From The Olympian, a Sea Scout Ship that needs help. Original post here. -KH
For 25 years, Tacoma’s tall ship — the Odyssey — has paid its own way.
Every summer, the Tacoma Sea Scouts charter the 90-foot-long yacht to other Scout groups around the country for eight weeklong San Juan Island cruises.
Money made from the trips — plus weekend and single-day charters — has pretty much covered the unrelenting costs of maintaining the 1938 wooden sailboat.
This year, however, the Odyssey is stuck at its dock on the Thea Foss Waterway, scuttled by a pair of back-to-back emergencies. In December, heavy winds destroyed the yacht’s 1,872 square-foot mainsail. Less than a week later, its World War II-era diesel engine died.
That’s put the Sea Scouts in a hole that soon could get deeper. If they don’t get the Odyssey in shape fast, they’ll miss income from this summer’s cruising season, which is critical to maintaining the nationally recognized youth program. Read on. . .
To help the Odyssey Campaign, call the Youth Marine Foundation, Malcolm Russell or Bud Bronson at 253-572-2666.
Rob Carson: 253-597-8693 rob.carson@thenewstribune.com
