Friends of Odyssey

Friends of Odyssey supports youth sailing programs in South Puget Sound, Washington.  Currently our focus is on Sea Scout Ship 190 in Tacoma, WA.  Covid was hard on SSS 190.  Many members lapsed due to quarantine plus the group lost their sailing vessel Odyssey, a historic wooden racing yawl.  Friends of Odyssey was formed to financially help SSS 190 navigate these challenges.  After originally raising funds to try to fix Odyssey we shifted strategy after estimates made the repairs unrealistic to pursue.  Instead we purchased a fantastic 51 foot racing sloop, Odyssey II, and allow SSS 190 to use it.  SSS 190 is slowly rebuilding membership and volunteer staff.  Their goal is to acquire the proper Coast Guard certificates to allow for charter work to help offset the costs of running the program.  In the meantime Friends of Odyssey takes care of program costs which, as anyone who has had a boat knows all too well, are significant.

The excitement and demands of sailing provides a unique opportunity for teenagers to grow and learn about themselves.  Many alumni of SSS 190 cite the years of program involvement as pivotal in their personal development.  Many have gone on to pursue maritime careers.

Help us to keep this important program going!  Contributions of any size are welcome and will help stabilize the SSS 190 program and allow it to grow and begin to contribute to operating costs, with the long term goal of SSS 190 becoming self sufficient, or as close to that as possible.