''Lynx'' is a square

topsail A topsail ("tops'l") is a sail set above another sail; on square-rigged vessels further sails may be set above topsails. Square rig On a square rigged vessel, a topsail is a typically trapezoidal shaped sail rigged above the course sail and ...

schooner based in

Nantucket, Massachusetts Nantucket () is an island about south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck Island, Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a Consolidated city-county, combined county/town government t ...

. 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 The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

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 Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...

, 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 Rockport is a town in Knox County, Maine, United States. It is thirty-five miles southeast of Augusta. The population was 3,644 at the 2020 census. Rockport is a popular tourist destination and art colony. History Rockport, or "the River", wa ...

. 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 St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...

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 Seamanship is the art, knowledge and competence of operating a ship, boat or other craft on water. The'' Oxford Dictionary'' states that seamanship is "The skill, techniques, or practice of handling a ship or boat at sea." It involves topics a ...

and history. ''Lynx'' is currently partnered with the

Egan Maritime Institute of Nantucket Egan may refer to: People * Egan (surname) * Egan (given name) Places in the United States * Egan, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Egan, Louisiana, an unincorporated community and census-designated place * Egan, South Dakota, a city ...

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 Boothbay is a town in Lincoln County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,003 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Back Narrows, Dover, East Boothbay, Linekin, Oak Hill, Ocean Point, Spruce Shores, and Trevett. The Boothbay reg ...

Cape Charles, Virginia Cape Charles is a town / municipal corporation in Northampton County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,009 as of the 2010 Census. History Cape Charles, located close to the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, on Virginia's Eastern Shore, ...

, 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.

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