Born and raised in the Finger Lakes, Liam Henrie first came to Clearwater as a weekly volunteer in the summer of 2015. In the years since, he has returned to us in various sailing and maintenance roles, between finishing college, traveling the world, and working on other boats, starting his first season as a Clearwater Captain last season.
Liam’s interest in traditional wooden boats began while volunteering at a maritime museum in Denmark during college. He learned about Clearwater during college through Cornell classmate Sarah Armour (now captain of the schooner Brilliant!) and found himself drawn to the mission and community of the sloop.
Liam enjoys having to be a jack of all trades and finds the role a constant motivation to improve and learn, with few dull moments, noting the unique combination of tides and currents, and the complexities of sailing on the Hudson River.
When asked about his favorite part of working at Clearwater, Liam reflected: “The strong sense of community and camaraderie among the crew, current and former, and the depth of community. It’s pretty incredible to have someone much older than me come up to us on the dock and say, “I remember sailing on this boat when I was a kid!” I’ve run into former students, volunteers, and crew all over the world, and it is always a pleasure.”
