The historic Great Lakes schooner Utopia, built in 1946, offers a fascinating glimpse into our community’s maritime history. Dockside visitors can explore this beautifully crafted vessel, which was designed by Fred J. Peterson of Peterson Builders, Inc. of Sturgeon Bay. Utopia’s unique features include a steel double bottom for strength, wooden hull sides for warmth, and twin Detroit diesel engines.
Visitors can marvel at her elegant lines, learn about her global circumnavigations, and appreciate the craftsmanship that has kept her sailing for decades.
Utopia’s 1946 maiden voyage took her from the Great Lakes through the St. Lawrence River, across the North Atlantic to Spain via the Azores. After cruising the Mediterranean and exploring the Canary Islands, she returned to the Great Lakes.
Utopia’s rich history includes competing in Chicago-to-Mackinac races and serving as a goodwill ambassador.
Today, Utopia is owned and operated by the Patriot Racing Project and resides here at the Door County Maritime Museum in summer. Patriot Racing Project is a veterans’ peer support non-profit organization that brings veterans together as a team through the sport of sailing and hands-on craftsmanship in maintenance and restoration. Through camaraderie and education, the historic vessels of Patriot Racing Project bring veterans together as a team again.
