Volvo Boats in Newport

[sailcapt340]

Shemandr,
I moor my boat in Wickford. Visit Newport often both by boat and car. Traffic will be there, no doubt for this event. But here's a tip for you.
Seeing that your driving...follow the signs, gps etc. to Fort Adams. You'll be taking a right hand turn into Fort Adams Park,
NOW, look for the sign that says "Eisenhower house" to your LEFT. It was the the former President Eisenhower's Summer White House home. Follow that road up and to the right. It leads to a wide open grass area that leads down to the road along the cliff overlooking the opening of the harbor. That is your best vantage point for boat, bay and race watching.
It's not a real "secret" but a little known area used by people just looking for a nice picnic spot. I really think it will take the edge off you going and enjoying the event. If your up to walking back from that spot to the venue, it's about half mile or less walk.
Hope this helps.

 

[Pat]

Thank you so much for the information....I could not believe it would ever close, but was having trouble finding
information...I have many memories of the Black Pearl from back in the late 60's....but we still enjoy eating there when in Newport, esp. at the show. Roger Sprung and his Progressive Blue-grassers.....what songs and singing along.....Pat

 

[dLj]

I'll be volunteering there on the day of the in-port race. I'll be working in the port area helping with docking and such for the boats. I figured it might be the best way to get up close and personal to the boats... I guess I'll see how that works out. But it will be fun no matter...

I wanted to volunteer more time, but unfortunately my schedule just wouldn't permit it. When I was up there for the volunteers orientation, there was a guy I was speaking with taking a vacation for the two weeks the boats are there just to be part of the whole process. I thought that was pretty cool. (I just want to sail more this summer so my vacations are aimed for when I might actually sail.)

dj

 

[Scott T-Bird]

Shemandr,
I moor my boat in Wickford. Visit Newport often both by boat and car. Traffic will be there, no doubt for this event. But here's a tip for you.
Seeing that your driving...follow the signs, gps etc. to Fort Adams. You'll be taking a right hand turn into Fort Adams Park,
NOW, look for the sign that says "Eisenhower house" to your LEFT. It was the the former President Eisenhower's Summer White House home. Follow that road up and to the right. It leads to a wide open grass area that leads down to the road along the cliff overlooking the opening of the harbor. That is your best vantage point for boat, bay and race watching.
It's not a real "secret" but a little known area used by people just looking for a nice picnic spot. I really think it will take the edge off you going and enjoying the event. If your up to walking back from that spot to the venue, it's about half mile or less walk.
Hope this helps.

That is a nice suggestion. I'm wondering if they will block off access to the little parking areas that seem to be dotted around the park. Given that they will be charging a pretty stiff parking fare, do you think cars will be forced to use selected lots that are dedicated for it? I can't imagine that they will let cars wander off in different directions once inside the park. I wonder what they do for the Jazz Festival, which might be a fair comparison.

 

[shemandr]

We were there today. Parking was fine but they did fill up the soccor field across and up a little from Newport Sailing Center. $10 / day today. Higher ss the weekend approaches. Event workers kept us from other areas. There was vip /workers parking on the closer field. It will sell out on next weekend based on today’s attendance given it’s Mother’s -Day and it was bone chilling.
The water taxi is running. So you can park at the public lot near the transportation center and take it over. Or take RIPTA bus which are running to Fort Adams in contrast to what the website indicates. Also thete is a trolly ronning around.
I’ll post pics and comment when I return to keyboard.
A VERY cool day.

 

[shemandr]

I thought I posted this already but I don't see it. So anyway we went Sunday, Mother's day. Here are a few pics. It was well worth the trip.
In the pics I choose Vestus's cockpit. The cockpits are pretty much the same. In the second shot showing the rail I was surprised at how straight the line is from the shrouds to the stern. Virtually no curve. In the third shot I noted the hard "Chine". I don't know if you can really call that a chine since it is a foot off the water. But it is pretty sharp and extends to the shrouds although I couldn't tell if tapered down to the waterline or not. But I can imagine that it would dig in when the boat heels providing stability and tracking. I wonder what it's like surfing down a 30' wave in the Southern Ocean. Asset or liability? Opinions?
These boats aren't that big. You'd have to be crazy to take them into the roughest and most remote waters of the world....

 

[dLj]

These boats aren't that big. You'd have to be crazy to take them into the roughest and most remote waters of the world....

Or you'd have be some of the best sailors in the world... Oh right, they are...

dj