12 Meter Charters was thrilled to welcome aboard a special guest last weekend. Charley Morgan was once again at the helm of his greatest creation, the bright-hulled 12 Meter Yacht, Heritage, for two charity sails during the Newport International Boat Show, last Saturday, September 13.
Charley is the last living designer from the wooden 12 Meter Yacht era. His trip to Newport was in support of his favorite charity, the Tampa Bay Hospice Cup, held in April of each year.
Here in Newport, he returned to his 1970 position behind the wheel of Heritage on behalf of the winners of the 2014 Tampa Bay Hospice Cup live auction. Along with the professional crew from 12 Meter Charters, Charley lead the guests on a sailing tour of Narragansett Bay and Newport Harbor.
Charley Morgan is the only person to ever singlehandedly design, build, and skipper his own 12 Meter in the America’s Cup. Prior to and since Charley’s 1970 Cup attempt, all campaigns were made by large syndicates.
While Charley is one of the last living original pioneers of the fiberglass sailboat industry, his 1970 America’s Cup entrant, Heritage, is the last wooden 12 Meter yacht built for the United States. To this day, she maintains the bright hull and blue decks that she showed off in her 1970 duel with Intrepid and her storied and successful racing career in the Great Lakes during Don Wildman’s ownership.
The 12 Meter era is over, but, in the town that proudly exhibits America's Cup history, it was wonderful to have Charley Morgan sail aboard Heritage again in support of a noble cause last weekend!
No comments:
Post a Comment