Tall Ship Expeditions Canada

What Tall Ship Expeditions Canada does

Tall Ship Expeditions Canada (DBA of Brigantine Inc.) is a Kingston, Ontario-based registered Canadian charity (#106811052 RR0001) that has operated the 72-foot brigantine St. Lawrence II for roughly 70 years, delivering multi-day sail training voyages on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. The vessel carries up to 28 participants per voyage under professional crew instruction and serves youth (ages 12-17), adults, men aged 18+ through the Journeyman program, and Duke of Edinburgh Award participants. The organization also runs Ships-2-Shores (free programming for marginalized youth) and a free Youth Winter Leadership Program, extending impact beyond fee-paying cohorts.

Revenue mechanics blend fee-for-service program tuition ($750-$1,500 per participant on paid voyages; roughly $975 for Journeyman; $750 Adult) with a stated true-cost basis of approximately $350 per participant per day, implying substantial cross-subsidization. The charity supplements tuition through a tiered membership program (annual dues from $10 to $240), a small heritage merchandise line (Heritage Sweatshirt, Tee, Watch Cap, Garden Boxes), vessel-related sales offers, and donations/Ships-2-Shores bursaries. Multi-year partnerships with Davies Charitable Foundation, Sail Training International / RDV Legacy Fund (since 2017), AkzoNobel, Atkinson Home Hardware, Broad Reach Canada, and Canadian Tire Jumpstart provide institutional underwriting for both onboard programming and the free flagship initiatives.

The business model is mission-driven and capacity-constrained by a single 72-foot vessel, with growth dependent on programmatic diversification (winter leadership, marginalized-youty outreach), donor and grant cultivation, and recurring member/merchandise revenue. There is no disclosed AI/technology stack, no venture funding, and no headcount growth signal; operational scale is governed by physical asset capacity and seasonal sailing windows rather than software leverage.

Name

Tall Ship Expeditions Canada

Legal name

Brigantine Inc.

Website

https://tallshipexpeditions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tall Ship Expeditions Canada (Brigantine Inc.) is a Kingston, Ontario-based registered Canadian charity operating the 72-foot brigantine St. Lawrence II since 1953, delivering multi-day sail training programs for youth, adults, and marginalized participants on the Great Lakes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sail Training and Outdoor Adventure Education

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Sailing Cruises (Windjammers & Tall Ships) (THAEADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational Cruises & Shipboard Learning Programs (THAKAGAM), Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

Keywords

• Tall ship sailing
• Youth sailing camps
• Experiential outdoor education
• Adventure sailing programs
• Sail training expeditions

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Registration Fees: Revenue from youth sailing camps ($750-$1500), adult adventure sails ($750), Journeyman expeditions ($975), and Duke of Edinburgh Award journeys ($750-$1500). These are one-time fees for multi-day sailing experiences.
2. Donations: Charitable donations from individuals and organizations to support youth programming and universal access initiatives. Tax-deductible donations under registered charity status.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of branded merchandise including heritage sweatshirts ($75), t-shirts ($25), watch caps ($50), garden boxes ($30+), and membership packages.
4. Membership Program: Annual memberships ranging from $10-$240 with tiered benefits including access to meetups, sails, events, and merchandise discounts.
5. Boat Sales and Donations: Sale of donated boats and acceptance of boat donations. The organization also sells boats to support charitable programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tall Ship Expeditions Canada is a youth-focused registered charity that delivers multi-day experiential outdoor sailing programs aboard Canada's original tall ship, the St. Lawrence II. Its core offerings are youth sailing camps (ages 12-17), Ships-2-Shores (free community-service sailing for youth 13-18), Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze/Silver/Gold journeys, Journeyman: The Crossing (men's personal mastery program), adult adventure sails (18+), and a winter leadership program.

Product overview

Tall Ship Expeditions Canada is a youth-focused charitable organization operating Canada's original tall ship, the St. Lawrence II, as a platform for experiential outdoor adventure education. The core offering consists of sailing programs aboard the St. Lawrence II including Youth Sailing Programs (ages 12-17), Adult Adventure Sailing (18+), Ships-2-Shores (free youth program with Broad Reach Canada), Duke of Edinburgh Award Journeys (Bronze/Silver/Gold), and Journeyman: The Crossing (men's personal development program). Supporting programs include the Youth Winter Leadership & Skills Development Program and Sock Burner social events. The organization generates supplementary revenue through merchandise (Heritage Sweatshirts, Heritage Tees, hand-knit watch caps, garden boxes) and annual memberships with tiered benefits. The portfolio is unified by the tall ship as the central experiential platform, with programs tailored to different age groups and development outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Journeyman: The Crossing: Three-day experiential emotional growth program for men aboard the St. Lawrence II, focused on personal mastery and leadership.
• Ships-2-Shores
• Youth Winter Program

Products and services

• Youth Sailing Program (Ages 12-17) Immersive sailing voyages aboard the St. Lawrence II for youth ages 12-17, including 5-day and 12-day options on Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands. Fees range from $750 to $1,500 depending on voyage length; introduces sailing, navigation, ropework, and teamwork.
• Adventure Sailing for Adults (18+) 5-day adult sailing experience aboard the St. Lawrence II on Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands, including all meals and sailing instruction. Priced at $750 per participant.
• Ships-2-Shores Free cooperative program with Broad Reach Canada for youth ages 13-18, combining sailing expeditions aboard St. Lawrence II with 120 hours of community service; participants receive a completion certificate, a $25 gift, and gear.
• Duke of Edinburgh Award Journeys Bronze, Silver, and Gold Adventurous Journey sail training expeditions aboard St. Lawrence II that fulfill the Duke of Edinburgh Award requirement. Bronze/Silver pricing $750 (July 6-10); Gold pricing $1,500 (July 13-24) with Kingston-area resident discount to $1,250.
• Journeyman: The Crossing Three-day, two-night men's personal development program focused on emotional intelligence, nervous system regulation, and leadership through experiential outdoor adventure aboard St. Lawrence II. Priced at $975 all-inclusive.
• Youth Winter Leadership & Skills Development Program Free winter youth program focused on community building, leadership, and people-management skills. Graduates receive T.S.E.C. Level 2 Sailor and Leadership Certificates; donations welcomed and tax-receipted.
• Annual Membership Program Annual membership tiers (Regular $60, Supporting $120, Patron $240, Youth 13-17 $10, Youth 18-26 $20) with benefits including cards, merchandise, meetups, discounted sails and events.
• Branded Merchandise Heritage Sweatshirt ($75), Heritage Tee ($25), hand-knit Watch Cap ($50), and Garden Boxes (repurposed Swedish shipping crates, $30 per layer).
• Garden Boxes — Repurposed Swedish Shipping Crates Collapsible wooden shipping crate sections sourced from Swedish-made shipping materials and repurposed as raised garden beds or storage boxes; sold per layer starting at $30.
• Boat Donation Intake and Resale Service Accepts boat donations from Ontario, Quebec, and the Maritimes and resells donated boats to support charitable programming. Contact via [email protected] or 343-363-0772.
• Charitable Donations (F.A. MacLachlan Sailing Access Fund and General Fund) Tax-deductible charitable donations under registered charity status supporting youth programming and universal access initiatives. Suggested tiers $100-$2,000.

Quantifiable outcome

• Youth develop improved teamwork abilities and self-confidence through the program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AkzoNobel International PaintsminorOthersProvides paint supplies to help maintain the St. Lawrence II and keep the ship looking her best.
• Atkinson Home HardwareminorOthersSupports youth programming and positive community growth through donations and assistance.
• Broad Reach CanadacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperative partnership for the Ships2Shores program where youth develop knowledge, skills, and community projects through sailing. Broad Reach recruits participants and provides funding for free sailing experiences aboard St. Lawrence II. Youth receive certificate of completion and $25 gift plus gear.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Tall Ships Youth Trust: UK charity operating large sailing vessels for youth personal development voyages. Comparable business model: registered charity using tall ships to deliver multi-day character-building and team-building programs for young people aged 12-25.
• Jubilee Sailing Trust: UK charity operating tall ships for inclusive sail training, including disabled and disadvantaged youth and adults. Comparable model: nonprofit operating heritage sailing vessels for personal development voyages with subsidized access.
• South Street Seaport Museum: NYC maritime museum operating the tall ship Wavertree and Pioneer for public sail training and education programs. Comparable: heritage sailing vessels used as nonprofit platforms for experiential maritime education.
• Hudson River Sloop Clearwater: Historic 106-foot sloop operating as an environmental education and sail training platform on the Hudson River. Directly comparable: a heritage sailing vessel used as a nonprofit platform for youth experiential education and community environmental programs.
• Broad Reach Canada: Cooperative partner with TSEC on the Ships2Shores program; runs its own youth sail training and adventure education voyages in Atlantic Canada. Direct peer because both organizations deliver free or subsidized multi-day sailing expeditions for youth development.
• Oliver Hazard Perry (Rhode Island): Nonprofit operating a 200-foot three-masted tall ship in Rhode Island for youth sail training and STEM-at-sea education. Comparable: large sailing vessel platform delivering multi-day youth development voyages in a nonprofit model.
• S/V Denis Sullivan (Discovery World): Reconstructed 19th-century schooner operated by Discovery World in Milwaukee as a sail training and Great Lakes education platform. Directly comparable: tall ship used for youth/adult education voyages on the Great Lakes.

Regional players

• Ocean Youth Trust (UK): UK charity offering personal development voyages for young people aboard various sailing vessels. Comparable operating model but based in the UK, not North America, so a regional player rather than direct competitor to TSEC.

Broad incumbents

• Mystic Seaport Museum: Large maritime museum operating the 1841 whaleship Charles W. Morgan and other sailing vessels for public sail training and youth education. Broader incumbent: heritage sailing vessel operator with a much wider portfolio of programming and assets than TSEC.
• Sail Training International: International umbrella organization that funds and accredits sail training programs worldwide, including TSEC through the RDV Legacy Fund. Industry-level incumbent that supports rather than competes with TSEC.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tallshipsl2
• Facebookfacebook.com/stlawrence2

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tall Ship Expeditions Canada