Historic Sailing Schooner America Visits Cape May

Back in April I wrote about the historic sailing schooner AMERICA visits Cape May. We now have more details on this once in a life time encounter.

Carl Behrens and the Corinthian Yacht Club of Cape May have navigated  the America’s course into Cape May harbor. She’ll be here August 30-31 2016,  and with the help of Mark Allen of  South Jersey Marina she will be home ported on the face dock of the marina.  You can sail along with her.

For the first time in its 165-year history, The America’s Cup has launched a tour leading up to the 2017 America’s Cup races in Bermuda. They are on a  mission to spark new excitement in the current yachting community about the latest America’s Cup racing; and to engage the next generation of America’s Cup fans by highlighting the technologies that have elevated the sport to its present state.

Without exaggerating, AMERICA is the world’s most famous racing yacht. It is also one of the most beautiful yachts in the world. The reason is simple. The original AMERICA put yachting on the map. It is why the most famous trophy in sailing is called The America’s Cup.

In 1851, a boat named ‘AMERICA’ won the ‘Royal Yacht Squadrons’ 100 Guinea Cup given to the winner of a race around the Isle of Wight. It is said…that the margin was so great that watching AMERICA sail past the royal yacht, Queen Victoria famously asked “Who came second? Your majesty…there is no second” was the reply.

The winners, members of the New York Yacht Club, donated the trophy to the Club, to be held as a ‘challenge’ trophy. Thus was born the America’s Cup, named after the boat, not the country.

The East Coast portion of the tour  launched in April 2016 out of San Diego, and ends in 2017 for the 35th Defense of the America’s Cup in Bermuda. Scheduled stops along the Gulf Coast and East Coast will be the heart and soul of the second leg of the America’s Cup Tour. Events will take place at public docks, maritime centers, community sailing associations, and yacht clubs in each port.

This is where Cape May gets to participate. Tickets to sail on the historic schooner are available by clicking here. http://nextlevelsailing.com/yachtamerica/ Sailing twice a day at 1 Pm and 4:30 promises to be both educational and entertaining.

Here is an up to date news story from CNN on sailing the America from San Diego to New York. It’s worth getting past the commercial to see the whole video.