For Every Sailor, For Every Story, For 80 Years

Help us raise $80,000 by December 31 to kick off our 80th year strong!

 
As Community Boating, Inc. (CBI) approaches its 80th anniversary in 2026, we are setting sail on a new chapter, honoring eight decades of “sailing for all” while preparing for the next generation of sailors on the Charles.

We are inviting the entire CBI community, members, alumni, families, and friends, to join us in launching the 80th Anniversary Kickoff Campaign.

Our goal is to raise $80,000 by December 31, 2025 to strengthen the programs, fleet, and community access that make CBI a place where everyone can belong on the water.

Your gift will:

• Keep our fleet safe, strong, and ready for another great season.
• Expand access so more youth and adults can experience the joy of sailing.
• Support the instructors, staff, and programs that bring our mission to life.

This is not just a fundraising goal. It is a celebration of who we are. For 80 years, Community Boating has been more than a sailing center. We have been a Boston tradition, a public space, and a place where people from every walk of life come together on the river we all share.

Join us as we celebrate our past and chart a course toward our future.
Together, we can make sure the next 80 years of “sailing for all” are stronger than ever.
 

CBI in the Media

Sea History article: “Sailing for All: Joe Lee and America’s First Public Sailing Program”
Journal for Adaptive Sports, Palaestra: Universal Access Program Feature
7 News BostonMass Appeal: Sailing Lessons on the Charles River
Boston Business Journal: Partners of the Year – EF, CBI making boating accessible to all
NBC10: Anyone Can Learn to Sail on the Charles River
WBZ CBS Boston: Sailing Program Helps Change Lives in Boston and Do your Job | Community Boating
WCVB 5: Veterans take to the Charles to help them heal
Explore New England TV: Three Cheers for the Charles – CBI is featured at the ~20 minute mark
Boston Magazine: Setting Sail on the Charles with Community Boating, Inc. in Its 75th Year

Sailing Down Memory Lane

As we sail toward our 80th anniversary, we’re collecting memories, moments, and milestones from our community. Whether you learned to sail here, made lifelong friends, or found peace on the Charles, we’d love to hear your story. Click here to share.

“CBI really has expanded my daughter’s leadership skills and opened her mind to opportunities that many kids don’t get involved in or think about. Sailing is such a passion for her and I know it will transcend through college and into her adulthood.” – Junior Program parent>

“CBI offers far more than sailing to someone who is struggling. For me it makes dark clouds go away every time. For someone like myself with a rather serious illness, CBI reframes dark thoughts to bright sunshiny days, no matter what the weather. CBI offers magical gifts no doctor alone can provide!” – Universal Access Program member

“CBI is accessible, affordable, and tailored to teaching. Until I joined, I had no experience sailing; at the end of this season – my first season – I’m confident on the water.”
Adult Program Program member