S.a.l.t.s. Sail and Life Training Society

SALTS operates two tall ships and teaches approximately 1700 young people (ages 13-24) to sail them each year. In the spring and fall school groups participate in five-day voyages to the Gulf Islands of southern BC. During the summers ten-day voyages travel throughout the west coast of BC. Young "trainees" are involved in every aspect of sailing the ship including navigation sail handling pilotage bow watch clean-up etc. They receive formal sail training instruction and complete exams. They participate in group discussions about life issues. The program helps young people learn to live in community develop a strong work ethic understand teamwork grow spiritually learn to resolve problems and conflicts and understand other cultures. SALTS test-piloted a new program for five days in March 2024 called the "Family Connection Program." It mostly resembled our current programs except that it was for parents and their teenagers and we had two Registered Clinical Counsellors on board to facilitate group and family discussions. Otherwise it was our regular sail training curriculum. We did not offer this program again in 2025 but may offer another variation of it in the future.