As many of you know, Dawn and I spent many happy years in Nashville Tennessee.  We met in Nashville … Dawn was a nurse at Baptist Hospital, and I was a recording engineer for Warner Bros Records.  We married and had our first child there, and purchased our dream house in Franklin’s historic district. We learned most of what we know about racing sailboats on Nashville area lakes.  I worked with the finest songwriters, musicians, and singers on the planet, and Dawn took care of many of their babies …
We were sad to leave, but our calling to purchase and save the Schooner Timberwind ran strong in us and in 1999 we said goodbye.  Not a day goes by however, that we don’t think about our time there, the friends we made, and the opportunities we had.  Nashville, opened up its arms to us, strangers in a magical land, and wrapped them around us, and provided all we needed to succeed and prosper.
It is then with obvious sadness that we witness from this great distance the devastation of Music City, and her greater areas.  We observe with pride the manner and level of integrity with which the people of Nashville are dealing with this crisis, and without much media attention, fanfare, violence or looting … the true depth and cost of the damage, is just beginning to be felt and assessed.
Nashville Music City USA, has touched the lives of millions of Americans, whether they realize it or not, and now she is hurting … and her people are hurting … and we feel compelled to help.
The Schooner Timberwind offers discounts to our passengers through various promotional packages that total over $20,000 dollars annually … we offer these discounts to help make it more possible for people on budgets and with families to be able to sail, and experience this wonderful historic adventure of Windjamming.  The Timberwind receives no federal moneys, or handouts, and as a structured “for profit” business, she cannot fund raise … She stays alive, as she always has, by working!
For the remainder of May and through the end of August, the Schooner Timberwind will run a promotion called “Donate your Discount.” Designed with the intention that each passenger booking a cruise during this period could voluntarily allow us to deposit the discount amount we would offer them into an account … this money would then become payable to the charity we determine will most directly help the people of Nashville.
Our business continues to struggle in a tourist economy in Maine that has been affected greatly by the aftermath of 911, and the economic down turn over the last 9 years.  This year in particular we are feeling it more than ever, as more people are holding on to what they have, afraid of being caught short.
Some might suggest that we are taking advantage of a crisis in order to profit.  Any one, who knows us, knows of our affection for Music City, and that our interest and concern is sincere. We do see this as an opportunity however, to accomplish two things, help a National Historic Landmark Vessel survive  … and help the good people of Nashville recover.  We know $20,000 will not help everyone … it’s a drop in the bucket compared to what is needed, and Dawn and I wish we could contribute that amount out of our own pockets, but we can’t.  What we can and will do, with your help … is help!
Fair Winds,
Capt. Robert & Dawn Tassi
Schooner Timberwind Cruises