Sail and Life Training Society

The Sail and Life Training Society (SALTS), founded in 1974, is a non-profit Christian organization based in Victoria, British Columbia. SALTS provides sail training and life lessons for 1,700 young people each year on tall ships[2] and provides a valued link to the area's maritime heritage.[3] Currently, SALTS administrative offices are located on Herald Street in downtown Victoria, with a shop space located nearby in the Rock Bay area.

S.A.L.T.S. Sail and Life Training Society
Founded1974
FocusSail Training
Location
Area served
British Columbia
Key people
Loren Hagerty
Executive Director
David Eggert
Director of Development
Revenue
$3.3 million in 2012[1]
Websitehttp://www.salts.ca/

Programs

Young people ages 13–25 are given the experience of learning to sail a tall ship, which the organization describes as "life-changing."[2] In addition to learning a large set of sailing skills, they face fears (for example when climbing the rigging 115’ in the air on a moving ship) and learn teamwork, responsibility and interpersonal skills, which results in increased confidence.[2]> A bursary program is offered with help from other group partners, to make the program affordable to young people who are at risk, in low income households, or experiencing challenging life situations.[2][4]

In the spring and fall, 4- and 5-day group sails are made with school and community groups. Ship Point Wharf in Victoria, British Columbia is the start and end point to the trips that travel through the Gulf Islands.[2][5] 10-day summer sails circumnavigate Vancouver Island, sail along the central coast of British Columbia and the Great Bear Rainforest, and explore Haida Gwaii.[6]

In the past, offshore voyages to ports around the world were held, where youth participated in selected legs of the journey.[7] Due to new Canadian regulations for offshore vessels which the current tall ships do not meet, these trips are on hold until a new schooner is completed.[7] All progress on the New Schooner Project can be followed along on their website.

Group programs are offered with over 30 public and private schools,[8] university programs, and youth groups bringing 20 - 30 young people and their adult chaperones.[9]

Day sails are also made available to interested sailors of all ages.[10]

Fundraising

SALTS is a registered Canadian charity.[11] A large portion of program costs are funded through boat donations. SALTS arranges a third-party appraisal for the value of the tax receipt issued, and handles moorage, transportation and broker's fees.[12]

A major campaign is underway for the capital cost of a new 116' Pilot Schooner.[13] As of April 2019, approximately $3 million remains in the fund balance.[13]

Ships

SALTS Heritage Shipyard above and below Victoria's Johnson Street Bridge (Pacific Swift in port)

SALTS owns, maintains and operates two traditional[14] tall ships, Pacific Swift and Pacific Grace. Both were built by the Society in a shipyard at the former Coast Guard base on Victoria's Upper Harbour. A new 116' Pilot Schooner is being custom designed, and as of April 2019, approximately $3 million remains in the fund balance.[13]

Pacific Swift

The wood hull of Pacific Swift was built as a working exhibit at Expo 86 in Vancouver, British Columbia. She is based on the brigantine Swift of 1778. The society had built another brigantine, Spirit of Chemainus, in 1985. Pacific Swift has made four off-shore voyages, which have included visits to Expo 88 in Australia and Expo 92 in Seville, to the West Indies and to the remote communities of Easter Island and Pitcairn Island. Pacific Swift has a total sail area of 510 sq m and weighs 71.45 gross tons.[15]

Pacific Swift
Characteristics [16]
Sparred Length 111' or 34 m[15]
Overall Length 81'
Beam 20' 6"
Draught 10' 6"
Displacement 98 Tonnes
Rig Topsail Schooner
Accommodation 37 Berths
Coastal Complement 6 Crew, 30 Trainees
Offshore Complement 6 Crew, 21 Trainees

Pacific Grace

Pacific Grace was built at the S.A.L.T.S. Heritage Shipyard in Victoria, launched in October 1999 and commissioned in May 2001. Her total sail area is 740 sq m. and weighs a total of 94 gross tons.[15] She is based on the Grand Banks fishing schooner Robertson II, one of the last fishing vessels to have been built in Canada[17] which the society operated from 1974 to 1995. After two seasons of coastal sailing, she departed in September 2003 on her first offshore voyage: down the coast to Costa Rica, west to Galapagos and Pitcairn, and back through the Marquesas and the Hawaiian Islands. From June 2007 to June 2008, she made a longer voyage, to the South Pacific, calling at: Hawaii, Tahiti, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Guam, Okinawa, Shanghai, Osaka, Hawaii.

Pacific Grace
Characteristics [16]
Sparred Length 138' 7" or 42 m[15]
Overall Length 115'
Beam 22'
Draught 11' 6"
Displacement 175 Tonnes
Rig Gaff Schooner
Accommodation 38 Berths
Coastal Complement 5 Crew, 31 Trainees
Offshore Complement 6 Crew, 24 Trainees

Crew (2020)

Office and Shipyard Staff
Loren Hagerty Executive Director
Marita Atwood Finance Manager
David Eggert Director of Development
John Andrachuk Boat Sales Manager
Sam Vaale Operations Manager
Sherilyn Thomson Booking Manager
Tina Bergum Communications and Development Manager
Chris Barritt Shoreside Support Manager
Patrick Sharman Shop Foreman
Glynis Gittens Registration Coordinator
Ship's Crew [18]
Tony Anderson Master - Pacific Grace
Van Law First Mate - Pacific Grace
Gillian Trotter Watch Officer - Pacific Grace
Phoebe Sidwell Bosun - Pacific Grace
Gabby Barrett Cook - Pacific Grace
Tristan Hedley Master - Pacific Swift
Steve Atkinson First Mate - Pacific Swift
Cayla Wolever Watch Officer - Pacific Swift
Robin Scott Watch Officer - Pacific Swift
Brock McNeill Bosun - Pacific Swift
Trinda McNeill Cook - Pacific Swift

References

  1. "Financial Statements: Year Ended Dec. 31, 2012" Archived 2014-07-26 at the Wayback Machine, accessed July 20, 2014.
  2. "About SALTS", accessed July 20, 2014.
  3. "Educational Heritage Attractions", Victoria Heritage Attractions Information Directory, accessed July 20, 2014.
  4. For example, "S.A.L.T.S. - Tales from the Tall Ship", Big Brothers Big Sisters of Victoria and area, August 3, 2011.
  5. Account of one voyage: "Sail and Life Training on the tall ship Pacific Grace" Archived 2014-08-08 at the Wayback Machine, Aviva Shtull, Power to Be, June 5.
  6. "Summer trips", SALTS, accessed July 20, 2014.
  7. "Past Offshore Voyages", SALTS, accessed July 20, 2014.
  8. For example, "Experiences", Maple Ridge Christian School, accessed July 20, 2014; "Tall Ships 2014" Archived 2014-08-10 at the Wayback Machine, Handsworth Secondary, North Vancouver School District, accessed July 20, 2014; "Tall ship sailing expedition was awesome!", Kai, grade 7, Island Pacific School, Bowen Island.
  9. "Group Sailing Trips - The Ultimate Field Trip", SALTS, accessed July 20, 2014.
  10. "Day Sails for All Ages", SALTS, accessed July 20, 2014.
  11. "Make a donation", SALTS, accessed July 20, 2014.
  12. "Donate a boat", SALTS, accessed July 20, 2014.
  13. "New Schooner Project", SALTS, accessed July 20, 2014.
  14. Saracuse, Tara (2011). Island Kids. e-book: Brindle & Glass. ISBN 1897142439.
  15. Rowe, Nigel (2014). Tall Ships Today. London: Bloomsbury. p. 118. ISBN 9781472903488.
  16. SALTS official site
  17. Schauffelen, Otmar (2002). Great Sailing Ships of the World. NY: Hearst Books. p. 35. ISBN 1588163849.
  18. http://www.salts.ca/site/about-us/meet-the-crew.html SALTS crew list

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