Cutty Sark

[Coot]

Not the Scotch, the ship. It is disintegrating at dry dock on the Thames in London.

Cutty Sark, the world famous sailing ship that in the heyday of the wool trade regularly recorded the fastest time for the voyage from Australia to Britain, is rotting away and may have to be sold abroad.

"The ship is virtually unique. She is part of a World Heritage site and classed as a Grade I listed building. It would be a shame to lose her, but if we can't raise the money we need we may have to sell her and see her taken abroad," he (Doughty) said.
I'm not sure why this one touched me. Maybe it's the symbolism or whimsy for a bygone era. Story Here. (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=570&ncid=753&e=3&u=/nm/20021207/sc_nm/britain_cuttysark_dc)

[Advocat]

Canada had a somewhat similar situation with the historic Bluenose schooner. We lost the original, but ended up with the Bluenose II preservation trust... maybe quick work on a similar non-profit fund could save the Cutty.
http://www.bluenose2.ns.ca/

[joseftu]

'"We need to raise a minimum of eight million pounds ($12.6 million) for the preservation work or we will have to put her up for sale -- probably to a foreigner," Cutty Sark Trust chief executive Richard Doughty told Reuters on Friday.'

Put her up for sale? I'm a foreigner! And my birthday's in June, in case anyone was wondering....

[limeygit]

As an FYI, the important part of this article is this..
"We will be putting in our bid for funds to the Heritage Lottery Fund in December 2003. It usually takes about six months to make a decision, so we should know if we have been successful or not by mid-2004," Doughty said. "

In a similar way that the studios in Hollywood spend their money trying to get a buzz behind their product in the run up to Oscar time, so many of those up for Lottery grants have learned the importance of getting a buzz for your 'charity' or need. The 'give it to us, or it will end up in the hands of Johnny Foreigner' is particularly blatant. Later they may reveal it is in fact not just any Johnny Foreigner, but a guy from Texas called Herb who wants to turn it into an amusement ride.
If that doesn't work, I don't know what will.
Seriously these kinds of projects normally fair pretty well with the grant comittee.

[Coot]

Well, so long as she doesn't suffer the fate of the Queen Mary ;) I actually like Advocat's idea though.

Joseftu, all I can afford is this pic...it is the thought though isn't it?

[joseftu]

Thanks, Coot! My new desktop wallpaper.