The news that the SSV Oliver Hazard Perry had “paused” operations was a sad reminder that not all grand plans succeed. The nonprofit that was formed to run the state’s official sailing school vessel said that it needed to rethink the strategy for the ship’s financial future, a sign that the original business plan was not working, either because it was not being executed well or because it wasn’t a good one to begin with.
At issue at this point is what to do with the 200-foot, three-masted tall ship. The state invested $5 million in building a dock for it in Newport at Fort Adams and a number of Rhode Island maritime businesses contributed to its construction and outfitting. Named for one of Rhode Island’s (and the nation’s) early naval heroes, it would seem a shame to lose the Oliver Hazard Perry. What do you think the state should do in reaction to the ship’s current situation?
