Tomorrow, August 31 at 5:00 PM PDT, we're drawing the winner live. Entries close at 12:00 PM PDT, so don't sit on this one.
Honestly, this giveaway is our favorite kind, a way to say thank you to the people who've made Operation Silent Running feel like a real crew instead of just an audience. If you've been following along, donating, asking questions, or just cheering us on, this is your shot.
Head to our website to get your entry in, then join us live tomorrow, we'd love for it to be you.
Something worth explaining properly: by the time a video goes up, the crew in the WhatsApp group has usually already talked through it — sometimes argued about it — for days. The air box build was a good example. Blaine wasn't sure a spool gun was even the right call at first. That conversation happened in the group, in real time, before there was anything to film.
That's genuinely the biggest thing membership gets you, more than any single perk: you're not on the outside of this anymore. Every tier, starting at Deckhand ($9.97/mo), gets you into that group. Higher tiers add things on top — Bosun gets you crew apparel and handwritten postcards from wherever we're anchored, Engineer gets you the technical briefings and dedicated Q&As, First Mate gets you permanent recognition on the Wall of Power.
And if you already know this is something you want to stick with, annual billing saves you 10–15% over paying monthly — worth doing once you're sure, not something to overthink.
I want to say this plainly, because I don't think we say it enough: when you join as a member, you're not buying a badge or a reward. You're part of what helps Blaine and me keep doing this — actually live on Tangaroa, actually keep building Operation Silent Running — instead of one of us going and getting a normal job to make it work.Â
Real example from this month: nobody sells replacement parts for a 1969, 78' aluminum boat. Blaine had to learn to run a spool gun and build the air boxes for the hybrid-electric conversion himself. YesWelder saw what this crew's been supporting and sent him the gear to do it — then donated a second welder for a member giveaway, just to say thanks to the people supporting this refit by joining.Â
If you're already a member, thank you, genuinely — you're part of what makes this possible. If you're thinking about it: every tier gets you into the crew WhatsApp, and if you already know you're in for the long haul, going annual saves you 10–15% instead of paying monthly.Â
https://www.onboardtangaroa.com
