Support Our Field Research
Our “Lean Science” Model
We maximize your impact by starting with a solid foundation. Our founder has personally contributed the primary tools for our trade:
- $14,000 Research Vessel: A custom-rigged Whaly 380 (100% recyclable HDPE hull).
- $2,000 Innovation Fund: Dedicated to the R&D of our proprietary Mobile Sampling Unit.
The Result: We don’t spend your donations on boat leases or equipment rentals. 100% of your gift goes straight to the water.
The Founder’s Commitment
Before we asked for a single dollar of public support, we built the foundation ourselves. Our mission is powered by:
- The Fleet: A $14,000 Research Vessel (Whaly 380) donated by our founder.
- The Tech: A $2,000 R&D fund to build our proprietary Mobile Sampling Unit.
The “100% Promise”: Because our vessel is founder-owned and maintained, we have zero lease or rental overhead. 100% of your public donation goes directly to mission-critical fuel, lab supplies, and data analysis.
See Your Impact in Action:
- $25 covers the lab supplies for one benthic sample.
- $50 provides two hours of research-vessel fuel for estuary monitoring helping us reach the sensitive headwaters of local rivers* that larger vessels can’t access.
- $100 funds a full afternoon of water quality data collection and sensor calibration.
- $250 sponsors a “Deep Dive” mission to remote headwater sites.
| Waterway* | Regular Boat Challenge | Shallow Draft Benefit |
| Bellamy River (deep dive below) | Low bridge clearance and heavy siltation. | Ability to navigate the winding upper reaches. |
| Cocheco River | Narrow channel; “Upper Narrows” are risky for deep hulls. | Easier access to Dover docks regardless of tide. |
| Salmon Falls | Extremely shallow; fixed bridges with 5ft clearance. | Reachable only by very small, shallow-draft vessels. |
A Note for 2026 Donors: Under the current tax laws, even if you do not itemize your deductions, you may be eligible to deduct up to $1,000 ($2,000 for married couples) of cash donations “above the line.” Your support today helps us build the baseline data required to protect our waters for generations to come.
Bellamy in depth: Where the Silt Meets the Science
While deep-draft vessels are forced to stick to the narrow, dredged channels of the Piscataqua, HMS goes where the stressors live.
The winding, shallow reaches of the Bellamy River and the tidal narrows of the Cocheco are the front lines of our watershed. These “skinny water” environments act as the lungs and kidneys of the Great Bay, but they are also where nitrogen loading and anthropogenic waste first take hold.
Your ‘Fuel the Mission’ contribution doesn’t just sit in a slip. It powers our shallow-draft reconnaissance skiffs, allowing our Empowered Guardians to navigate the mudflats and silted bends that others can’t reach.
From mapping protein foam in the Cocheco to logging nutrient runoff in the Bellamy, we translate “sheesh” moments—those immediate observations of environmental distress—into high-utility data that protects the Seacoast from source to sea.
Fuel the Reconnaissance – Donate Now