Armistad in debt.

[S.V. Airlie]

Rather lengthy article in todays local rag, re: Armistad is in debt.
Rather large headlines and a very long article. From the size of the font, one would think we are talking millions of bucks.
Well, turns out it's about 100,000.
Not that much for a wooden boat!
The organization expects to pay it off by the end of the summer after she returns to the US.

[PatCassidy]

Amistad is a flawed business plan. Just throwing good money after bad. The boats that "make money" do two or three three-hour sails a day. Nobody makes money "voyaging". Unless you call this a viable strategy: "Let's buy an old boat and sail it into the ground with virtually no maintenance and no budget for capital expenditures!" And then act surprised a few years later when the boat can't pass an annual Coast Guard inspection.

[sawcutmill]

Amistad ~ Is NOT an Old Boat.built less than 15 years ago.

[S.V. Airlie]

Amistad ~ Is NOT an Old Boat.built less than 15 years ago.

True.. know a few people who worked on her. Well, tangentally. Were not impressed with the work.. A lot of corners were cut from what I have been told..via the wooden boat rumor mill in Mystic.

[Gary Bergman]

Besides which, the captain is a pompous ass. In a televised broadcast in Chicago in which he was 'the spokesman for all the tallships', he made very salaicious comments regarding our transportation cross country to make the event. So I wish them all the bad luck they may encounter as laong as he captain's the ship and program. I stand on my remarks and still possess the DVD to back my statements...

[Gary Bergman]

We are speaking of 'tops'l schooner Amistad, of 'Amistad America Inc', correct??

[S.V. Airlie]

We are speaking of 'tops'l schooner Amistad, of 'Amistad America Inc', correct??

Suspect so.. Not sure of the 'official' name of the company..

[Mrleft8]

Where's Adams when you need him....?

[Paul Pless]

Besides which, the captain is a pompous ass. Come on Gary, don't hold back, let's hear it... what'd he say?

[S.V. Airlie]

Actually, about a week ago, I received an e-mail from the Armistad group wanting to put me on their 'buddy ' list. To do so, and to see pictures I had to join..blah..blah..blah..
Umm, I didn't as I saw some dollars going out/down/through a hole in my pocket.

[elf]

Amistad came to Vineyard Haven a couple years ago. First time I ever saw black people on a boat.

Hmm. Are we talking about race again?

Boats are holes in the water where you put your money. Give them a few bucks, Jamie. Don't be such a skinflint, fercrissakes.

[Gary Bergman]

I'll dig out the DVD, (I'll have to really dig, as it's not some of our 'favorite' stuff'), and let ya know...funny, we've never passed 'em at sea, for all their braggadosio..on either coast, the Great Lakes, or the Canadian Maritimes, much less the sounds, rivers, creeks, and bayou's we've covered...(it was something to the effect of us 'not really sailing')

[Paul Pless]

Amistad came to Vineyard Haven a couple years ago. First time I ever saw black people on a boat.

Hmm. Are we talking about race again?Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you live and play where there are no black people.

[PatCassidy]

Amistad was launched in 2000 so it's about to turn eight years old.

In 2001 I sailed of the Californian to Hawaii from Los Angeles. The trip to four days longer than anticipated. Hard to run any type of program with that type of uncertainty. They had no problem selling out the boat for the trip out - sail downwind to Hawaii. For the motorboat ride back they had to put a sign on the dock - $5 a day to cover food expense to motor-sail to California. Could be three or four weeks.

Who wants to fly to the Caribbean to sail to New England in the spring?

Too much downtime. Topmasts crack. Pumps burn out. Lines wear out. Dock space is expensive. For $100 a day you can go on a cruise ship, live in air conditioning and not wash your own dishes.

No wind - you don't move. Too much wind - you don't move. Or if you do - maybe your passengers get swept overboard. Sound familiar?

You can put 45 people on a boat for a day sail (and do three sails a day) that can only hold 20 people overnight. Overnight - now you need a licensed mate. And more paid crew. And a cook. And food. And storage space. Don't forget the engineer!

Dock space in the Caribbean - no problem - we'll anchor! What the outboard isn't working?

You can't run from storms at 6 knots under motor. Voyaging - too many variables that you can not control.

[Gary Bergman]

We found the DVD close to the bilge....During the PArade of Sail, a woman announcer was briefly desribing the fact that for this race series, Royaliste was dissassembled, and shipped to Cleveland in May..William Pinkney chimed in "Wimpy, wimpy, wimpy,wimps!..Why, I'd never do that!"..I'd like him to explain how he would tackle the contract situation with Amistad when you are contracted for a film on the PacificUntil May first, and have to be contractually available in Cleveland in 30 days.....Or, if he's ever unstepped,down-rigged-,and restepped four times in less than a week to do both the Erie and Champlain canals with events inbetween....And, as I stated, there really are no wimps sailing aboard Royaliste, and I'm sure we've many more sea miles than Amistad...anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but we only lay up in harbor for a few months a year, if that...

[Gary E]

we only lay up in harbor for a few months a year, if that...

Now THAT sounds like a slave ship !!

[Gary Bergman]

Aye, but aren't well ALL slaves to these wooden vessels??

[Gary E]

No,,, we all are not... but it seems you have made it that way on yours

[rbgarr]

Besides which, the captain is a pompous ass. In a televised broadcast in Chicago in which he was 'the spokesman for all the tallships', he made very salaicious comments regarding our transportation cross country to make the event.

You're probably thinking of a different word :D :

Salacious-

1 : arousing or appealing to sexual desire or imagination : lascivious (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lascivious)
2 : lecherous (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lecherous), lustful (http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lustful)

[Gary Bergman]

Actually, we enjoy the heck out of it, or we wouldn't do it!..All volunteer work, crew, sailing..pretty much the same hands, depending on the year's schedule. By slaves, I meant a realtionship of keeping up wooden boats in a basically non wooden boat world. My guess is you have never visited us, as most everyone is usually very happy and exuberant. (except when sanding bottom paint). Anyway, Amistad can have their troubles, as I can usually scrape up a few of my own to deal with. At least they have some kind of arrangement with the state, to even be in debt over.