We build the “Go” in the Great Commission!

Mission Navigation

We are a non-profit Christian ministry that custom builds rugged, safe work-boats for third world missions.
We are based in Eastern North Carolina, near Morehead City.
We are inter-denominational in nature and serve cooperatively with the whole body of Christ.
We are happy to include youth, family, and church groups in the building process.
It is our desire that the labor of our hands will bring relief to the afflicted and Eternal Light to those living in spiritual darkness, for the glory of God through Jesus Christ our Savior..

Why build boats for missionaries?

In many underdeveloped countries there are isolated coastal communities of impoverished people. Missionaries can carry help and hope to those communities via boat which is often the only practical way to reach them. It costs as little as 11 cents/ton/mile to transport cargo by boat! 

How much does Mission Navigation charge for the boats?

Nothing. We partner with a mission and raise funds just like every other non-profit organization. Churches and individuals contribute financially. People volunteer to help build. And when the boat is completed, ownership is transfered to the mission serving in the third-world country. It is their tool to work with.

Why not just buy a boat and send it?

The service needs in third-world countries are vastly different than the US boating market. In those places there is no safety network and no help for distressed vessels. We design and build safety, seaworthiness, and durability into the boats. In this we honor the Lord.

 

Boat Geek 101

What is "cold-molded" construction?

Cold-molded construction is the process of laminating multiple layers of thin plywood, in a criss-cross pattern, over a mold. The structure is then sheathed in fiberglass saturated in epoxy resin. It is magnificently tough!

Features of cold-molded construction include:

  • readily customizable
  • up to 20X stronger than "fiberglass" construction
  • pound for pound is stronger than steel
  • incredibly durable
  • has a very long life expectancy
  • is easily repaired or modified in the field
  • is used by many custom boat and high-end yacht builders (for these and many other reasons)


What do all those funny acronyms and boat speak stand for?

  • LOA = Length Over ALL
  • LWL = Loaded Water Line Length (important in calculating performance)
  • Displacement = weight
  • Beam = widest width
  • Beam WL = beam at waterline (also important in calculating performance)
  • Draft = depth a vessel will sit in the water
  • 1 cubic foot of sea water contains about 8 gallons and weighs 64 pounds.  Thus: every 64 pounds of a boat's weight displaces 1 cubic foot of water.  This is how the "displacement" of a boat is calculated and the "draft" is determined.