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A visit to the International Yacht Restoration School on Newport's
downtown waterfront is a window into the maritime heritage of the
region. Step onto this campus at the edge of Newport Harbor to watch
maritime craftsmen at work, see examples of the timeless classic
boats that are native to New England, and walk in the shadow of historic
architecture that has played a prominent role in this coastal city
for nearly two centuries. The school is also the best pathway to
the Museum of Yachting, located across the harbor. Each year the
school and the Museum coordinate their restoration projects and
exhibitions, and visitors can travel via water to tour these two
destinations; the Newport Harbor Shuttle runs daily between IYRS
and the Museum in the summer.
Watch Maritime Craftsmen At Work At IYRS, students learn their boatbuilding trade while restoring historic wooden boats. Broken and derelict hulls enter the workshop in the fall and emerge on graduation day in early June, restored to their original glory with paint and varnish gleaming. The school’s docks are also home to a fleet of beautiful classic boats that migrate to Newport each summer. Inside the school's recently restored 1831 Mill building, one of only two mills still standing in Newport, is a Visitor Center where you can learn about the school and its programs and view a fascinating collection of miniature ship and yacht models. The William H. Combs Miniature Model Collection includes toy-like models that capture the beauty, artistry, and painstaking detail of model making and have captivated adults and children alike. The Mill also houses a leading maritime research library, which is open to the public.
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Become A Student Of The Craft IYRS also runs two full-time programs in Marine Systems and Composites Technology from a satellite campus in nearby Bristol, as well as a full menu of Continuing Education courses for marine professionals and dedicated enthusiasts.To experience the art of wooden boatbuilding first-hand, enroll in a summertime course and build a wooden boat of your own. Classes run each summer at IYRS and the Museum of Yachting. A Floating “Mansion” In The Making Newport may be known for its stately summer cottages, but there is a “mansion” of a different sort in the making at IYRS. Watch a team of shipwrights as they restore the 133- foot schooner yacht Coronet, a rare survivor of the Gilded Age. Designed with the luxury of a fine home, Coronet was launched in 1885 and completed two circumnavigations, a victory in the 1887 trans-Atlantic race, a passage to Japan as a scientific research vessel, and 90 years of voyaging for a religious organization's evangelical forays around the globe. After touring the restoration, visitors can travel across the harbor to the Museum of Yachting on the Newport Harbor Shuttle to view an exhibit about the restoration. Visit The Museum Of Yachting Located at historic Fort Adams State Park and linked in summer to IYRS by the harbor shuttle, the Museum of Yachting has created two new exhibits for summer 2010. As the Coronet restoration progresses at IYRS, the Museum will run an exhibition both documenting the yacht's colorful history and the restoration of Coronet's luxurious interior. Famous for her opulent accommodations, Coronet’s beautiful hand-carved mahogany bulkheads, paneling and furniture is being painstakingly cleaned, repaired, preserved, and reassembled by a veteran craftsman and IYRS intern. The Museum has also joined forces with Mystic Seaport to create an exhibit that traces the evolution of marine engines from the earliest steam engines to modern diesel and electric power plants.The engines in the display are both engineering marvels and functional artwork. The IYRS campus is open year-round to the public. For more information on visiting the school, its programs and restoration projects, visit iyrs.org or call 401-848-5777, ext 227. For more information on the museum and its events and exhibitions, visit moy.org or call 401-847-1018. return to Newport Harbor Guide Articles |
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