The 139-foot yacht America will be at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, Maryland on Labor Day, September 5 through Tuesday, September 6, and again on Saturday, September 10 through Sunday, September 11. America is a replica of the schooner that launched the America’s Cup tradition in 1851 by defeating the best the British could offer to win the Royal Yacht Squadron’s “100 Guinea Cup.” While in St. Michaels, America will offer dockside tours to CBMM guests along with private and public cruises during select times.
As the official ambassador of the America’s Cup, the replica schooner began its North American tour in San Diego in 2015, with its East Coast leg navigated in 2016 from the Gulf of Mexico up the Eastern Seaboard into Maine, before tacking south through the Caribbean and on to Bermuda in 2017 for the America’s Cup.
The sailing ship’s visit in St. Michaels is also anticipated to include multi-media programs covering the past, present, and future of the America’s Cup in CBMM’s Van Lennep Auditorium, along with special junior sailing talks and tours that delve into the principles of sailing and the benefits of junior sailing, including self-reliance and confidence. It will also enable CBMM guests to understand how the sport of sailing has evolved from 19th century sailing ships to the high tech sailing vessels participating in the America’s Cup today.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and America’s visit touches deeply our mission of preserving and exploring maritime heritage,” said CBMM President Kristen Greenaway. “We’re very keen to give our guests the opportunity to climb and sail aboard her, and especially our youth the opportunity to explore the science and technology that are behind America’s Cup racing.”
The schedule for dockside tours, programs, and public cruises will later be announced on CBMM’s website at: cbmm.org