In Saint-Martin, boats were part of everyday life: fishing, carrying goods and connecting the island with its neighbours.
Saint-MartinHeritage Sailing
Maritime history
The sea as memory, livelihood and passage.
In Saint-Martin, traditional sailing was once carried by many boats from Grand Case and Sandy Ground. Today, only one Saint-Martin boat remains: preserving and rebuilding this local culture has become urgent.
Behind the sails
A story rooted in Saint-Martin.
Our story follows Saint-Martin’s boats and the people who built them, sailed them and waited for them ashore. From Marigot to Grand Case and Sandy Ground, it brings together working lives, sea journeys and crew pride. This local memory is what the association shares and hopes to bring back to life.
From Marigot, Saint-Martin islanders also sailed to work in the Dominican cane fields. The sea took them away, then brought them home to their families.
The passage home to Saint-Martin meant sailing against the wind. It took knowledge of the boat and trust in the crew, giving sailors stories to tell and skills to be proud of.
In Saint-Martin, Grand Case and Sandy Ground carried that passion forward, with boats and crews their neighbourhoods were proud of.
1Saint-Martin traditional boat remains today
Grand Case and Sandy Ground were long home to Saint-Martin’s traditional boats, crews and the families who supported them. Today, our priority is here: preserving the remaining boat, gathering memories, passing on skills and preparing for new boats and crews to sail in Saint-Martin.
The traditional boat
A boat comes alive with its crew.
Aboard an open boat, everyone has a part to play: keeping the balance, trimming the sail, feeling the wind. These skills are learned together and passed from one crew to the next.
Regional background: Nuttin Bafflin, a documentary about neighbouring Anguilla and the maritime links we share. It offers regional context; our stories aboard focus on Saint-Martin.
Saint-Martin Heritage Sailing
The rest of the story is best shared aboard.
Meet the crew, get to know the boat and sail with us for approximately two hours. Every outing supports the association’s mission.
Tradition does not survive by staying ashore. It lives when a new generation learns to take its place aboard.