Film Documents NY 30 Crash and Restoration

A new film documenting the history and resurrection of the classic NY 30 sailboat Amorita, which sank off Newport in 2007 after a collision with a larger classic sailing vessel, will be air for the first time at a fundraiser for Sail Newport and the Jane Pickens Theater on June 26, 2012.

About Amorita:

Over 100 years ago legendary yacht designer Nathaniel Herreshoff created what many consider to be the most perfect class of racing yachts ever built—the New York 30’s. These 18 identical sister ships were not the biggest, the most expensive, or the fastest ever made, yet this magical fleet of 44’ wooden racing yachts soldiered on, sailing and competing for not just decades, but for over a century past their prime. While nearly all boats of her era eventually succumbed to neglect, rot, and destruction, Amorita’s 107-year history is filled with stories of sailors who have been touched by her magic, going to extraordinary lengths to care for and protect this beloved little yacht. She has outlived most of her dozen or so owners, and overcome more heart-wrenching experiences in her century than any object could ever expect to endure.

July 7, 2007, should have been one of Amorita’s luckiest days, racing alongside 15 other classic wooden yachts in perfect weather and smooth seas off Newport, Rhode Island. But instead, the day culminated in a horrific crash with a yacht more than twice her size—an accident that by all accounts should have killed 10 sailors and ended Amorita’s century old history. While Amorita was literally ripped apart and sunk to the bottom of the ocean in mere seconds, her crew was miraculously unhurt. 07-07-07 certainly should, and could have been the end of Amorita’s story. Yet, the unmistakable siren’s song of this yacht again brought rational men to act with sheer irrational emotion.