America’s Schooner Cup to Grace the Waters of San Diego

Our March 7 ‘Lectronic Latitude on the schooner Mayan inspired Jerry Newton to write in about the America’s Schooner Cup:

On April 5, 2025, 12 schooners are expected to start the 37th running of the America’s Schooner Cup Charity Regatta on San Diego Bay. They will represent some of yachting’s most famous designers and the determination of dedicated owners who have kept them afloat as a living snapshot of the West Coast’s sailing heritage. Witchcraft, a 36-ft staysail schooner built and sailed by Brian Eichenlaub, will be defending her 2024 Schooner Cup win.

A rarity today, the schooner rig has its roots in early American cargo hauling and fishing. The graceful vessels, designed with an emphasis on speed under sail, are treasured as examples of our maritime history. They’re widely regarded as the most beautiful of all sailing ships.

The Return of Scrimshaw

This year the fleet will see the return of Scrimshaw, a 40-ft Block Island boat formerly owned by Dennis Daoust of Silver Gate Yacht Club. Despite being a working boat, Scrimshaw is not slow. She won the 2010 America’s Schooner Cup. Dennis had owned Scrimshaw for 45 years and made several trips to Mexico carrying used appliances as freight. Scrimshaw has made a six-day passage from San Diego to Yelapa, Mexico, averaging 7.2 knots while hauling freight! In 2024, the Maritime Museum of San Diego acquired Scrimshaw as a fine example of this early type of American working vessel. She will race with the schooners for the first time since 2019. Block Island boats were used for fishing and to carry freight into small harbors in New England in the days before roads connecting ports were established (see D. Daoust, WoodenBoat 221.)

The race starts and ends in the bay off the public beach near Silver Gate YC on Shelter Island. Three handicap classes will start between 11:30 a.m. and noon. The 13-mile course takes the boats out past Point Loma to sea buoy SD1 and back into San Diego Bay.

The Smallest (and Biggest) Competitors

Simultaneously held in the Shelter Island Basin behind SGYC will be match races between the local 10-ft Intergalactic Schooners. In the second race, a SGYC Junior sailor will replace one of the adult crew to ensure a well-trained supply of future schooner crew.

Spectators can race the America’s Schooner Cup aboard the 136-ft coastal schooner Bill of Rights. For information on booking passage aboard Bill of Rights, visit https://wesailthedream.org/schooner-cup.

Silver Gate YC hosts the America’s Schooner Cup Charity Regatta. It benefits the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society. This organization provides financial, educational and post-combat support to members of our Naval Service, its eligible family members, and survivors.

For more information on this April event, visit www.americasschoonercup.org.