Flames Unite

Columbia City Elementary (USA), Kanehama Elementary (Japan), & Columbia River Maritime Museum (OR, USA)

Updates:

1st Voyage

UPDATE JANUARY 27, 2025: FLAMES UNITE MINIBOAT RECOVERED IN THE PHILIPPINES! Scroll to bottom of page to read more!

S/V FLAMES UNITE was built over the 2021-2022 school year by Mrs. Lewis’ and Mr. Ray’s 5th grade class at Columbia City Elementary. Special thanks to the Northwest STEM Hub for their support and making this program possible at Columbia City.

CRMM Miniboat Hull #033 was officially christened S/V FLAMES UNITE at a ceremony in the school courtyard on May 23, 2022.

  • March - April, 2022: Otter Crew Progress

  • May 23, 2022 - Christening of the Flames Unite

  • June 12, 2022 - Launched by NYK Line M/V Plumeria Leader

    June 9, 2022, Portland OR USA – Master of M/V Plumeria Leader received 5 miniboats from Nate Sandel of CRMM together with James Tully of NYK Line. This LNG powered PCTC (Pure Car and Truck Carrier) will launch each miniboat at the locations requested by the Quartermasters of each crew. A huge thank you to Captain Suzuki, James Tully, and everyone at NYK Line.

        

    June 11:

    June 12, 2022

    Four miniboats were launched on June 12 in the North Pacific Ocean about 400 Nmi off the Coast of US by Officers/Crew of M/V Plumeria Leader (7KKS) – DONUT EXPRESS, BOAT TO FREEDOM, WILD-LIFE, and FLAMES UNITE:

    Position: Lat= 45-06.6N / Long= 134-04.2W

  • July 2022: In the News

    Flames Unite: Student-built miniboat heading to Japan by Jeremy C. Ruark, Jul 29, 2022 Updated Sep 15, 2022

     

  • January 26, 2025 - Recovered in the Philippines!

    On January 26, 2025, CRMM got a message that S/V Flames Unite was found in Philippines Mindanao Socorro Surigao City by fishermen. This vessel was built by Columbia City Elementary, launched in June of 2022 with its last report on February 7, 2023. From the images the hull, deck, and keel are present as well as a sealed cargo hold!

 

The Columbia River Maritime Museum Miniboat Program provides a global, multidisciplinary STEAM learning experience for 5th- to 7th-grade classes in the Pacific Northwest and Japan by empowering them to cooperatively design, build, launch, and track seaworthy GPS-equipped boats on a journey across the Pacific Ocean. The program was developed in partnership with the Consular Office of Japan in Portland and Educational Passages and is supported by Pacific Power, Northwest Stem Hub, West Marine BlueFuture Fund®, the U.S. Coast Guard, and many others.