LAMP uses the research vessel Island Fever for diving operations to explore the maritime history of America’s oldest port, and to bring college and high school students to offshore historic shipwrecks for a hands-on history lesson like none other. But for the past six months our favorite boat has been high and dry out of the water because of a broken engine and other significant repairs. You can help save our favorite boat and get our programs back on track!
As word has spread about the sorry state of our research vessel, we have been really pleased at how our community has stepped up to the plate to help us raise the funds necessary to get her back in the water. We are campaigning to raise around $10,000 to pay for a new engine, for a complete re-wiring, for shifter cables and other interior components, and for rudder modifications and other needed hardware repairs. Thanks to the generosity of our community, we are over a third of the way to our goal!
You can help! If you can make a modest gift of $15, $30, $50, or $100, please click here to visit our online store where you can make this gift by credit card. You’ll need to register with our store (we never share our donor/customer information) but it only takes a minute, and please remember to type in “Island Fever” or “Boat repair” in the field labeled “Add Comments About Your Order.” Also, please note that there is currently a glitch in the system and the computer will inform you that it is adding a shipping charge to your donation–no such charge will be made to your credit card, despite what the screen says, and we are working on getting this problem fixed!
Or if you prefer to mail us a donation, click here to download a donation form. You can give any amount you like, and remember to write in “Island Fever” or “Boat Repair” on the form.
We are of course a non-profit educational and research organization, and contributions are tax-deductible. We really appreciate any amount you can give to help us to get our favorite boat back in the water!
A number of local companies in the St. Augustine community began to show their support by making generous gifts. Herbie Wiles Insurance made a very generous initial gift which really got our campaign jump-started. Just a few weeks ago, St. Augustine’s local sportfishing boat manufacturer Luhrs with its partner St. Augustine Marine Center have extended their support in a really serious way. St. Augustine Marine has taken the Island Fever to their yard with no moving or storage fees, and by will provide much of the work and materials at a very special rate to help us significantly lower our costs. This means that we will not need to raise as much money, so your gift will go that much further! They are a great boatyard with fantastic personnel and we can’t recommend them highly enough.
Our ship has come in . . . to St. Augustine Marine! On June 25, our boat Island Fever was transferred to this boatyard will it will undergo the repairs needed to make it a first class research vessel once again.
In the meanwhile, LAMP is continuing to carry out our mission of exploring the maritime heritage of our nation’s oldest port by using smaller vessels, one of which (the Sea Biscuit) has been generously loaned to us by Jay and Theresa Floyd. So we are still out there getting the job done, but we can get a lot more accomplished with our primary research vessel, and we are closer than ever to getting her ship-shape in Bristol fashion!
Your gift can help us get there! Thank you for your support of our research and educational activities.