Guest Rotarian and Sailor Alison Healy

Listen in on Alison’s insights of the International Yachting Fellowship of Rotarians worldwide and her passion for Tall Ships worldwide.

  • Orchestrated Russian Olympic Sailor exchange to HMS Rose (Captain Bailey) and sailed from CT to Nova Scotia and into the great lakes and back during hurricane season. 60 knot winds in major storm while raising the sails while aloft 140 ‘ up in the air. Brought 42 sailors to different east coast ports just after Perestroika with Russian storyteller, Olympic sailor and PhD boyfriend.
  • Fell in love with tall ships in the way they teach people about team work and confidence building.
  • Sailed on Tall Ship Californian for 6 months, later trained 50 volunteers to be relief deck hands
  • At the last minute rescued a cancelled state sesquicentennial celebration with then California governor.
  • Welcomed 8 class A Tall Ships from Indonesia, Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, Japan, Spain…….
  • Founded non profit to host tall ships and recruited from Spain, Peru, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, Russia, Peru, Brazil, US and more to bring ships to HI, AK, CA WA ports.
  • First woman aboard on Indonesian Ecuadorian Tall Ship, also sailed on Colombian Tall Ships.
  • Continues to welcome Tall Ships on the rare occasion they come to SF. Without someone recruiting they no longer make this a stop as it is too costly.
  • Now enroute to nonprofit Floating Doctors where mission to Panama nonprofit will focus on repairing their cayuco (canoes) made from one piece of wood, which carries almost 20 persons, and donating medical equipment while volunteering. If interested in being a paying volunteer in July email Alison
  • Founded Bay Area Marine Services in 2000 after naval engineer husband and I lost jobs due to pandemic. Now service SFPD, USCG and many more.