Spirit Will Be ‘Less Active For Coming Year’
Spirit of Bermuda has received its safety certification however “due to financial constraints” it “will be less active for the coming year” and “if a clear and sustainable path cannot be found, then selling Spirit will likely have to be considered,” the Bermuda Sloop Foundation said today.
A spokesperson said, “After 10 weeks in Lunenburg Shipyard, Nova Scotia, Bermuda Sloop Foundation [BSF] is pleased to report that Spirit of Bermuda set sail for home yesterday. There were the usual yard delays and challenges, but Spirit has passed the American Bureau of Shipping’s 5-year inspection and received her important safety certification. This has been made possible by many generous donations from loyal supporters.
“As announced in late April, BSF is unable to continue its usual 5-day residential voyages during the current academic year [starting September/October 2024] due to financial constraints.
“Spirit’s operating environment [rising costs, increasing compliance, an aging ship, a much-changed donor/grant environment, etc.] has forced BSF to pause and review its offerings. The ABS certification, now successfully obtained, was a prerequisite for the most prudent way forward.
“Over the summer, BSF consulted with education stakeholders, and private schools confirmed their continuing interest in their students’ participation in the 5-day residential programme.
“The next step is to embark on a strategic redesign to explore alternatives for a sustained model to serve Bermuda’s youth. This process will be conducted in conjunction with a professionally led feasibility study addressing Bermuda’s appetite and ability to provide the necessary funding for future programmes on a secure and sustainable basis.
“BSF hopes to be back in the youth business by September 2025 [which coincides with the introduction of Signature Schools in public school reform]. In the meantime, there is much to consider and review, and new volunteers at all levels are required. BSF continues to believe an authentic public-private partnership [as happened in its early days] is likely the best way forward to save Spirit for future generations of Bermuda’s youth.
“Accordingly, Spirit will be less active for the coming year but professionally maintained as she awaits her next chapter.
“If a clear and sustainable path cannot be found, then selling Spirit will likely have to be considered. It is not realistic to continue to attempt to run an operation of BSF’s magnitude and complexity without adequate and secure sources of funding.”
Sad news
Hope things turn around.
When Bermuda receives funds from the global fund. They need to be proactive a d request consideration.
Support for the sloop should be found within the Education budget as it provides so much to so many as part of a child’s development. So many public school children taken out to learn self reliance and life skills paid for by donations. But no, moan and complain about bad behavior instead, and pay $2m a year for a gaming commission to sit and do nothing. Totally obscene.
IF PLAN “A” FAILS THERE IS ALWAYS PLAN. “B”.
I am not sure if our political leaders are very fond of sailing. electric cars may be !
Being an opinion a tri ~ masted schooner such as Spirit to be employed as a day trippper of that size of and calabure was bit much and little over over board for young people.
Other local sail and boat clubs could easily take up the option for their members and alternative by a sailing progran using the very popular Optimist Dinghy .
“Want to break a young person heart, just tell they the can’t go sailing “.
Similar yachts of the size of Spirit have been found to be popularity with an older fraternity in many other countries put negativity to one side .
Marketing always works . Just do it !
Alternately compedative porgrams using ‘ hands on Optimist Dinghy’ often seen in Hamilton harbour have been very successful over the years by teaching first hand and the art of sailing , as life with rules, boundaries and chalenges and the bitter sweet including a few disappointments along the way , was found with out doubt to be more suitable and rewarding.
I would encourage you to visit the Bermuda Sloop Foundation website to learn a bit more about what the Foundation do. They don’t provide sailing lessons. They provide the opportunity for middle school students to participate in five day experiential voyages (living and sailing on-board for the duration) around the Island which teaches them essential life skills which they may not learn elsewhere.
Here https://bermudasloop.org/
“Support for the sloop should be found within the Education budget”
Do you remember why community education courses were cancelled?
” We reep what we sow” !
It apears that they started out on the wrong foot , consequently our visitors lost the chance of a lifetime.
Sailboat are 90% work an 10 % fun or was it 90 % fun and 10 % work ?
Another broke thing from the great PLP. Run it in the ground it was started by the UBP. You get what you voted for.
SPIRIT
It appears that there is no clear plan financial or otherwise to deal with the concept of a sail boat designed to that which was pre conceived from an impractical copy cat idea of years gone by and from acceptable practical established ” Bermuda triangular rig ” triangular sail plan” ok for somewhat smaller boats yet unservisable at sea in a storm where large sail areas are deemed to be impractical for intended uses .
Was the hull and sail plan a design conceived by a group of armchair sailors?
The design concept of the unusually low forward section of the hull leaves me to assume the hull to be a “wet boat” being some what impractical in a heavy sea way .
In comparison a replica of the proven seaworthy a schooner. ” Bluenose” from many points of view may have been ideal as that particluar boat could also be serviced virtually at many boat yards .
As far as the economical viability of the boat, that can only be from public subscription and private owners investment , as a business not that practical during seasonal and hard times with other competing diversions.
With many volunteers that project may have worked.
” Digging for Gold need a very big shovel. ”
” Where do they go from here ? that could be on the minds of the owners”.
Bermuda unfortunately is in the hurricane belt finding safe harbour would always be somwhat challenging.
You seem to know very little of the history of Spirit of Bermuda.
History is about living in the past, that era is over.
All the people who live that way of life have pass on consequently this is where we find our selves to day with no water in the well .
Digging up old boned server no practicl purpouse ,leaving us to pick up the pieces and move on.
Going go back some 80 years ,our row boat we named ” Popeye” we used that to pull fish pots we also sold chickens eggs , you don’t have guess what we had for Sunday dinner and what we used to fertalizethe vegetable garden .
There was no time splitting hairs, wining or moaning or groaning and picking fights with our neighbours .
So my good friend M . Ringmaster do not lecture me on somebody elses History .
Since then ,there are many private business which failed to take a second guess and forcast the future , even to day they are many barely survivng on the edge, including many big ones have failed or just sold off.
Golden rule : – ” Never sell the farm”.
They can hardly expect the taxpayer to bail any of them out , if they did not catch the ball, so it fell to the ground ,or did they miss the wicket.
If we can not win a debate we can always change the subject or just move on .
“History is about living in the past, that era is over.”
That is one perspective. Another perspective might be that those who fail to learn from history are condemned to repeat it.
You lack a complete lack of understanding of what the sloop is and what it’s purpose is all about.
I doubt if you can tell the difference between the front and back end of a rowboat.
This Government can find millions to waste on vanity projects along with cricket and football teams that produce nothing but losses and excuses, yet can’t find a few hundred thousand for a boat that brings positive life forming experiences to hundreds of children.
Why?
Because anything to do with sailing of any kind is vigorously presented as a rich white mans sport and therefore should be presented in a negative manner not deserving Government support.
Pure racism. The PLP have no shame.