photo of sailboat on sea during daytime
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Shields Fleet 9, which consists of 32 registered Shields class boats and over 400 members and supporters, is proud to announce a new partnership with Revolution Wind, a 50/50 joint venture between Ørsted and Eversource, in support of increasing the region’s commitment to clean energy resources.  

Fleet 9 represents the largest collection of one-design keelboat sailors in the country and includes sailing Olympians, Rolex Yachtsmen and Yachtswomen of the Year recipients, America’s Cup sailors, Sailing Hall of Famers, and a cadre of top amateur and professional sailors, boatbuilders, and other leaders in the sailing community. As such, Shields Fleet 9 is uniquely positioned as a partner to the offshore wind industry in Rhode Island. 

“We believe that recreational sailing and the Revolution Wind project can safely co-exist in and around the waters of Rhode Island,” says Mike Toppa, Fleet Captain. “As sailors, we support efforts to harness the power of wind to bring clean energy to the region.”

Revolution Wind is a 704-megawatt project that will provide enough clean, renewable energy for more than 350,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island beginning in 2025. It will be located 32 miles southeast of Connecticut, 15 miles south of Rhode Island, and 12 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard.

Read more at the Full release.

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...