I want to sail around the world... for charity

[Randy]

Seven Seas Cruising Assoc has links that would be useful. The idea of paper and pencils is good. You just need to make the donations where there's actually a need. Another idea is to take reading glasses (Costco sells for about $5); they've been given to older fishermen so they're able to tie their hooks again and be productive again or to women allowing them to continue sewing or other detail work that requires good eye sight.

[YoloSF]

Originally Posted by rw58ph

Might want to talk to churches as many give support/missionary to different areas. We belong to Four Square a national non denominational church, that send aid, people, supplies to need areas of the world. My wife is a nurse and has gone on several trips. We have to pay the air fare and living expense but the church supplies the aid/supplies.

I should have mentioned, I'm trying to keep the church out in this one

Thanks

[The Garbone]

Having done the circumnav this due to the charity of the US taxpayer via Uncle Sam I don't think it's all that big of a deal. Doing it on a sailboat for a "cause" even though you admittedly don't relish the lifestyle is a bit foolish. I think sailing in general a certain love for it to help maintain the motivation. Otherwise it is a dangerous, thankless, long and boring job.

If your not already a cruiser it will take more than 2 years just to acquire the skill sets to do this safely.

If you want to do charity there are plenty of more practical avenues. The church I attend does a feeding center and mission school in Africa and supports a missionary in Belize. A little money goes a long way over there and boots on the ground that make personal contact make all the difference.

Burning capital bobbing in the ocean and being miserable does not help nearly as much.

The entire "Sail for a cause" thing smacks of the "look at me save the planet with my Eco destroying Prius and energy and food consuming ethanol". Crowd. An entire bag of poo if you sit down and do honest math.

Good luck in you quest though.

[YoloSF]

Originally Posted by The Garbone

Having done the circumnav this due to the charity of the US taxpayer via Uncle Sam I don't think it's all that big of a deal. Doing it on a sailboat for a "cause" even though you admittedly don't relish the lifestyle is a bit foolish. I think sailing in general a certain love for it to help maintain the motivation. Otherwise it is a dangerous, thankless, long and boring job.

If your not already a cruiser it will take more than 2 years just to acquire the skill sets to do this safely.

If you want to do charity there are plenty of more practical avenues. The church I attend does a feeding center and mission school in Africa and supports a missionary in Belize. A little money goes a long way over there and boots on the ground that make personal contact make all the difference.

Burning capital bobbing in the ocean and being miserable does not help nearly as much.

The entire "Sail for a cause" thing smacks of the "look at me save the planet with my Eco destroying Prius and energy and food consuming ethanol". Crowd. An entire bag of poo if you sit down and do honest math.

Good luck in you quest though.

^^^^^^^^
There's always someone who's going to go off topic and ramble about how I'm not ready to cruise and telling me what to do/not do with my life.

@Garbone I'm looking for help on how to associate a charitable cause to my trip, nothing more, nothing less. Thank you

[The Garbone]

Put a donate button on your blog and write some riveting stuff. Get corporate sponsors to pledge by the mile, get a race boat and make doing it under a certain time a multiplier. Do a kick starter page.

[skipmac]

Here is a guy that wants to go cruising and at the same time, try to do a little good. AND to do so on his own dime. He's made it clear that he isn't looking for handouts, donations or corporate sponsors. Just asking what kind of aid or support would be useful and appropriate to those he meets on the trip.

What he gets back from some of the replies is criticism and a hard time.

I don't see anything to criticize in his idea and I for one am not going to try to second guess his reasons or question his motives. I say good luck.

[chuckr]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

I think that perspective might come from kids that live in an entitled country. Some of the really poor kid here in Mexico, share a pencil and share paper. Bathroom stalls without doors. So you could imagine the joy when a child would have his/her own pencil and own pad (let alone a piece of paper). Or a young Gringo installing a door on a Banos!

i am not sure what entitled countries you are talking about but we were in mexico, belieze, guatamala (had to stop giving stuff there away as there are still rumors in the backcountry where we were that we were there to steal children) honduras, panama, colombia, dominican republic, guadelope, st lucia, trinidad, grenada, carraicou, st vincents --

you can find some of the worlds poorest kids in places like miami, new york, los angeles, detroit, chicago - so please -

in the san blas they don't even have real banos- they have a tin hut over water at best and yet they have big screen tv run by solar and cell phones that they bring out to cruisers to recharge for them

like i said we took a lot of pens and paper and crayons and small toys -but what they really wanted was candy - so we gave all our stuff to kevin of catamaran marina in rio dulce who took it and gave it to a local orphanage that the local liveaboards there work with -- not the kids we ran across on the street

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by The Garbone

Put a donate button on your blog and write some riveting stuff. Get corporate sponsors to pledge by the mile, get a race boat and make doing it under a certain time a multiplier. Do a kick starter page.

Not sure I read where the OP was asking for donations. He was just running an idea by the group here to see if it was viable.

Originally Posted by chuckr

i am not sure what entitled countries you are talking about but we were in mexico, belieze, guatamala (had to stop giving stuff there away as there are still rumors in the backcountry where we were that we were there to steal children) honduras, panama, colombia, dominican republic, guadelope, st lucia, trinidad, grenada, carraicou, st vincents --

you can find some of the worlds poorest kids in places like miami, new york, los angeles, detroit, chicago - so please -

in the san blas they don't even have real banos- they have a tin hut over water at best and yet they have big screen tv run by solar and cell phones that they bring out to cruisers to recharge for them

like i said we took a lot of pens and paper and crayons and small toys -but what they really wanted was candy - so we gave all our stuff to kevin of catamaran marina in rio dulce who took it and gave it to a local orphanage that the local liveaboards there work with -- not the kids we ran across on the street

Sure...there are poor kids anywhere and yes, I'm sure all kids like candy. But trust me in the hills of La Paz, they did not have electricity in the past, let alone big screen TV's...so please...if San Blas did not appreciate your offers, offer it somewhere else which you did. You can dissect the things that are said here all you want. It's about the intent of the OP. Not who has what and deserves what.

[The Garbone]

Just going in itself is giving back. How you handle yourself in port is how you give back also. Every time you spend money at a market, hire a local kid to run an errand for you it helps. Have the boat pulled to have bottom work or have your sails worked in a local loft you will be giving back. Pull into a port and find the local orphanage and donote a day or two of your time. All these things you can do as an individual.

My thought is just leave the "cause" at home and do what you can as a individual because in the end that is who we are. It is not the charity burgy you fly from your spreader but what you do.

Go into the world and enjoy the trip. You will know when your called to "do" when you get there. It is a huge planet with lots of need, don't worry about not finding a way to help others, it will come. If you have a generous and giving heart these things are easy..

[shadow]

when you come to the South Pacific region, definitely, use the books, pencils, T-shirts and DVD's as better than currency. They really do need them and they will invite you to stay at their place for the weekend with excellent food!! If you need extra insight, let me know..

[Gerrycooper56]

A 2 year max circumnavigation plus stopping along the way to help people in need? It took us 'passage makers' 12 months to get from Florida to Australia, only stopping for weather windows. Can't see that you'll have much time to give back if you only have 2 years.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by Gerrycooper56

A 2 year max circumnavigation plus stopping along the way to help people in need? It took us 'passage makers' 12 months to get from Florida to Australia, only stopping for weather windows. Can't see that you'll have much time to give back if you only have 2 years.

Now this is a valid and relevant point for the discussion.

[boatman61]

Don't think he mentioned 'stopping to help people'.. you lot did..
I think he's more likely thinking along the lines of 'Fund Raising' for Charity.. some way of achieving certain targets and if achieved 'Sponsor's' donate a pre-determined amount to a specified organisation...

[wincrasher]

Wow, some of the nasty comments are surprising.

I think if the OP wants to do a "charity cruise", there is certainly no lack of causes around the world to participate in, or raise awareness of.

I would suggest that they choose destinations where they could hook up with various organizations and volunteer their time and effort. That would probably take alot of coordination and timing, but you could hit several causes and not just one.

Doing a fund raising thing, or hauling a bunch of junk across to globe to hand out, I think would be problematic.

It would be nice if folks could suggest organizations for them to contact to see how it could work.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Don't think he mentioned 'stopping to help people'.. you lot did..
I think he's more likely thinking along the lines of 'Fund Raising' for Charity.. some way of achieving certain targets and if achieved 'Sponsor's' donate a pre-determined amount to a specified organisation...

Nope. Read post #13. He's not fishing for funding. He clearly says he has hit own, doesn't want any of yours (or mine) and is just looking for ideas to help out along the way.