by David Chapman
Staff Writer
A nautical project by the boys at Safe Harbor Boys Home is going full speed ahead, with their hope that by the end of the summer a fleet of hydroplanes will, too.
Hydroplanes are one-person powerboats that race at speeds of 25 mph. To get the full armada of racing vessels built in a timely manner, though, they are looking for sponsorships to help launch the project.
“We hope to get around 10 or 11 of them built,” said Cody, one of the teens at Safe Harbor. “They’re pretty fun to build.”
The project might be fun to the boys (whose last names have been omitted for safety reasons), but it demonstrates the skills they have learned at their stay at Safe Harbor.
“Originally, we wanted to give the boys something to do that they’d be proud of,” said Doug Smith, founder of Safe Harbor. “Racing is fun, cheap and affordable and it’s going to be a great time.”
Started in 1984, Safe Harbor is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that serves as a residential, educational and vocational facility to help at-risk and disadvantaged boys ages 15-17. Located on The St. Johns River, the home uses the waterfront and vessels as the educational and residential backdrop for the teens.
The boys live and work on donated military and civilian boats while learning practical maritime trade and vocational skills like carpentry, plumbing and welding. Minimum stay at the facility is one year, with many of the teens maturing and taking steady careers.
The program has taken in over 600 teens in its time and has a 95 percent success, according to Development Director Karen Hensel.
“They come in and they’re mad and angry, but we do make a difference in their lives,” said Hensel.
Cody, one of the teens who is heavily involved in the hydroplane project, said his first six months at Safe Harbor were a time of adjustment.
“I got used to the ups and downs,” he said. “But here, you really set what you can do for yourself, depending on the effort.”
Over time, he learned plumbing, welding, carpentry and engine mechanics and has already had numerous job offers as a welder.
For now, though, he has his daily routine that includes bible study, work, school and of course, the hydroplane construction.
“This is more fun to do,” he said.
Currently, Cody and the other boys are working on the construction of hydroplanes to race locally by the end of the summer and in sanctioned American Power Boat Association races by the fall. From engine rebuilding and Dyno testing to welding and construction of the crafts, they do it all.
The boys will complete the first of the vessels, a JaxPort-sponsored hydroplane, soon, said Cody. Construction started two months ago but the next boats shouldn’t take as long, he noted.
“It’s a learning process,” he said. “With the JaxPort one being the first, it took some time to get it all right but it should be done by Saturday.”
JaxPort (brand name of the Jacksonville Port Authority) was the first sponsor of the hydroplane project and has been an advocate for the organization for some time, leasing Safe Harbor the waterfront property for $1 a year.
“It illustrates our dedication to the community and our attempts to help turn these boys into successful citizens of the region,” said Nancy Rubin, JaxPort director of communications.
Hydroplane sponsorship costs $3,000, and the finished boats will include full decals and look “like any other racing boat” said Hensel. Other current sponsors who will be hitting the water with the boys include Seastar, Trailer Bridge and The Omni.
Upon completion of all the crafts, a race will be staged later this year between the participating sponsors with bragging rights and a trophy on the line.
“Without sponsors, we would do what we could to help them get built,” said Hensel. “We’d raise money, but we are hoping for sponsors.”
For more information on Safe Harbor Boys Home, sponsorship and donation opportunities, call Karen Hensel at 757-7918 or go to www.boyshome.com.