Sailing at the Museum

Offering inclusive opportunities for all to learn and practice sailing skills while enjoying the unique beauty of Lake Champlain from the Museum’s harbor! We initiated a sailing program at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in 2021 with support from our community. With our fleet of custom sailing dinghies built in the Museum’s boat shop, sailors of all skill levels can experience the joy of being out on the water. Scroll down to learn more about our boats and to plan your next sailing outing.

Programs and Classes

About the Fleet

The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum manages a fleet of sailing vessels suitable for use in various conditions, from our smallest 11-foot-long Split Rock Dinghies, to our 29-foot whaleboats, plus sizes in-between. Each boat is suitable for various sized groups and levels of experience, as well as different types of weather. Our staff can work with you to choose what sailing vessel is best for you during our open sailing hours!

Split Rock Dinghies

The Split Rock Dinghy is 11’ and 90 pounds and was designed to be a teaching tool for all abilities on the water, as well as in the boat shop. The Split Rock Dinghy responds quickly under sail making it an excellent platform for beginners to learn and progress quickly as each correct move is rewarded almost instantly. A simple craft, these boats are also exciting for experienced sailors as they eliminate extraneous controls in favor of showcasing the fundamental joy of being on the water in a fast, responsive dinghy.

The Split Rock Dinghy our smallest sailboat and ideal for light to medium wind conditions. Each boat is ideal for one adult sailor, but can fit up to two people, with all sailors sitting in the bottom of the boat.

Our Dinghies were custom-designed for the Museum by yacht designer JP Donovan and all five were built under the supervision of boat builder Charlie Beyer by boat building students and apprentices in the Museum’s boat shop. The construction covers a wide range of materials and methods beginning with the lapstrake plywood hull, continuing into the carbon and fiberglass laminates and culminating in the careful joinery of the rails and the space age carbon-foam foils of the boards.

Beetle Cat Boats

The newest additions to the Museum’s fleet are two Beetle Cat sailboats. These classic New England sailing dinghies are larger than our Split Rocks and ideal for two people and great for sailing in moderate winds. The Beetle Cat is just over 12” with a wide beam of 6ft, for more space. Like the Split Rock Dinghies, sailors sit on the “sole”, or bottom of the boat, rather than seats.

Connecticut River Shad Boat

Our replica Shad Boat, Mac, is another interesting mid-sized sailing dinghy. Originally built as the tender for the Museum’s replica canalboat Lois McClure, the Mac is a replica of a Shad-fishing boat from the lower Connecticut River. Like the Beetle Cats, Mac is beamy, stable, and comfortable with seats for up to four passengers, with two or three being ideal. Mac features a classic working sprit-rig sail plan, with sprit and boom and is good for steady moderate winds. It also has rowing capacity for lighter conditions.

Beetle-Rigged Whaleboats, Beluga and Sugar Moon

The Museum’s 29’ whaleboats, Beluga and Sugar Moon are the largest sailing vessels available to sail. Because of their size, these vessels require Museum staff to accompany you and are suitable for large groups (3 to 5 people) with previous sailing or rowing experience, and who are eager to participate in the operation of the boat (rowing, steering, and handling lines). This is an excellent, one-of-a-kind experience for a group of family, friends, or adventurous coworkers to get out on Lake Champlain in a traditionally-rigged wooden boat. 

Both boats were built by students in the Museum’s boatshop and are used each summer for our Sail Champlain teen expedition. Both are replica of the whaleboats which would have been deployed off whaling ships at sea in the 18^th century. Beluga was build originally for the Mystic Seaport Museum’s whaling ship Charles W. Morgan and is designed as an accurate replica of the original working boats. Sugar Moon has the same lines, but with some special touches added by Museum boatbuilders for comfort and convenience!

Preparing for your Sailing Program or Class

We want to make sure everyone has a great experience sailing at Lake Champlain Maritime Museum! To help you prepare, here are some important things to know. A more detailed guide will be included in your confirmation email when you sign up for a class or event or book a rental:

• The Museums provides personal flotation devices (PFDs) for adults and children, but you are also welcome to bring your own.
• Wear clothing and footwear that can get wet and store all personal items and electronics in a safe location or water-tight bag. The Museum does not provide dry bags.
• Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, or other sun protection.
• All sailing programs depart and return to the Museum’s North Harbor. All sailing participants must keep within general view of the harbor while on the water. Museum staff will be present with a safety boat to monitor and provide assistance as needed.
• All sailing programs and classes are subject to inclement weather and may be cancelled in the event of high winds, thunderstorms, or heavy rain. If your reservation is cancelled by the Museum due to weather, we will refund you the amount paid or transfer your reservation to another date.
• If you have any questions or special accommodation requests for accessing the dinghies, contact Matt Harrison, Sailing Programs Manager, at least 24 hours in advance at MattH@lcmm.org or 802-475-2022.

Support Sailing at the Museum

Our sailing programs and boats are made possible with support from registration fees and donations. If you would like to support sailing opportunities for all skill levels, contact Lauren Ross, Director of Development, at LaurenR@lcmm.org.