South Carolina Maritime Foundation (SCMF)

by Oliver Dewar on 1 Jun 2009 While the Portimão Global Ocean Race fleet prepare for Leg 5 from Charleston, South Carolina, to Portimão, Portugal, the competitors, their friends, their shore teams and the Race Organisation are guests of the South Carolina Maritime Foundation (SCMF): a body that has an enviable reputation for hosting high-profile marine events.

Although SCMF have successfully organised Charleston Race Week held in mid-April – an event that has eclipsed Key West Regatta in popularity – and is involved in virtually every marine event in the region, the core of this non-profit organisation is the tall ship, Spirit of South Carolina.

Completed in 2007 and built in Charleston from original plans uncovered in the Smithsonian Institute, the two-masted, 140ft schooner, Spirit of South Carolina, is a faithful reproduction of the coastal and harbour pilot boats used in the area from the mid-17th century to the early 1800s. However, she is more than a maritime work of art or a piece of static marine heritage and operates as a Sailing School Vessel (SSV). With the aim of educating South Carolina’s students in history, mathematics, science and literature while also instilling personal responsibility and awareness of South Carolina’s coastal environment, the ship is an invaluable tool and the only vessel of her kind in the south-east USA. Spirit of South Carolina has already had 3,000 students across her decks in an extremely busy programme, but the ship’s remit is highly flexible.

Having completed the 2002-03 Around Alone Race and winning Class 2 overall, local yachtsman, Brad Van Liew was asked to join SCMF as Executive Director with overall responsibility for Spirit of South Carolina. 'We took the European model of sail training ships as a guide,' explains Van Liew. 'The ship is slightly less workmanlike than others of her type and there’s more varnish, brightwork and attention to detail than you would usually find on a tall ship.' The unusual level of craftsmanship on board may seem extravagant for a sail training ship, but Spirit of South Carolina plays a number of different roles. 'The ship acts as an ambassador for South Carolina,' continues Van Liew. 'She will head up to New York or Washington DC and – for example - form the centrepiece of a business development programme.' By operating such a scheme, the ship supports itself financially and any funds are put straight into running and maintenance without relying upon charitable or government funding.

South Carolina marine events that support Spirit of South Carolina include Charleston Race Week, Charleston Harbor Fest and the Charleston to Bermuda Yacht Race. The next major event for Spirit of Charleston is Leg 3 of the Tall Ships Atlantic Challenge from Bermuda to Charleston in June.

To find out more about Spirit of Charleston and the South Carolina Maritime Foundation, please visit http://www.scmaritime.org/index.php

http://www.portimaoglobaloceanrace.com