Sailing for a Future
What does society do with young people convicted of breaking the law? Locking them up in Juvenile Hall is one answer. SailFuture has another idea. They offer youth offenders a way out. During a five-month sailing Odyssey, eight youths live and work aboard a MacGregor 65 racing sailboat named Defy the Odds. The new sailors spend 100 days and 2,000 miles at sea. While in port, they spend mornings working on their GEDs, afternoons performing service projects and receiving vocational training, and evenings in counseling. The program is based in Florida, but participants come from all over the country. Recent crew include two teenagers from Los Angeles.
This January-April, SailFuture is raising funds by offering their MacGregor for sailing vacations in the Caribbean. "Flights are affordable, and a $1,200 donation covers all of your food, beverages (adult and non-alcoholic) and accommodations for the week," writes Mike Long of SailFuture. Charterers can choose to race in the Caribbean 600, Heineken Cup or BVI Spring Regatta, or spend a week relaxing in the Virgin Islands.
The manager of SailFuture’s ‘Vacations with a Purpose’, Dee Davis, is actually a graduate of the program. "It’s easy to prejudge my peers and me, and not want to offer us a second chance," says Davis. "SailFuture and all of its supporters are that second chance. I have no doubts that with the right guidance and support, you will watch us excel as our journey unfolds."
