All in a Day's Sail

Most of America's Cup Charters' crew have spent a good portion of their lives on the water, around boats or in a shipyard.  They are doing what they love and their passion translates to the services they provide.  In the time they have been sailing, they've encountered many situations and use that experience to help our customers make the most out of their on-water adventure.  In previous blogs, we've profiled a few of our crew.  Here's a dossier on one of our crew who's spent over half a decade with us.  Meet Ben.

Ben

Name:  Ben Farrar

My hometown is:  Cambridge, Ohio

I've worked at ACC:  over a half-decade, I started in 2007

I learned to sail:

   where?  Salt Fork Lake, Ohio

   on what?  Sunfish & Hobie Cats

   how old?  11

My role at ACC is:  First mate & relief captain on Intrepid

Before ACC:  I worked in San Diego on the Schooner America

In the off season:  I repair boats - Intrepid  and 2 other 12 meters in the Newport fleet, USA 61 and KZ 3                                                                    

My perfect day entails:  relaxing and having no responsibilities

My favorite book is:  Cats Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

My favorite food is:   anything Mexican

My favorite sailing memory is:  Sailing from Key West to San Diego via the Panama Canal.  There was also a special day on Intrepid when Olin Stephens, the designer of Intrepid, came down to the dock for a visit.  I gave him a hand on to the deck of Intrepid and he reminisced about how he designed her.  At the time, he was 99 years old. It was a privilege to meet him, show him around the boat and see his reaction to how Intrepid looks today.  He told me Intrepid was always one of the favorite boats he had designed.  I have to agree with him!

We hope you'll sail with us this coming season and meet Ben.  You can usually find him barefoot on the deck of Intrepid!

Our Intrepid racing team, Ben is 4th from the right

A wet sheet and a flowing sea,

A wind that follows fast 

And fills the white and rustling sail

And bends the gallant mast.

Allan Cunningham

World's Most Beautiful Boats

We sure know a thing or two about classic boats, there happen to be four of them in our fleet of America's Cup 12 Meter yachts.  It's nice to see that Classic Boat Magazine recognized one of them in their November issue.  

Classic Boat Magazine is a British publication dedicated to the world's most beautiful boats.  Weatherly happens to be one of them and was recognized as such in "Overseas News".  Last fall Weatherly received federal recognition for her contribution to the history of naval architecture, engineering, and recreation.  Edward F. Sanderson, executive director of the Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission, announced that the National Park Service listed Weatherly on the National Register of Historic Places.  According to Sanderson, "The Ocean State has been a world-class yacht racing center for over a century, and Weatherly is an illustrious representative of this proud tradition."
If you want to read more about Weatherly's illustrious history, check out US Harbors write up.  

George Hill on right with partner Herb Marshall

George Hill, the current owner and skipper of Weatherly, also one of the partners in our company, certainly put a major effort into reviving Weatherly to her original specs and he continues to lovingly maintain her.  Throughout this winter, you can find George at New England Boatworks in Portsmouth, RI working on all kinds of projects on Weatherly, getting her ready for the upcoming charter season. 

One more note on the November issue of Classic Boat - the Fife schooner Adventuress, featured as an "American Beauty", was often seen sailing the waters of Narragansett Bay with a young captain at the wheel, Walter Cavanagh.  When she moved on to new waters, we were fortunate enough to bring Walter on as crew aboard Weatherly and now for the last two seasons he's been the captain of Nefertiti for us.

Captain Walter Cavanagh at the helm of Nefertiti