American Promise (yacht) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids History |
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|---|---|
| Name | American Promise |
| Operator | Dodge Morgan |
| Builder | CW Hood Yachts, Marblehead, Massachusetts |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Sloop |
| Length | 60 ft (18.3 m) |
| Sail plan | Bermuda rigged |
American Promise is a special yacht that made history. In 1985–1986, a brave sailor named Dodge Morgan used this boat to sail solo around the world. He completed the amazing journey in a record-breaking 150 days, covering about 27,000 miles! This was a huge achievement in sailing.
The Historic Voyage of American Promise
American Promise is a 60-foot (18.3 m) sloop. This means it is a type of sailboat with one mast and two main sails. It was designed by Ted Hood, a famous boat designer who won the America's Cup in 1974. He created the boat especially for Dodge Morgan's attempt to sail solo around the world.
The boat was built by CW Hood Yachts in Marblehead, Massachusetts. It was the last boat built by the company before they moved. Ted Hood said the boat was made to be strong, not just fast. Even so, it set a new speed record! Building American Promise cost about $1.5 million.
Setting Sail and Breaking Records
American Promise began its journey from Ordnance Island in St. George's, Bermuda. This was on November 12, 1985. Dodge Morgan sailed alone for many months. He faced the challenges of the open ocean.
He returned to St. George's on April 11, 1986. The entire trip took 150 days, 1 hour, and 6 minutes. This was a new world record for a solo, non-stop trip around the globe. When he arrived, his boat looked almost new. Morgan joked that it had only been used once!
His wife and children greeted him with a cheeseburger and popcorn. Morgan told the crowd that three things are needed to sail around the world alone:
- A good boat
- An iron will (strong determination)
- Luck
He added that to do it in record time, you need a great boat, an iron will, and amazing luck. He proudly called American Promise a "great boat." Dodge Morgan was the fourth person ever to sail solo around the world without stopping. He was also the first American to achieve this incredible feat.
Legacy of the Voyage
Dodge Morgan wrote a book about his adventure. It was called The Voyage of American Promise. The book was published in 1989 by Houghton Mifflin.
Morgan also wanted to make a film about his journey. He hired The New Film Company, Inc. from Boston, Massachusetts. They put six cameras on American Promise. Three cameras were on the deck, and three were inside the boat. These cameras were set to turn on twice a day for 30 seconds. This allowed Morgan to film himself during the voyage.
He filmed over nine hours of footage. This was later edited into a 57-minute film called Around Alone. This film was shown as the first episode of the PBS series, Adventure. It first aired in March 1987. Morgan's amazing journey also led to studies about his experience.
