Chula Vista’s schooner the Bill of Rights seeks the public’s help in paying one of its bills.
Don Johnson, South Bay Front Sailing Association CEO, first mate and primary engineer aboard the tall ship Bill of Rights, said the organization needs about $50,000 for a Coast Guard inspection that is required in order to keep its license for carrying passengers.
Johnson said the ship gets a routine inspection every year by the Coast Guard at minimal cost, but the inspection coming up in November comes once every decade.
He said the inspection is in-depth and requires the disassembly of the tall ship so the Coast Guard can inspect the ship’s structure.
The Coast Guard regulation requires the lifting of the mast, cabling and rigging.
“That’s going to be a pretty expensive inspection,” Johnson said. “And we’re going to need the public’s help in funding it.”
He said the money will go toward helping the ship meet Coast Guard standards by covering the cost of any unexpected maintenance required, as well as the cost of having men taking out the ship’s mast which is more than 100 feet long and weights a few tons. He said they also have to pay to store the mast in a shipping yard and pay for the labor of workers to take the board apart for the Coast Guard to inspect, then pay for them to put the ship back together again.
“It’s the (high) cost of working on the boat,” Johnson said.
Johnson said he is “concerned” that his organization won’t be able to hit its $50,000 goal, which he said could end the Bill of Rights in Chula Vista.
“If we can’t come up with the money than we’ll lose our license,” he said. “Essentially what we’ll have to do is we’ll have to go ahead and sell the boat to some other organization in a different part of the country. And Chula Vista will lose a historic boat.”
The Bill of Rights was built in 1971, specifically to lead the parade into New York Harbor for the Bicentennial.
Johnson said the Bill of Rights is an important part of Chula Vista because the Bayfront Plan has always indicated the desire to have a tall ship near the bayfront.
Johnson said the Bill of Rights generates about $80,000 to $100,000 yearly in revenue. But the revenue generated pays for operational and overhead costs. He said most of the revenue generated goes to paying for insurance, which has gone up to $32,000, and rent at $1,500.
He said the ship makes money from summer programs, naval training appearances at sailing festivals and other events.
Johnson said he is reaching out to individuals and organizations asking for donations. His wife Susan Johnson, who is spearheading fundraising efforts, said several fundraising events are in the works. She also said she plans on creating a gofundme page.
To donate visit:www.schoonerbillofrights.com and click on the donate tab.
