Below is a listing of exhibits and events taking place at the Museum of Yachting and the International Yacht Restoration School this summer.
May 16 – October 13, 2009 / Museum of Yachting Summer Exhibits (Fort Adams State Park, RI)
"Imagination in Scale: The Practical Art of Ship and Yacht Models"
There is something captivating about the toy-like quality of ship and yacht models that captures the imagination of children and adults alike, but models also serve as functional tools for yacht designers and builders. The museum's display captures the beauty, artistry, functionality, and painstaking detail of model making. The exhibit is coupled with the first public exhibition of the William H. Combs Miniature Model Collection, which will be housed in the newly restored Aquidneck Mill Building at the International Yacht Restoration School (449 Thames Street). Combs, a yachtsman and businessman, built an extraordinary collection of models during his lifetime—each of which can easily stand alone as a fascinating work of art.
"The America’s Cup – The Newport Years"
The rich history of the America's Cup has been closely linked with Newport, ever since the race first came to this waterfront city in 1930. The Cup's Newport years mark a period of innovation in this legendary event, and the exhibit follows the technical developments of the boats sailed in the competition—from the majestic J/Class sloops to 12-Meters. The exhibit also pays tribute to the colorful personalities who came to Newport to battle for the coveted prize—from Harold “Mike” Vanderbilt and Sir Thomas Lipton, to Ted Turner and Dennis Conner.
"Coronet: The Long Life and Revival of an Historic American Schooner Yacht"
The museum's new exhibit on the 133-foot schooner yacht Coronet coincides with the restoration of this rare vessel at the International Yacht Restoration School. Since her launching in 1885, Coronet has intrigued people with her majesty, mystery, and physical presence, and the yacht is remarkable for a number of reasons—most notably the fact that she still exists. The schooner yacht's contemporaries have all vanished, but Coronet has survived as a link to a Golden Age in yachting. From viewing photography and artifacts from Coronet's opulent interior, museum-goers will get a rare glimpse of life aboard a late Victorian–era yacht and learn about Coronet's colorful owners and her sometimes-controversial adventures at sea. After seeing the exhibition, visitors can be ferried across Newport Harbor to see the yacht and watch shipwrights restore the hull.
The Museum of Yachting is open daily during the summer, closed on Tuesdays. Admission is: $5 for adults; students and children (under 18) are free. In summer, a water taxi ferries visitors between IYRS and the museum grounds. For more information, visit www.moy.org or call 401-847-1018.
June 6, 2009 / Launch Day / IYRS Newport Campus (449 Thames Street, Newport)
On Launch Day, IYRS graduates students from its two full-time programs—in wooden boat building and restoration, and in marine systems. The day is marked by a unique rite: IYRS students launch and sail the boats they restored over the term to see how their workmanship fares under sail. The event has become a waterfront happening for the Newport community, drawing a crowd of onlookers to the school docks each year. Boats launching this year include a fleet of 12-foot Beetle Cat® sailboats and a Herreshoff 12 ½ dinghy. For more details on Launch Day, visit www.iyrs.org.
July 11, 2009 / Annual Summer Gala / IYRS Newport Campus (449 Thames Street, Newport)
On most days of the year, IYRS Restoration Hall is a place of industry, where shipwrights-in-training transform neglected watercraft into vessels ready to set sail again. But on Saturday, July 11, Restoration Hall will be the site of a transformation of a different kind when the school converts this workspace into an elegant setting for the Twelfth Annual IYRS Summer Gala. The annual event is a highlight of the Newport summer calendar and draws an international crowd of classic yachting enthusiasts. For more information, visit www.iyrs.org or call 401-848-5777.
September 4-6, 2009 / 30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta, sponsored by Panerai
The 30th Annual Classic Yacht Regatta, hosted by the Museum of Yachting, will again turn the waters off Newport into a panorama of graceful classic yachts. Sponsors Panerai and Best Life help bring this classic event to the museum's home at Fort Adams State Park from September 4-6. The event includes two days of racing and a Classic Yacht Parade and will draw a fleet that ranges from modern classics to vintage yachts and traditional one-designs. In 2009, owners of Huckins yachts will hold a Newport Rendezvous in conjunction with the regatta, enhancing both the event and the ever-popular parade of classic yachts. For more information, visit www.moy.org or call 401-847-1018.
Media Contacts:
Cynthia Goss/ public relations / 203-453-2731
Susan Daly / VP, Marketing / 401-848-5777, ext 220