American Sailboat Hall of Fame facts for kids

The American Sailboat Hall of Fame was a special place that honored 26 amazing sailboats. These boats were all built in the United States. It was like a museum for famous boats!

Sail America, a group that helps the sailing industry in the U.S., started this Hall of Fame in 1994. They wanted to celebrate clever designs by American boat builders. The last time new boats were added was in 2004.

Honoring Great Sailboats

The American Sailboat Hall of Fame was created to celebrate the best sailboats made in the U.S. To be chosen, a boat had to be a "production model." This means many copies of the boat were made. It also had to be introduced at least 15 years before it was considered. Most importantly, the boat needed to have a big, lasting impact on sailing.

A special group of people chose which boats would be honored. This group included editors from popular sailing magazines. They looked for boats that truly changed how people sailed.

Where Were the Boats Honored?

Small models of each honored sailboat were once shown at The Museum of Yachting. This museum was in Newport, Rhode Island. These models were called "half-hull" models. They showed one side of the boat's design.

The collection of models also traveled around the country. They were displayed at different boat shows. This allowed many people to see these famous sailboat designs. The museum where they were kept closed down in 2007.

Inducted Sailboats

Here is a list of the sailboats that were honored in the American Sailboat Hall of Fame:

See also

• National Sailing Hall of Fame
• ISAF World Sailor of the Year Awards
• List of maritime museums in the United States