Sound Experience

“Raising the sails was tiring but also satisfying. More than anything, it teaches us to work as a team. No one can lift a 3,000-pound sail up by themselves.”     
                                                             G.J., High School Student


Sound Experience is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that owns and operates the historic schooner Adventuress as its education platform in the Puget Sound region of the Pacific Northwest. The 104-year-old schooner is one of only two National Historic Landmark sailing ships still in active operation on the West Coast. Each year, thousands of children and teens  participate in powerful day and overnight programs that emphasize stewardship of our marine waterways. As students journey through Puget Sound and the Salish Sea, they learn about that affect our waterways and oceans. Aboard Adventuress they learn that by working together, they can change the future. 

The Adventuress Block Project
Blocks are critical to the rigging of a traditional sailing ship. They are simple machines that facilitate the lifting of thousands of pounds of sails and spars using only human power. Blocks are also part of every education program aboard Adventuress so that a class of 3rd-graders can raise a 3,000 lb mainsail. Students learn experientially that by "pulling together" they can take on big jobs and complicated issues.  The ship's nearly 100 carefully crafted wooden blocks are disassembled and serviced during each winter's "off-season" but have now come to the end of their useful life.  We need your help to build the new blocks needed to keep raising Adventuress' sails! 

Building Locally
This winter, Sound Experience is planning to replace all 93 blocks onboard Adventuress with new-build, custom, hand-crafted blocks. The work for shaping the sheaves, straps, and cheeks will be completed by local craftspeople in Port Townsend, Washington, and will be assembled by our winter crew onboard Adventuress.  The project has support from Edensaw Woods and Zephyrwerks among other local businesses. The blocks will have modern technical components, but will be traditional in form and function. They will preserve traditional craftsmanship, support local marine trades, and ensure the continued safety of these important rigging components for our education programs. 

How You can Help
We need to build 93 blocks at a cost of just $139 per block.  By donating just $139 (or a gift of any size toward this project) you can help us reach our total project goal of $12,927.   By supporting this important project, you are keeping alive our vanishing maritime history and keeping it relevant to the lives of young people today. Your contribution also allows our limited financial resources to be directed to getting more young people aboard in the coming year.

If You Want to Do More (and come sailing!)
Donate 4 or more blocks ($556 or more) and get two free passes to sail on a Public Sail in 2018! Our Public Sails are open to participants of all ages. No sailing experience is required. They are a perfect way to explore Puget Sound and learn about our unique marine environment while sailing aboard a historic tall ship. Participants are encouraged to help raise the sails, sing a sea chantey, and enjoy one of our shipboard classes—or just sit back and enjoy the ride.

Visit our website, www.soundexp.org , to learn more about Adventuress' mission and programs. Aboard Adventuress, "We are ALL Shipmates."



Above: Wooden block cheeks that are ready to be assembled into new blocks.

Above: An old block on Adventuress that is being repainted during a maintenance day

Above: Our beautiful schooner with one of our very important blocks. Photo: Wyatt Mayo

Above: Schooner Adventuress circa 1913

Above: Schooner Adventuress Photo: Jan Anderson