Kids could use your help...

[GIPPY]

Your chance to invest in a young persons life like no other. Take time and read the list and see what you might have to help. Please respond.

Exploradores Marinos (Sea Scouts) in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua, www.sailingnicaragua.com
Check it out and see what we are doing with the youth in the area. This is ALL donation work and for the benefit of the local youth program.

Some needs we have for training, handheld VHF's, Chartplotters (handheld or can mount), Handheld GPS that will show Central America, instruments to replace old "Data Marine" (1988 Ericson 34) speed & depth, wheelpilot for Raymarine.. the part that fits on the wheel I think the rest works.
Any Electronics (used that work or new), Navigation items, instruments, handheld compass,
Stainless/brass grommet's & pron twist & eyelet for canvas work & covers.
And the list goes on...

Anything you might want to offer please contact www.nicaralph@gmail.com , I will be in the USA until Oct. 23rd and can take items back with me. Or better yet you can bring them down with you when you come.

Please help these Kids with your boating/sailing items so they too can learn and enjoy the sport for life. Call 214 564-1406 or email only until October 22nd

Thanks,
Ralph Hewitt

 

[txjim]

Ralph, I agree with the need to support youth sailing around the globe. I work with my son's troop and other area Scouts quite a bit , lead a boat building project, teach the Small Boat Sailing badge, etc...

On the other hand...

Is a chartplotter and the other electronics you list really necessary for Sea Scouts? An Ericson 34? A wheelpilot? I see your area code is in the DFW area, I was under the impression that the local group at Grapevine had a number of smaller boats and maxed out with an M25. In my way of thinking, more smaller boats and teaching traditional skills is more in line with the Scouting objective and is a more attractive picture when requesting donations. In looking at your donation list, you are giving the impression that this is set up as a comfortable cruiser rather than a lean organization that is maximizing time at the tiller for a larger number of participants. I apologise if I have the wrong impression but the picture you present goes against what I believe I could support.

 

[GIPPY]

thanks for the response...?

Please go to the web site and see our program... www.sailingnicaragua.com, pull down the link windows on the left and read about what we do and look at pictures too.
My wife & I donated the boat for the use of the youth group.
Our program is NOT BSA, How ever since 1952 when I started sailing in Sea Scouts and earned my Quarter Master & Eagle (Presented by then president Eisenhower in 1956) I think I understand what scouting is all about... I started the 1st Sea Scout in the Dallas area in the mid 70's when my Kids where teen age. This was on Lake Ray Hubbard at Captians Cove and and called "Gray Owl" and is still going well. We held (late 70,s) the National SS sailing campion ships with ships from all over the USA.
We take turist as guest day sailing to help support our program. For over 5 years it is still very upside down $$$. but being one of our "give back programs" I thought maybe some of the good folks on this list might just want to get involved in helping. These youth are NOT supported by any other means. The organization is fully self operated and NO funding from anyone.

The type of sailing and teaching we do in Nicaragua is so much differant than any thing done in the USA.
We are dealing with very poor Kids and teach much more than boating or sailing... Life skills that we take for granted just growing up in the US is where we start. They would never learn these things or have a chance to be exposed to them if it were not for this type of program. Need to walk in their sandles. We sponser English classes, computer skills, work habits, interacting with guest.

Yes, the basics are tought, but this is ocean sailing (no north Texas Lakes) and they need to learn how to use the tools of today not just how it was done by the ships of old before the age of electronics. We can not be expected to teach the how to of anything on a "Model A" does your car have Electronics? Would you trust it to a pre War 2 person to know how to drive or work on it. I do not think so. If you want to see bare bones type... come take a look. Most have dirt floors and NO Electronics in their home... Enjoy the trill of really giving back with NO tax write offs just do it from the heart.

We invite you and anyone to come down and enjoy meeting and sailing with us and learn first hand what is happening in the lives of the Kids in a fast growing country with happy people and wonderful good weather year a round for sailing. Bring your Scouts & Kids to interact and learn something too. Thanks for reading, hope you understand.

Hope to see you soon,
Ralph

Ralph, I agree with the need to support youth sailing around the globe. I work with my son's troop and other area Scouts quite a bit , lead a boat building project, teach the Small Boat Sailing badge, etc...

On the other hand...

Is a chartplotter and the other electronics you list really necessary for Sea Scouts? An Ericson 34? A wheelpilot? I see your area code is in the DFW area, I was under the impression that the local group at Grapevine had a number of smaller boats and maxed out with an M25. In my way of thinking, more smaller boats and teaching traditional skills is more in line with the Scouting objective and is a more attractive picture when requesting donations. In looking at your donation list, you are giving the impression that this is set up as a comfortable cruiser rather than a lean organization that is maximizing time at the tiller for a larger number of participants. I apologise if I have the wrong impression but the picture you present goes against what I believe I could support.