Updates:
1st Voyage
March 17, 2025 Christening Ceremony
Sunset Sailor is a miniboat built by students of Mr. Miller’s 5th grade class at Pacific Ridge Elementary. The name was chosen because it matches the design of the sail. With the sun shining on its red deck and hull, Sunset Sailor was christened at Columbia River Maritime Museum on St. Patrick’s Day 2025, which we hope will provide this miniboat good luck!
The students delivered Sunset Sailor to the Columbia River Bar Pilots boat Astoria. Thanks to Columbia River Bar Pilot Michael Tolley, the students got to take a boat tour too.
We are awaiting favorable weather conditions, easterly wind, outgoing tide, and swift current to take the Sunset Sailor into the Pacific Ocean from the deployment location of 5 miles beyond the mouth of the Columbia River.
Check out their social post:
May 4, 2025 – Launched!
The Sunset Sailor Set Sail at 19:55, May 4, 2025 (Local Pacific Time)
CR Buoy bearing 080 at 10 miles
46-09.15 N
124-25.58 W
May 5, 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE from Columbia River Maritime Museum:
Welcome to Columbia River Maritime Museum miniboat fleet S/V Sunset Sailor!
Boat Educator, Olive DelSol guided another classroom through ten weeks of directed in-
classroom instruction, completed a christening ceremony, and delivered S/V Sunset Sailor
to the deployers. One of Pacific Ridge Elementary Schools 5 grade classrooms was the
winter host classroom for DelSol to teach about the Pacific Ocean, assemble the miniboat,
and perform numerous experiments. The students were joined by Seaside Superintendent,
Seaside Mayor, family, friends, and museum staff in celebrating their accomplishments.
During the ceremony, one group of students engaged the attendees in a sing along to
summarize the process:
Build the boat, build, build, the boat
Sand the boat, sand, sand the boat
Paint the boat, paint, paint the boat
Show the boat
Sail the boat, sail, sail the boat
Immediately after the ceremony the students and attendees escorted S/V Sunset Sailor to
Pilot Boat Astoria. They were able to tour the vessel with Bar Pilot Michael Tolley. The
Columbia River Bar Pilots launched S/V Sunset Sailor on Sunday, May 4 , 2025 during
favorable winds. Just before 8:00 PM, at 46 degrees North and 124 degrees West, Sunset
Sailor was gracefully launched into the Pacific Ocean just ten miles from the CR Buoy.
These uncrewed miniboats are equipped with GPS trackers that anyone can access and
follow on their journey. Tracking of S/V Sunset Sailor will be updated on Educational
Passages website. The Columbia River Maritime Museum Miniboat Program is in
partnership with Educational Passages.
Contact Information:
Katy Menne, Education Director | Menne(at)crmm(dot)org | 503.741.7056
Olive DelSol, Boat Educator | DelSol(at)crmm(dot)org | 503.791.8665
May 12, 2025 – LANDED!
One week after launch, M/B Sunset Sailor landed at Rainbow Rock, OREGON, U.S.A.
May 14, 2025 – Repairs!
Columbia River Maritime Museum’s Boat Educator, Olive DelSol, has successfully recovered the miniboat from Brookings, OR. U.S.A and took it to Kalamiopsis School for educational outreach.
Sunset Sailor is now at Hatfield Marine Science Center for repairs to the mast and mast step before they relaunch it on a trip later this year.
Stay tuned as Sunset Sailor undergoes necessary repairs before a relaunch!
