If you attend one community potluck this summer, don’t miss this one! On Tuesday, August 18, Seattle Laser Fleet will be running a match racing demonstration right off our docks, from 6 pm – 8 pm, with commentary so you can learn about the thrill of match racing while enjoying a community potluck. That same day, the historical schooner America will be visiting Sail Sand Point from 11 am – 8 pm! Read more about the America’s Cup vessel below.
In August 1851, the yacht America won a race then called the 100 Guinea Cup. The trophy won by America was renamed “America’s Cup” in the vessel’s honor. Today the America’s Cup is a racing circuit comprised of world-class sailors and is considered the most difficult trophy in sport to win.
The original America decayed and was eventually ruined, but a 19th century two-masted schooner replica has since been built and the crew of 6 is now touring ports around the country. The exciting part? America is coming to Sail Sand Point!
The sight of a 139-foot boat off our dock is enough to make a visit, but that’s not all that will be offered. Walk aboard tours for the public, a special walk aboard session for youth sailors, a presentation on the America’s Cup, and a sail aboard event are also on the schedule. Tickets for the sail aboard out of SSP can be purchased here; please note this is not a Sail Sand Point service.
The goal is “to reach out to people that are maybe even outside of the yachting community, to expose them to what America’s Cup is about, maybe even to what sailing is about,” said John Berry of the America’s Cup Tour. There will also be information on the technological advances made throughout history and how Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines are part of the maritime world.