What Happens to These Yachts?

Newport, RI, home to the America's Cup Races for over 50 years, now boasts an America’s Cup fleet, albeit one’s from the past and all made from WOOD. Imagine!

Companies and individuals may charter these wonderful yachts or just come and stare at them.

They are located in the marina at the Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina, located at 49 America's Cup Avenue. It's directly across from Trinity Church and just north of Bannister's Wharf in the heart of downtown Newport, a two-block walk from the public parking lot at the Visitor's Center.

These classic Twelve Meter sloops all raced for the Cup. Three boats actually won it a total of four times: Weatherly, Intrepid (twice), and Freedom. Others present include Competitors Nefertiti and Ted Turner's American Eagle.

The thought of hauling, sanding, painting and preparing these yachts for service . . . appalls and thrills at the same time.

Thank heavens for random digital orbital sanders and UV resistent varnish. Now, if we could just find some of those bottom paints of the past that REALLY WORKED, OK they killed a few fish too if they drank them, not the namby-pamby ones we're forced to use today, at least in the good ol' US. (I did see a few cans down in Tortola last year, but they're probably already gone....)