Lynx (tall ship)

''Lynx'' is a square topsail schooner based in Nantucket, Massachusetts. She is an interpretation of an American letter of marque vessel of the same name from 1812. The original ''Lynx'' completed one voyage, running the Royal Navy blockade; the British captured her in 1813 at the start of her second voyage and took her into service as HMS ''Mosquidobit''.

History

Original ''Lynx''

The original ''Lynx'', a privateer ship, was a topsail schooner built in 1812 in the Fell's Point neighborhood in Baltimore, Maryland by Thomas Kemp. During the War of 1812 it was captured by the British and sent to England, where it was deconstructed and thoroughly documented by the Royal Navy.

Modern ''Lynx''

The replica of ''Lynx'' sailing today is based on plans of the original ''Lynx'' made by the British. It was designed by Melbourne Smith and built by Taylor Allen and Eric Sewell of Rockport Marine in Rockport, Maine.

The ''Lynx'' was launched on July 28, 2001, at Rockport. Her port of registry is Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Starting from winter 2021, ''Lynx'' will spend winters, from November to May, at Morningstar Marinas on St. Simons Island, Georgia. Previously, ''Lynx'' stayed in St. Petersburg, Florida during the winter, but relocated after the city began renovation on St. Pete Pier.

Activities and schedule

Today, instead of fighting the British like her original counterpart, she serves as a sailing classroom. ''Lynx'' offers an early American history program and a life, earth, and physical science program to schools, where students also learn seamanship and history. ''Lynx'' is currently partnered with the Egan Maritime Institute of Nantucket and in the summer sails daily with passengers out of Nantucket; in the spring and fall, she takes groups of students from local schools out for sails. In the winter, ''Lynx'' docks at St. Simons Island, Georgia where it offers free deck tours and paid excursions. She often makes additional stops along the route, including in Annapolis, Boothbay, Maine, Cape Charles, Virginia, and Plymouth, Massachusetts.

''Lynx'' also participates in local regattas, notably placing third in the schooner class in the 2018 Opera House Cup.

The Lynx Educational Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, educational organization, dedicated to hands-on educational programs that teach the history of America's struggle to preserve its independence.

See also

* Ship replica (including a list of ship replicas)
* Nautical terms
*Rigging
*Tall ship
* List of schooners

Notes

References

* Robinson, J. Dennis. (2011). America's Privateer: Lynx and the War of 1812. Lynx Educational Foundation. .
{{Refend

External links

Official website

Replica ships
Individual sailing vessels
Sail training ships
Tall ships of the United States
Schooners of the United States
Two-masted ships
2001 ships
Ships built in Maine