Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina Owner Donates $25,000 to Tall Ship Oliver Hazard Perry

SSV Oliver Hazard Perry has made quite an impression during her stay at Fort Adams during the Volvo Ocean Race—all 200-feet of her—sharing docking space and dwarfing the cutting-edge racing boats parked during the Newport stopover in the trans-ocean race.

The lagest civilian sailing school vessel in the United States, SSV Oliver Hazard Perry has apparently made an impression on the CEO of Shaner Hotel Group, too.

Lance T. Shaner, who owns the Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina, has donated $25,000 as part of a five-year pledge towards the construction and operation of the boat.

“We’re extremely pleased to support the rich tradition and history of one of the greatest Tall Ships of the early 19th century and the Oliver Hazard Perry organization’s ambitious plans to provide aspiring oceanographers and marine scientists with such a wonderful educational experience,” Shaner said. “As an active member of the Newport business community and serving boating enthusiasts through the Newport Harbor Hotel and Marina hotel, it’s an honor for us to contribute to the construction and operation of this amazing ship as it prepares for high seas education and adventure.”

The donation will help the Oliver Hazard Perry Education at Sea program advance its mission of providing college-bound high school students interested in oceanography to participate in two- week science exploration voyages from Newport to Miami with renowned marine scientists.

The vessel is the first ocean-going full-rigged ship built in America in more than 100 years and is the Ocean State’s Official Sailing Education Vessel.

The Oliver Hazard Perry is 200 feet long, three-masted and is a Class-A size Tall Ship hosted by maritime nations around the world.

For more details about the vessel, check out the story we posted last week announcing her arrival at Fort Adams.