With COI Achievement behind us, the pressure's off,, and yet it's not.

With the COI no longer hanging over us, the pace on deck this past Saturday seemed noticeably less frenetic. The weather was gorgeous! as it had been most of the week.  Five of us mustered aboard, and Bryan organized them into some simple housekeeping projects. Although winds were at that cusp to discourage bosuns chair projects aloft,  Volunteers leaned into a number of tasks.  Mark Held and Ken Fonville joined Bryan Oliver out in the head rig to harbor furl the jib, which had spent the last two weekends in an ugly pile up by the jibstay.  Walter Barton dragged up on deck all the fo'cstle settee cushions to smear mink oil generously into the leather. Tony Marchesani and new volunteer Gary Lasko teamed up to retrieve from the fore peak, a barely viable plastic bucket of vaseline, and  transfer it's contents to a new bucket with lid.    As volunteers concentrated in the saloon and focs'tle to consolidate hardware stowage and free up berths for possible occupancy, Bryan and Gary separated to a New Volunteer Orientation, getting him signed-in, and immediately started on his basic deckhand skills checklist, and a pet rope to adopt.            

There is still a sense of pressure

 The pressure is just more subtle and less focused but still there. The ship now has to demonstrate that she can generate revenue.   In my conversations this weekend with Captains and educators, and crewmen who actually crewed Spirit of South Carolina in the  years 2007-2014 - they've shared cautionary tales.  From their perspective it's never been that easy, especially here in South Carolina.  Still, there are tall ship programs out there, up this coast, and further west that appear to be surviving well enough. 

Situations vary.  Some are owned by an institution with deep pockets borne of long standing relationships with the their local community and well beyond. Other's have long standing programs with the same clients, which have become "cash cows" in a sort way. Others have state sponsorship. All have a semi to fully professional, though bare-bones staff. a shore party, dedicated to building sponsorships, and organizing revenue-generating events. That in itself requires it's own budget. 

 Finally, there exists a national umbrella organization, Tall Ships America, Inc. which plays an advocacy role, a network, and a collector of knowledge, best practices. 

I've spent my last several years, observing from the deck. It's not exactly a crows nest spot for observing what's going on. My impression, over past years, is that Spirit of South Carolina has not much tapped into those knowledge resources.  Given our track record since 2015, I hope that will change. 

Meanwhile, short term, there is a business plan of sorts taking shape, which will focus more on generating revenue as an attraction vessel and catered event space.  If you've been on board recently, you've noticed presence of a suite of smart-looking khaki sunbrella seat cushions, being arranged atop deck boxes and cabin tops.  

How much of that involves casting off and sailing remains to be seen.  How much of that will include an educational theme, essential to maintaining our 501(c)3 non-profit status, remains to be formulated. 

Regardless, Volunteer support will remain a bedrock to sustaining our schooner well beyond the near-term future.  Volunteers roles will likely extend beyond that of deckhand.  We'll be living in interesting times.  Stay tuned.