SAN FRANCISCO, CA--(Marketwired) - Hey campers, it's time to go on a field trip! Friday, July 12, MAKE magazine's Maker Camp on Google+ will take teens behind the scenes for an epic, virtual adventure via a Google+ Hangout On Air to Oracle Team USA's base camp at Pier 80, to learn all about the Defender of the America's Cup. Tune in to watch and participate Friday at 2pm ET/11am PT.

Teens participating in MAKE's virtual summer camp can join MAKE editors for the first Maker Camp field trip and visit Oracle Team USA, where they're preparing to defend the upcoming 34th America's Cup in San Francisco, California. Using Google+ Hangouts On Air, MAKE will introduce campers to members of the 120-strong Oracle Team USA sailing team up close and personal, including the boat builders, sail makers, engineers and designers who work with the most innovative materials and fabrics.

The virtual field trip will focus on:

• The history of the America's Cup and how it compares to other sports;
• Dimensions and scale of the fastest sailboats on earth;
• Oracle Team USA's base and the specialized ecosystem that supports a team of 120;
• Sail making, the process and technical materials and skills involved;
• Boat design: the process of engineering the fast sailboat in the world; how digital tools have impacted boat design; future developments that will continue to evolve America's Cup racing wonders;
• Precision crane operation to remove the boat from the Bay and why it needs to be brought in each day; how long it takes to do each day; tips and tricks to keeping the boat stable while maneuvering it;
• Careers in competitive sailing; what are the skills, experience and knowledge involved; what kind of training and education is needed for this race;

Maker Camp 2013: 30 days, 30 projects is a free, virtual DIY camp for teens exclusively using the Google+ social media platform, July 8 to August 16, 2013. Launched in 2012 on Google+, more than one million participants followed MAKE on Google+ during the six-week period. Campers were introduced to new projects and other special maker experiences including virtual field trips to CERN, NASA, The Smithsonian, National Geographic Institute, Disney Imagineering, and Ford Innovation Lab.

Maker Camp 2013 on Google+ features all-new projects and maker adventures from MAKE magazine, with weekly themes: Makers in Motion, Create the Future, Fun and Games, Art and Design, DIY Music, and Make: Believe. In addition to Oracle Team USA, Maker Camp field trips in 2013 include Pixar, NASA, Hallmark, and Project Loon.

"Maker Camp provides a unique experience for teen makers and their like-minded peers to explore, hack, create and tap their creative juices," says Dale Dougherty, founder and publisher of MAKE magazine, and CEO of Maker Media. "This is the next generation of makers who will be the innovators of exciting new products and services, and MAKE is delighted to provide the environment that fosters hands-on learning through discovery, essential to this evolution."

Teens 13 and over can sign up for Maker Camp on Google+ at makercamp.com. To virtually attend the Oracle Team USA field trip, campers only need to add MAKE to their circles on Google+ (g.co/makercamp) and tune in at 11am PDT/2pm EDT on Friday. Follow the action and comments via social media: @makercamp for #makercamp.

For more information on Maker Camp, please visit http://makezine.com/maker-camp/

ABOUT ORACLE TEAM USA

When ORACLE TEAM USA won the 33rd America's Cup in February 2010, not only did team owner Larry Ellison succeed in his goal of bringing the America's Cup "home" to the United States, but also his team became the Defender of the 34th America's Cup. Led by CEO Russell Coutts and skipper Jimmy Spithill, ORACLE TEAM USA is comprised of the best international sailing, design, build and support talent to defend the trophy on San Francisco Bay in September 2013.

About MAKER MEDIA
Maker Media is a global platform for connecting makers with each other, with products and services, and with our partners. Through media, events and ecommerce, Maker Media serves a growing community of makers who bring a DIY mindset to technology. Whether as hobbyists or professionals, makers are creative, resourceful and curious, developing projects that demonstrate how they can interact with the world around them. The launch of MAKE Magazine in 2005, followed by Maker Faire in 2006, jumpstarted a worldwide Maker Movement, which is transforming innovation, culture and education. Located in Sebastopol, CA, Maker Media is the publisher ofMAKE Magazine and the producer of Maker Faire. It also develops "getting started" kits and books that are sold in its Maker Shed store as well as in retail channels.