Special to the Dorchester Banner/Dana McGrath New Volunteers are wanted for the Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester. An Orientation Session will be held Feb. 12 at 6 p.m. at the Dorchester Historical Society.

CAMBRIDGE — Interested in sailing on a Chesapeake Bay Skipjack or sharing our maritime history with visitors? The Skipjack Nathan of Dorchester and her crew are looking for volunteers to join them for the 2015 sailing season.

Owned and operated by the nonprofit Dorchester Skipjack Committee, Nathan provides its passengers with the opportunity to sail on an authentic Chesapeake Bay Skipjack, experience oyster dredging, learn about Chesapeake Bay ecology, and the days when the oyster was king of the Eastern Shore economy. The crew regularly sails from Long Wharf in Cambridge Saturdays and one Sunday a month from May through October taking the public on short cruises on the Choptank River and occasionally take longer trips to ports on the Chesapeake Bay. They welcome all kinds of volunteers, people who will work on the boat and off.

The Nathan is a U.S. Coast Guard registered passenger carrying vessel commanded by a licensed captain and is sailed by a thoroughly trained volunteer crew. Sailing a wooden sailing vessel like the Nathan, requires a certain level of physical fitness and sail crew volunteers must have time to commit to training and sailing schedule.

When not underway, the volunteers pitch in to maintain the boat and prepare for annual Coast Guard inspections. Volunteers interested in local history and bay ecology serve on board as docents, and those interested in sailing, train and serve as sail crew. Other volunteers register passengers, book charters and perform the many administrative and marketing tasks that enable Nathan to be underway 80 to 100 days during the season.

The crew is a small group and have volunteer opportunities for everyone. All volunteers undergo an extensive training program in their area of interest. A new volunteer orientation and information presentation will be held at 6 p.m. on Feb. 12 at the Dorchester Historical Society located off east Maryland Avenue on 1003 Greenway drive. Refreshments will be served.

For more information, please contact the Dorchester Skipjack Committee at 410-228-7141, or visit www.skipjack-nathan.org or e-mail info@skipjack-nathan.org.