SALTS Receives $1M Yacht Donation
Jun 28, 2012
(News Release) VICTORIA — Local charity SALTS Sail and Life Training Society has received a donation of a 69-foot yacht recently appraised at $1 million. Florida-based businessman and philanthropist James C. Ray donated his sloop Tango which is moored in Sidney. SALTS is now seeking a buyer for the yacht so that the funds gained from the sale can be used to help construct a new 140-foot wooden schooner. The new tall ship will provide sail training to teens and young adults alongside the Society’s two existing tall ships. Ray's private foundation has also pledged an additional $250K towards the project to be given at a future date.
About James C. Ray
James C. Ray flew B-17s for the US Air Force in World War II and was active again in the Korean War. After his military service Ray established businesses as a rancher, oil and gas explorer, and real estate developer. He has logged more than 3,500 hours as pilot of his business jet. Ray has invested in more than 300 businesses and has donated millions of dollars to charities. In 2009, he received an honorary Doctor of Letters degree from the University of North Dakota. Ray received the 2012 Spirit Award from The Lindbergh Foundation on March 19, 2012.
About the Donated Yacht
The 69-foot sloop Tango was built in 1999 by Philbrooks Boatyard in Sidney. Click here for images and specs (see “69’ Philbrooks Pilothouse). Prospective buyers can contact Yacht Brokers Allan Mactier, CPYB at 250-213-8547 / 250-656-1138 or Greg Andrew, CPYB at 250-812-1489 / 250-656-1138.
About the New Schooner Capital Campaign
The $5 million new schooner campaign quietly began fundraising for major gifts in early 2011, and has so far received $3 million in cash, pledges, and donated boats. In addition to the $1 million yacht, other gifts to the campaign include $1 million from a family in Victoria who has had kids participate in the SALTS program, a $300K grant from a family foundation in Ontario, $150K from The Gwyn Morgan and Patricia Trottier Foundation, and $150K from the Shields family of Vancouver.
About the New Tall Ship SALTS will Build
The 140’ wooden schooner will be built in Victoria at a location yet to be determined, beginning as soon as the ship’s design is completed and approved by Transport Canada. This will be the fourth tall ship SALTS has built. A scale model of the hull was recently tested in a towing tank in England, and a scale model of the rigging was recently tested at a wind tunnel in Italy. Project details can be found here.
SALTS currently has 70 schools from BC and Alberta on waiting lists to sail, and the new ship is being built to meet that existing demand for the very popular youth development program for ages 13 – 25. Over 1,700 young people sail with SALTS annually, and the new ship will increase capacity to 2,550 annually. More information on SALTS and its programs is readily available at www.salts.ca