Piers Park Sailing Center
Piers Park Sailing Center is a 501(c)(3) community sailing nonprofit founded in 1998 in East Boston, delivering adaptive and youth sailing instruction, marine science education, and recreational boating access on Boston Harbor to youth, adults, veterans, and people with disabilities.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersEast Boston, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Piers Park Sailing Center does
Piers Park Sailing Center (PPSC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit founded in 1998 and based at 95 Marginal Street in East Boston, Massachusetts, where it operates on Massport-owned Piers Park waterfront with fully ADA-accessible facilities. Its core business is community sailing instruction and marine science education delivered through a fleet of 23-foot Sonar keelboats and kayaks equipped with adaptive hardware (custom seating, lifts, ramps, modified controls) for participants with disabilities. The organization runs four youth programs (Harbor Explorers for ages 6-9, Science of Sailing for ages 10-22, Sailing After School for ages 9-13, and a Teen Training Blue/Green Jobs program that employs 140 teens annually) and serves adults through Learn to Sail classes ($799), Sailing Passes ($849/season), Monthly Sailing Passes ($199/month), Hardy Sailor Season Passes ($549), Kayak Passes ($199), Harbor Cruises ($99-$199), and Corporate/Group Sailing at $50/person/hour, with adaptive and veteran programming offered at subsidized rates.
PPSC's revenue mechanics are a hybrid of program fees, sliding-scale tuition subsidized by foundation grants (Massport/East Boston Foundation provide $150 East Boston resident discount; Peabody Foundation funds free tuition for students with physical disabilities; Cummings Foundation provides general support), donations, and corporate group bookings. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via an e-commerce website with online reservations and a youth enrollment portal, with corporate and group sales handled by email inquiry. The organization is one of fewer than 10 US Sailing-accredited Adaptive Sailing Centers nationally and holds a US Sailing Best Community Program for Disabled Sailors award and a GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency.
Annual impact metrics include over 3,000 children served, 1,100 youth taught to sail, 300 persons with disabilities skippering a boat on Boston Harbor, and 150+ veterans in therapeutic sailing, with over 2,800 people with disabilities served since program inception. The center employs 11-50 staff and benefits from a distinctive talent pipeline in which 100% of the current leadership team (Executive Director Alex DeFronzo, Education Director Omar Sahrour, Director Sophia Gomez, Program Director Erick Morales, Bookkeeper Catherine Domina) grew up in PPSC programs, providing operational continuity and community trust.
Piers Park Sailing Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Piers Park Sailing Center
- Legal name
- Piers Park Sailing Center, Inc.
- Website
- https://piersparksailing.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Piers Park Sailing Center is a 501(c)(3) community sailing nonprofit founded in 1998 in East Boston, delivering adaptive and youth sailing instruction, marine science education, and recreational boating access on Boston Harbor to youth, adults, veterans, and people with disabilities.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Piers Park Sailing Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Sailing Education & Waterfront Recreation
- NAICS
- Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Marinas (713930)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bareboat Yacht Charters (Self-Skippered) (THAEAEAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Sailing Cruises (Windjammers & Tall Ships) (THAEADAB), Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)
Keywords
Where Piers Park Sailing Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- East Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Piers Park Sailing Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Youth Programs: Revenue from youth sailing programs including Harbor Explorers, Science of Sailing, Sailing After School, and Teen Training Program. Pricing is sliding scale based on family income (max $450/week). East Boston residents receive $150 discount; students with disabilities receive free tuition.
- Adult Sailing Classes: Learn to Sail course at $799 for adults 21+. Includes 16-20 hours of instruction over multiple days. Optional US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification for additional $99 testing fee.
- Sailing Passes: Seasonal Sailing Pass at $849 for all-season access to the 23-foot Sonar fleet from May-October. Monthly Sailing Pass at $199/month plus $99 sign-up fee. Hardy Sailor Season Pass at $549 for winter season (November-April). Household add-on available for $249.
- Kayak Pass: Kayak Pass at $199 for unlimited kayak access for the 2026 season. Includes all kayaking equipment and safety gear.
- Harbor Cruises: Harbor cruise experiences at $99-$199 per group (max 6 participants), offering scenic tours of Boston Harbor with experienced skippers.
- Corporate/Group Sailing: Group sailing experiences at $50 per person per hour. Ideal for corporate teams, nonprofits, schools, and community groups. Accommodates 2-42 participants.
- Adaptive Sailing Programs: 'Give it a Try' sessions for adults with spinal cord injury at $49. Learn to Sail and Sailing Pass available at 50% off regular pricing for adults with disabilities.
- Donations and Grants: 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on donations, foundation support, and sponsorship to fund programs and keep them accessible. Accepts boat and equipment donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Learn to Sail - 16-20 hours of instruction over 4 days |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Learn to Sail + Sailing Pass Bundle |
| Subscription | Annual | Sailing Pass - Full Season Access |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Sailing Pass - Flexible Access |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Hardy Sailor Season Pass - Winter Access |
| Subscription | Annual | Kayak Pass - Unlimited Kayak Access |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Harbor Cruise |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Corporate/Group Sailing |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Youth Programs - Sliding Scale |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Adaptive Sailing - Give It a Try |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Piers Park Sailing Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Piers Park Sailing Center runs an accessible community sailing operation on Boston Harbor from East Boston, providing youth marine science and sailing programs (Harbor Explorers, Science of Sailing, Sailing After School, Teen Training Program), adult sailing instruction (Learn to Sail) with optional US Sailing certification, seasonal and monthly passes for independent use of a 23-foot Sonar keelboat fleet and kayaks, and adaptive sailing programs for people with disabilities. It also sells harbor cruises and corporate/group sailing experiences and accepts donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Product overview
Piers Park Sailing Center operates as a community sailing organization offering a portfolio of programs and passes centered on Boston Harbor access. The core offerings include youth development programs (Harbor Explorers, Science of Sailing, Sailing After School, Teen Training Program) that build sailing skills and marine science knowledge, and adult sailing education (Learn to Sail). Access to the water is enabled through various passes: Sailing Pass and Monthly Sailing Pass for independent sonar keelboat sailing, Hardy Sailor Season Pass for winter sailing, and Kayak Pass for kayak access. Additional experiences include Harbor Cruises for scenic harbor tours and Corporate/Group Sailing for team-building. The organization is recognized for its accessibility focus, maintaining adaptive sailing equipment and accredited status as a US Sailing Adaptive Sailing Center.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Harbor Explorers Hands-on marine ecology program for students ages 6-9 featuring sailing, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, crabbing, underwater cameras, local ecology and Boston Harbor learning. Operated on a sliding scale up to $450/week, with $150 East Boston resident discount and free tuition for students with physical disabilities.
- Science of Sailing
Quantifiable outcome
- Teach 1,100 youth how to sail every year
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Piers Park Sailing Center
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Piers Park Sailing Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Piers Park Sailing Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport)coreMassport operates the Piers Park waterfront property where PPSC is located. Participants must agree to terms releasing Massport from liability. Massport and East Boston Foundation provide $150 savings for East Boston resident families.
- GuideStar (Candid)minorGuideStar provides the Platinum Seal of Transparency for nonprofit organizations. PPSC's 990 filings and financial documents are provided through GuideStar.
- East Boston YMCAcorePartnership for teen recruitment - Omar Sahrour, Education Director, first joined Piers Park at age 8 through partnership with the East Boston YMCA. YMCA partnership helps reach local youth.
- World Ocean SchoolminorSteve Kirk, representing World Ocean School, serves as Chair of PPSC's Board of Directors, providing governance oversight.
- Bain CapitalminorWill Lerrick from Bain Capital serves as Treasurer on PPSC's Board of Directors, providing financial oversight expertise.
- US SailingcoreUS Sailing provides accreditation for PPSC as an Adaptive Sailing Center and administers Basic Keelboat Certification that PPSC students can earn. US Sailing awarded PPSC Best Community Program for Disabled Sailors.
- Wellesley College National Institute on Out-of-School TimeminorPPSC participates in Wellesley College NIOST's Assessment Observation Tool (APT-O) to drive effective progression in program development and measure youth program outcomes.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Piers Park Sailing Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Customer concentration
Piers Park Sailing Center social profiles
Digital presencePiers Park Sailing Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Piers Park Sailing Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Piers Park Sailing Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Piers Park Sailing Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Piers Park Sailing Center
What does Piers Park Sailing Center do?
Piers Park Sailing Center runs an accessible community sailing operation on Boston Harbor from East Boston, providing youth marine science and sailing programs (Harbor Explorers, Science of Sailing, Sailing After School, Teen Training Program), adult sailing instruction (Learn to Sail) with optional US Sailing certification, seasonal and monthly passes for independent use of a 23-foot Sonar keelboat fleet and kayaks, and adaptive sailing programs for people with disabilities. It also sells harbor cruises and corporate/group sailing experiences and accepts donations as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Is Piers Park Sailing Center a public or private company?
Piers Park Sailing Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Piers Park Sailing Center founded?
Piers Park Sailing Center was founded in 1998. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Piers Park Sailing Center based?
Piers Park Sailing Center is headquartered in East Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Piers Park Sailing Center make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Youth Programs are the primary driver. The others are adult Sailing Classes, sailing Passes, kayak Pass, harbor Cruises, corporate/Group Sailing, adaptive Sailing Programs and donations and Grants.
Does Piers Park Sailing Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Piers Park Sailing Center.
What industry is Piers Park Sailing Center in?
Piers Park Sailing Center's product category is Community Sailing Education & Waterfront Recreation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAEAEAB, Bareboat Yacht Charters (Self-Skippered), with a secondary code of THAEADAB, Luxury Sailing Cruises (Windjammers & Tall Ships). Its NAICS code is 4872 and its SIC code is 7997.