing community is getting the next generation of sailors onto the water via Schooner Kids, a new program that partners teen sailors with historic windjammers.

The brainchild of Maine Boats, Homes and Harbors magazine publisher John K. Hanson Jr. and the Maine Windjammer Association, Schooner Kids will include up to 86 young sailors from SailMaine, Rockland Community Sailing and MDI Community Sailing for a daysail on Sunday, June 22 aboard the Rockland schooners American Eagle, with Capt. John Foss, and Isaac H. Evans, with Capt. Brenda Thomas.

Participants will enjoy a three-hour, hands-on sail that will introduce them to traditional sailing skills aboard the historic windjammers. The young sailors will be encouraged to actively participate in raising and lowering sails, steering, navigating, tying knots, etc.

"Capt. Brenda and I look forward to hosting these young sailors, strengthening their interest in traditional sail and hopefully inspiring some of them to consider a career in the windjammer industry," said Foss.

There is no cost to the participating students, as the entire experience has been sponsored by Maine Boats, Homed and Harbors and the Maine Windjammer Association.

According to Thomas, many of her crew members first started as apprentices in their early teens, literally "learning the ropes" and working their way up to deckhand and first mate positions over the course of a few years.

In addition to American Eagle and Isaac H. Evans, the Maine WIndjammer Association includes six vessels that offer three- to six-day cruises out of Rockland and Camden from May through October.

SailMaine is a nonprofit organization formed to support sailing in Maine at the community level. The mission of SailMaine is to provide affordable access to the water through community sailing and educational programming.

Rockland Community Sailing was designed to provide Rockland area youth and adults the opportunity to develop self-confidence and satisfaction while learning the timeless skills of the sailor and the sea.

MDI Community Sailing Center is an independent nonprofit organization located on Clark Point Road in Southwest Harbor. It offers maritime education and boating instruction to the general public of Mount Desert Island and surrounding coastal communities.