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For a contemporary urban boat culture inspired by traditional seafaring practices.

Break the Anchor is an initiative that promotes contemporary urban boat culture inspired by traditional seafaring practices. It sees the potential for developing the relationship between sea and city.

The project believes that sailing, seamanship and boat building may have a richer urban cultural potential still to be developed and sometimes implanted in many cities. The material relates to a traditional and environmental concern, stating wood as 100% recyclable.

The headquarters of the initiative are to be based in the Western tip of Europe, in the Iberian Peninsula, Portugal. The Portuguese were once notable explorers of the sea and able boat builders. To “Break the Anchor” means to break with the current attitude towards a sea culture and face both sea and contemporary city as an opportunity together.

  • 2016
    School / Apprenticeship

    Acquisition of boat building Knowledge at the Apprentishop, the oldest traditional boatbuilding school in the US.

  • 2020
    Build the Canoa da Picada

    Building and sailing a traditional Portuguese sardine carrier.

  • 2023
    Fanzine

    First issue of an ongoing publication on urban water top culture.

  • 2025
    Across the Atlantic

    The canoa da Picada will transport seafaring skill and the Maine culture across the Atlantic, bringing traditional boatbuilding back in Portugal.

  • 2025
    Export/Spread Urban Concept

    After implementing an apprentice school model on research for water top culture exploration in Portugal, Break the Anchor will enhance the urban concept in other locations around the globe.

  • 2026
    The Boat as a School

    Establishment of an Itinerant Atlantic Seafaring School // Escola itinerante de....

Support the project

The Break the Anchor CRL (non-profit) is raising funds for the big first step of the project: to build a traditional sailing sardine carrier, a Canoa da Picada. The supporters, a network of individuals and groups, companies, and visionaries will make it possible to build the vessel at the Apprenticeshop in Maine and cross the Atlantic in order to start an alternative educational program on the other side.

Budget

150.000 USD

Knowledge, training, shop space and living costs

27.500 USD

Materials and construction supervision

82.500 USD

Donate for the project

Bank Transfer

BREAK THE ANCHOR PARTIR A ANCORA CRL
IBAN: PT50 0007 0000 0036 9715 0162 3
SWIFT/BIC: BESCPTPL