A Place for Veterans to Volunteer, Learn, and Stand Together
The Benefits of Volunteering
Paviti Tern is seeking veteran volunteers who want to spend time around the water, learn new skills, work with their hands, and become part of a mission built around truth, purpose, and connection. You do not need to be an experienced sailor to get involved. If you are willing to learn, help, and show up with respect for the mission, there may be a place for you aboard or around the TERN.
Volunteering with Paviti Tern is not just about boat work. It is about giving veterans a place to gather, contribute, relax, learn, and reconnect with others who understand the value of service and teamwork.
Current Volunteer Opportunities
The current volunteer focus is to prepare the S/V PAVITI TERN for safe use on the water while beginning the process of training suitable veteran volunteers. Work will begin dockside and may later move toward sailing on Mount Hope Bay, Newport, Block Island, and nearby waters as the vessel and crew are ready.
Volunteers may help with simple dockside work, sailing preparation, basic maintenance, and hands on learning. Some volunteers may be interested in learning enough to assist aboard the vessel during future daysailing trips with other veterans.
Volunteer opportunities may include:
- Learning how to bend sails
- Learning halyards that raise and lower sails
- Learning sheets that control the sails
- General line handling
- Roller furler basics
- Tying dock lines properly
- Light painting and varnishing
- Basic navigation skills
- Boat handling basics
- Dockside organization and cleanup
- Helping prepare the TERN for daysailing
- Supporting future veteran sailing trips
Who Should Volunteer?
Paviti Tern is looking for veterans who want to be part of something steady, useful, and real. Some volunteers may be interested in sailing. Some may enjoy working with their hands. Some may simply want to spend time near the water with other veterans.
You do not need to have all the answers before reaching out. The first step is simply to let us know you are interested.
Good volunteer candidates may be:
- Veterans who want to learn sailing or seamanship
- Veterans who enjoy hands on work
- Veterans with mechanical, woodworking, painting, or maintenance skills
- Veterans who want to help other veterans
- Veterans who can volunteer for a few hours at a time
- Veterans who are dependable and willing to learn
- Veterans who may be interested in future crew training
Interested in Volunteering?
If you are a veteran interested in volunteering with Paviti Tern, please complete the form below. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, your skills, your availability, and what type of volunteer work interests you.
You do not need sailing experience to reach out. We are looking for dependable veterans who want to learn, help, and be part of the mission.