| The Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, Rhode | | | | design of many of the American yachts that vied for |
| Island, is hallowed ground for sailors worldwide as one | | | | the coveted cup from the very beginning of the |
| of New England's greatest museums. | | | | competition in 1851. In fact, their designs and |
| It comprises a number of Herreshoff boats, historical | | | | participation in design kept the cup in America until |
| and family exhibits, and the pinnacle of sailing races, | | | | 1983 when sailing went hi-tech. |
| the America's Cup Hall of Fame. | | | | That's when the whole nature of the competition |
| To some people, freedom comes in the form of an | | | | changed, and in this writer's opinion, not for the |
| automobile or airplane, but to sailors, sitting at the | | | | better. Instead of remaining a gentlemen's sport, the |
| helm of a sailboat, be it a sailing dinghy or 12-meter, | | | | desire to win involved expenditures of millions of |
| the freedom involved trumps that provided by cars | | | | dollars in complex experimental designs, ship-building, |
| and any other form of transportation going away. | | | | rigging and promotion. |
| If sailing were a religion, then The Herreshoff Marine | | | | Indeed, sponsors became the norm, making the |
| Museum is Jerusalem, the Vatican and Mecca | | | | classic racing boats look like NASCAR racecars, their |
| combined. It is one of the great New England | | | | sails festooned with advertising decals. |
| museums for sailing and boating enthusiasts | | | | The Herreshoff Museum section offers excellent |
| anywhere. | | | | specimens of the family's designs and harkens back |
| Every sailor worth his or her salt has heard the name | | | | to the day, not that long ago, when yachts were |
| Herreshoff, not once, but many times. Indeed, | | | | constructed of wood, not fiberglass, and the |
| Herreshoff is synonymous with sailing in many circles | | | | craftsmanship was elegant. |
| by virtue of the designs the family has conceived. | | | | Captain Nat Herreshoff's model room displays his |
| It's a name that equates to excellence in sailing | | | | famous half models and is accessible by appointment. |
| vessels, and generations have sailed and raced | | | | The A. Sidney DeWolf Herreshoff Room chronicles |
| Herreshoff boats. | | | | the family's history as well as the birth and |
| While boats, model boats, designs, history and sailing | | | | development of the Herreshoff Manufacturing |
| are the focus of the museum, it's also the repository | | | | Company. There's also the collection of Herreshoff |
| of all things relating to the America's Cup. | | | | family portraits. |
| Write's Halsey C. Herreshoff, the current president of | | | | What many people, sailors included, may not know is |
| the museum, "The America's Cup is the Holy Grail of | | | | that the Herreshoff family was involved in the design |
| yacht racing. It is much more. This Cup, in competition | | | | of more than sailing yachts. They also designed |
| for a period of 150 years, is the oldest and most | | | | torpedo boats for the military. |
| distinguished trophy in all sport, outdating the World | | | | If you're a sailor or interested in the sport, this |
| Cup, Davis Cup, Stanley Cup, Walker Cup, and all | | | | museum is not to be missed on any New England |
| others of significance." | | | | getaway. |
| The Herreshoff family was intertwined with the | | | | |