yacht clubs new york

• Work & Careers
• Life & Arts

Join the jetty set: four of New York’s best sailing clubs

Keep abreast of significant corporate, financial and political developments around the world. Stay informed and spot emerging risks and opportunities with independent global reporting, expert commentary and analysis you can trust.

Try unlimited access Only $1 for 4 weeks

• Then $75 per month
• New customers only
• Cancel anytime during your trial

Keep reading for $1

Explore our subscriptions

Find the plan that suits you best.

Professional

Premium access for businesses and educational institutions.

• Get Started

Check if your university or organisation offers FT membership to read for free.

Sagamore Yacht Club

Established 1944, celebrating 80 years of tradition

A Traditional, Yet Family-Friendly Yacht Club. Located in Historic Oyster Bay, on Long Island's North Shore

Quick links, find what you're looking for, dining & reservations.

Make your dining reservations online (members only). Check our latest Lunch, Dinner, and Takeout Menus.

Webcam & Weather

Take a look at what's going on from our live-streaming webcam and weather stations atop the Sagamore clubhouse.

Schedules & Hours

Launch, bar, and restaurant hours. To learn more, click below.

80 years of family-friendly traditions on one of Long Island's most pristine harbors.

Established in 1944, Sagamore has thrived off of our unique blend of casual atmosphere and traditional values; an inviting and family-friendly club that accepts memberships for boaters and non-boaters alike.

Sagamore at a glance

Sagamore highlights a wide array of entertainment, dining, sporting, and family-friendly events year-round., year-round activities and hospitality.

Sagamore has extensive year-round activities including winter skeet, summer sailing, complete anglers, junior sailing, and numerous social events for the whole family. Not to mention our full-service bar and restaurant.

200+ Member Families, Boating and Non Boating

A diverse membership comprised of boating and non-boating members alike. Memberships include house, regular, and intermediate (members under 35).

Waterfront Meeting and Event Space for Private Parties

Two full-service event spaces capable of hosting virtually any kind of event from corporate meetings, personal celebrations, or private dinners to celebrate monumental occasions. 

Curious about membership at Sagamore?

Visit our membership page to learn more.

Head of Bay Avenue Oyster Bay, New York 11771 516.922.0555

Getting Here On The Water

VHF 78A • Latitude N 40° 52.7’ Longitude W 73° 31.8’ For Guest Moorings : Contact Dockmaster Reciprocity : Contact Club Secretary

Follow us on social media:

C lub Facilities

Our facilities are located at Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City. This location is easily reached by public transportation, ferries and car. Our land-based Clubhouse features a grass lawn and several decks where Members can relax on rocking chairs. If you live in an apartment, our Clubhouse will become your backyard and outdoor terrace.

Members love to relax at the Clubhouse and escape the bustle of city life. After races, teams gather around the BBQs and cook dinner. On weekends, Members enjoy the cushioned benches below the sun awning. The social connections and friends you make at the Manhattan Yacht Club will become an important part of your life.

“I wish to be a member for the sailing first and foremost. I intend to continue learning through sailing and eventually skipper boats recreationally. In addition to the on-water experience, I wish to join Manhattan Yacht Club for the social aspects off-water. I’ve recently moved to NYC and would love to engage with others who have shared interests.”    – Conner

We are an active Club and Members love sailing. From our Club’s beginning in 1987, we have maintained a fleet of J/24s which is available for all Members to use. You can sail at our Club without owning a boat. The Club currently keeps 13 white J/24s on floating docks in front of the Clubhouse. These boats are all professionally maintained to high standards. There are also an additional 10 red J/24s which are used for our sailing school.

“I have been to Manhattan Yacht Club on several occasions. All of my dealings with staff have been tremendous, courteous and extremely professional. The Manhattan Yacht Club has a prestigious reputation with a community/family feel with many activities and social connections. I want to expand my network of sailing enthusiasts whilst continuing my education through the school. I believe my membership with MYC would incredibly enrich my passion for sailing and it would be an honor to be a member.”    – Bonnie

In addition to the original shared-use fleet, Members are now adding private boats to the Club. These include cruising boats as well as the new fleet of International One Designs plus Sunfish dinghies.

Racing Programs

MYC is renowned for our racing programs. There are Member J/24 races on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and a corporate sailing league on Thursdays. The IOD fleet races on Wednesday evenings and Saturday afternoons.

“MYC has a great reputation and I experienced some of it’s fantastic sailing community vibes. I would like to bring in my dedication and knowledge to this very special community.  I always try to keep the team together and am of course also keen to help setting up social events for the sailing community.”   – Anja

The Sunfish dinghies race on Saturday afternoons.

There is even an affiliated program which races historic America’s Cup 12 Meters. In winter, the Club organizes a Frostbite Series for Sunfish dinghies. Every few years, we organize the Lady Liberty Regatta and the International Yacht Club Challenge.

Cruising Programs

Each year, many new sailors join our Club with some of them coming from Manhattan Sailing School. After discovering the sport of sailing, people want to gain more experience. Our Club J/24s sail seven days a week from May until October. We have a very popular “Fleet Captain Program” where Skippers volunteer to take fellow Members sailing. This is a great way for new sailors to get involved in the Club, improve their skills and begin making sailing connections. There is also an active Day Sailing League.

“My experience at the sailing school reflected very positively on the club. The instructors themselves, the other MYC members and leadership who spoke on calls, and the members we ran into at the club over the weekend were all welcoming, encouraging, and friendly. This club feels like a great place to get back into sailing. I was also impressed by the club’s fleet of boats and the structured programs in place to grow sailing skills (my experience with the sailing school makes me excited to get sailing again in the fleet captain program).”    – Marc

Mentor Program

Our Club also has a strong educational philosophy. In addition to the Fleet Captain Program which turns novices into seasoned crew, we have a Mentor Program. This is where Club Skippers work with aspiring sailors to improve their skills with the goal of passing our Skipper Certification Test.

“I wish to be a member because I thoroughly enjoyed my time doing the weekend Basic Sailing course and learned a lot. I would like to continue to learn and improve my skills and I think the Manhattan Yacht Club is the best place to do that. I appreciate that you have a mentoring program where experienced sailors can impart their wisdom on newer sailors, and like that the club does multiple social events.”   – Nina

Honorable William Wall

Manhattan Yacht Club’s first major clubhouse is called the “Honorable William Wall” and it is anchored in the harbor near Ellis Island. This clubhouse serves as a spectator platform for the sailboat races and is open from Tuesday through Saturday. This clubhouse is affectionately known as the “Willy Wall” and features an open air bar on the upper deck. MYC Members receive 50% off all drinks at the Willie Wall, just show your membership card! This Clubhouse is also open to the public and used for corporate events. There is a $20 launch fee to reach the clubhouse and Members receive first option for signature events like the Full Moon Party. The Willy Wall is a super impressive place to entertain friends, family and co-workers, plus visitors from out of town.

“I wish to be a member of the Manhattan Yacht Club primarily to improve my sailing skills, and secondly to expand my social network of like-minded people. I was incredibly impressed by the welcoming nature of the members of the club and I’d like to get to know more members of the club.”    – Ian

Arabella is the Flagship of Manhattan Yacht Club. She is a 157-foot mega yacht which offers a luxurious atmosphere and a great place for high-end entertaining. Arabella is primarily used for private events and charters but she is also opened occasionally on an evening for Members. During the summer, Arabella also serves as the Club’s floating hotel. She will accompany the 12 Meter sailors to Newport for the World Championships. Next winter, Arabella will also travel to the Caribbean and Members can book a cabin onboard for a week of mega yachting.

“Growing up sailing was a great escape from the city and was an activity I really enjoyed. Once I started University, sailing became less of a priority and joining a club was difficult in my university. Now that I’ve moved to NYC and started a new job, having the opportunity to be out on the water and take a break from traditional city life, while meeting people who share an appreciation for sailing, would be wonderful.”   – Alexander

Member Community

Our community is an active, engaged and diverse group composed from all backgrounds. Our Members share a common passion for sailing. Almost all Members experience a significant increase in their recreational and social lives after joining Manhattan Yacht Club.

“I took my basic course with Parker, whose enthusiasm for sailing, and the club was so contagious! This seems exactly like the next step I need in order to learn, have fun, and make new friends.”   – Karen

Traveling With the Club

Sailing will take you around the world! Our Club usually organizes one or more international trips every year. In the winter, we organize “Caribbean Week” when Members fly to the Caribbean to sail in the sun for a week as part of a fun flotilla on chartered boats. In November, we head to Bermuda for a vacation and sailing on IODs. We send a team every two years to participate in Monaco Classic Week in September. We also send sailors to the 12 Meter Worlds in Newport RI.

“I really enjoyed my experience with the sailing course. I liked the people I met, the atmosphere of the club, and I’m excited about the events the club puts on. It seems like an excellent place to continue building my experience sailing. I am also excited about the global partnerships as I do like to travel.”   – Kristen

Other Social Events

Closer to home, our big annual social events are the Sailors Ball every April and the Annual Dinner every December. In between there are many gatherings at the Clubhouse, Full Moon Parties in the harbor plus BBQs almost every night during the sailing season.

“I live in Manhattan, and this seems like a great way for me to get more involved in sailing. I sailed my senior year of college, and I sailed J22s quite a bit last summer when I was living in Charleston. This club would be a great way for me to not only learn to race sailboats, but also to meet other individuals in the community who also enjoy sailing. After enrolling in the Manhattan sailing school, I think this would be a great segway into getting more active in the sailing community and growing my sailing knowledge and skillset.”    – Daniel

Dues & Initiation Fee

All Members begin by joining the Club as a Regular Member. This provides you with access to the Club community, facilities as well as the shared-use fleet of J/24s if you wish.

The initiation fee is $250. Regular dues are $1,700 per year and billed in quarterly installments. All dues and initiation fees are non-refundable once charged by the club.

Dues for your first year are pro-rated based on the sailing season. If you join from January through May, you pay normal dues. If you join in June, you pay 5/6 the annual dues. In July, you pay 4/6, August is 3/6, September is 2/6 and October is 1/6.

When viewing the graph below, please note that dues for 2024 remain the same as for 2023.

Juniors (25 and under) & Seniors (65 and older) also qualify for 50% off dues.

Members who wish to have Skipper Privileges on the Club fleet of J/24s pay an additional $800 per year. This allows you to reserve a boat and choose the friends you wish to take sailing.

Family Add-On

If you are married or have children under the age of 25, they are automatically granted non-sailing privileges under your membership. This means they can visit the Honorable William for Member Nights and take part in all club social events.  If your spouse and/or children under 25 also wish to be active sailing members and use the club boats and sailing programs like racing, fleet captain and mentoring, then there is a “Family Add-On” with dues of $425 per person per year (1/4 of the full regular dues).

“It’s a fantastic club at an amazing location, and everyone I’ve met so far has been so friendly and welcoming. With the opportunity to continue learning, and to hone my skills upon the most iconic waterway in the world, why wouldn’t I want to be a member?!”     – Edward

How To Join

It’s easy to join the Club. Just complete this on-line Membership Application & Agreement and specify the date you want your membership to begin and what Orientation Meeting you will attend.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the basic sailing course and I felt there is a great community and social side to MYC too as well as the opportunity to learn to sail. I was impressed by the number of programs and opportunities for new members to continue learning e.g. fleet captain program.”    – Lauren

If you have any questions about the club and how it works, or wish to see the facilities, please email  [email protected] before applying for membership. Once you are ready to join, complete the Membership Application & Agreement. Upon receipt, you will be charged the $250 initiation fee. This initiation fee is non-refundable in case you do not follow through with membership. Then once your membership begins, you can start sailing and hanging out at the club!

“I want to continue building on the basic sailing skills I learned with the Manhattan Sailing School, build my network and socialize with other members as I moved to New York last year. The events look like fun, and the Club is also easy to get to from Manhattan which is an added perk.”    – Stephanie

Comments are closed.

Open Daily 10am - 5pm | 365 Thames Street, Newport RI, 02840 Plan Your Visit

Open Daily 10am - 5pm  Plan Your Visit

Yacht Clubs

New York Yacht Club

The mission of the New York Yacht Club is to attract and bring together a dedicated group of yachting and naval members to share and foster their interest in yachting and yacht racing; to sustain a leadership role in yachting, its history, its development, the preservation of its traditions, and the furtherance of good seamanship; to promote the highest form of Corinthian sportsmanship in national and international yachting forums and yacht racing competitions.

Stories from New York Yacht Club

On July 30, 1844, John Cox Stevens (1785-1857) and eight of his friends met aboard Stevens’ yacht Gimcrack, anchored off the Battery in New York Harbor. That afternoon, they established the New York Yacht Club (NYYC) and made three critical decisions that day: first, they elected Stevens as Commodore of the Club; second, they agreed to develop rules and regulations to govern the Club; and, third, they resolved to cruise to Newport, Rhode Island, initiating the enduring connection between the Club and New England. The Club’s young fleet of eight schooner yachts set sail from New York Harbor for Newport three days later, marking the Club’s first Annual Cruise. During the passage, they made stops at various ports on Long Island Sound and even held informal speed trials. Upon reaching Newport, the members met up with yachtsmen from Boston to socialize and engage in racing activities. On August 8, the Club hosted a fleet race around Conanicut Island, a popular racecourse today. The year that followed was a busy one for the Club. It adopted its Rules and Regulations, opened its first clubhouse and held its first Annual Regatta.

The New York Yacht Club held its first Annual Regatta–a fleet race for a prize cup–on July 17, 1845. Nine yachts started opposite the new clubhouse at 9 a.m. on the Hudson River. They sailed to a turning mark near Sandy Hook in the Lower Bay and returned—a 38-mile course. The yacht Cygnet won, earning fame as the first winner of North America’s longest-running sailing regatta. Today, the New York Yacht Club has its signature clubhouse, a National Historic Landmark, on West 44th Street in New York, and a waterfront clubhouse, Harbour Court, in Newport. The Club’s first clubhouse survives. It was installed on the grounds of Harbour Court in 1999, where it serves as a reminder of the Club’s origins.

The Club continues to run its Annual Regatta, presented by Rolex. The Club also hosts the biennial Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, for international Corinthian sailors representing their yacht clubs and nations and the parallel event for U.S. yacht clubs, the Resolute Cup. The Club also hosts and participates in other national, North American and world championships.

rom 1884 to 1900, the clubhouse was a townhouse at 67 Madison Avenue. By 1898, it was chockablock with “models, members, and memorabilia,” according to the New York Daily Tribune. It was then that Commodore J. Pierpont Morgan stunned fellow members by announcing he would donate three lots on West 44th Street to build a new clubhouse. The building, brilliantly designed with nautical motifs by Whitney Warren, opened in 1901. It is famous for its Model Room and Library. The New York Times wrote of the clubhouse in 1906, “Except for the absence of motion, one might fancy oneself at sea.”

In 1987, the New York Yacht Club acquired Harbour Court, the former summer home of Commodore John Nicholas Brown, in Newport, creating a new energy and focus. The waterfront clubhouse opened in 1988 with 1,500 members and guests in attendance. In 2019, Harbour Court hosted the Club’s Dosquicentennial Celebration for members and friends to celebrate the Club’s 175 years of history.

The New York Yacht Club has hosted Race Week at Newport presented by Rolex since 1998 and many other regattas in recent years including world championships for the Etchells, J/70, Farr 40 and Melges 20 classes, the J Class Worlds, the Global Team Race Regatta, the Transatlantic Race, and the IC37 National Championships to name a few.

The Club is also highly active in team and match racing. In 2006, the Club purchased 14 Sonars in dedication of these activities. In 2014, the fleet was increased to 22 Sonars, and today, team racing at the New York Yacht Club offers some of the most intense competition in the country.

Since 2009 the New York Yacht Club has conducted the biennial Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup. After a successful decade of racing in the Swan 42, the eighth one-design class created by the New York Yacht Club since 1900, the Invitational Cup transitioned to using the Club’s fleet of 20 IC37 race boats in 2019. These purpose-built machines, combined with one-design sails from North Sails, identical gear and standardized rig tune, create a level platform for amateur big-boat racing. Yacht club teams worldwide and Corinthian (amateur) sailors flock to Newport to race in this competition. During the first Invitational Cup in 2009, 19 yacht club teams from 14 countries and four continents competed, and the New York Yacht Club emerged as the winner. Since 2009, more than 1,000 sailors, comprised of teams from more than 40 yacht clubs representing 21 countries and all six continents, have competed in at least one edition of the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup.

Sign up for our Newsletter

Check out our monthly newsletter that includes upcoming events, news and more.

" * " indicates required fields

The Sailing Museum & National Sailing Hall of Fame

365 Thames St. Newport RI 02840 401.324.5761

The Sailing Museum

National sailing hall of fame, get involved.

• Become a Member
• Host an Event

© 2011 – 2024 The Sailing Museum and National Sailing Hall of Fame  |  Privacy Policy   |  Site Credits

The best vacation for your staycation

A cooperative yacht club in brooklyn for sailors of all stripes, all about us.

Miramar Yacht Club was founded in 1932 as a place for boating enthusiasts to enjoy an excellent Brooklyn sail, catch up with friends, take in the view or kick back and relax. Our members make Miramar Yacht Club so special — young and old, some new, some who learn how to sail at Miramar , some with long family histories at our yacht club, who work together to keep the club shipshape. 

A sailboat sailing in the Rockaway channel

Sailboats heading toward a marker in a NYC regatta sailboat race

Sailing in Brooklyn, NYC in a regatta, using the spinnakers to go faster

Sailboats at the dock lined up in the water in Brooklyn, Sheepshead Bay, NYC

A sunset photo of sailboats in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, NYC

Our social events

Three woman sailors relaxing after a race

Commodore relaxing with a drink after sailing in Brooklyn

Young sailors volunteering at co-operative yacht club in Brooklyn

Loved by Friends & Families

Sailing has never crossed my mind as something that I was passionate enough about to want to make a lifelong hobby, but it is now. If you have the opportunity to sail with Miramar Yacht Club, definitely try it at least once! It's quite the adventure :)

Thanks for submitting!

3050 Emmons Ave, Brooklyn NY 11235

[email protected]

718-769-3548

©2023 by Miramar Yacht Club. Proudly created with Wix.com

• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to secondary sidebar

New York Almanack

History, Natural History & the Arts

Atlantic Yacht Club: A Brief History

April 12, 2021 by Judith Berdy 1 Comment

The Atlantic Yacht Club’s facilities have moved several times over its history: the first facility was located at the foot of Court Street on Gowanus Bay in Gowanus, Brooklyn; it subsequently moved to a site at the foot of 55th Street in the neighborhood that subsequently became known as Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

In 1898 the club moved to its most famous club-house, located in Seagate. Seagate is located on the western end of Coney Island, and the club facilities were located on the northern, inland, side of Coney Island facing Gravesend Bay.

The Atlantic Yacht Club was organized in 1866 by a breakaway group from the earlier Brooklyn Yacht Club. Within five years its membership roll eclipsed those of the Brooklyn Yacht Club and the club developed a reputation as an active Corinthian sailing organization that attracted many of Long Island’s most prominent citizens and soon drew in members from throughout the region, including prominent sailors.

The Club rapidly developed into one of the most active yacht clubs in New York, hosting regular regattas and competing against the leading yacht clubs in the region. The Club’s annual Atlantic Race Week and Lipton Cup Regatta regularly drew sailors from around the world to compete in multiple classes. The club was also a driving force behind the formation of the United States Power Squadrons in 1914.

The club’s original clubhouse was a barge that was moored at the foot of Court Street at the end of Gowanus Creek, facing Gowanus Bay. Gowanus Creek, and the Erie Basin in Red Hook, Brooklyn served for several decades as a center of the New York sailing and yachting community, and several important boat yards were located in the area. As time passed, however, increasing industrialization in the area led many to relocate to other sites around New York Harbor and, indeed, locations in Long Island Sound. In the early 1880s, the club acquired a waterfront farm property on 55th Street in Yellow Hook, Brooklyn.

The neighborhood subsequently assumed the name of Bay Ridge, a name suggested by club-member, former Commodore and leading Brooklyn florist James Weir. The converted clubhouse was soon replaced by a larger facility constructed at the end of the club’s new pier at the end of 55th Street. A marina and anchorage were established at the same site at that time.

A new clubhouse at Seagate was designed by Frank Tallman Cornell and built in 1898 on Poplar Avenue overlooking Gravesend Bay (the site of the old clubhouse becoming the main yard of the Morse Dry Dock and Repair Company). The move to the new clubhouse was driven in large part by Commodore George Jay Gould I, the prominent financier and a son of Jay Gould. The club attracted New York socialites and aristocrats, including prominent members of the Auchincloss, Dodge, Elsworth, Fish, Gould, Hoagland, Iselin, Vermilye and Voorhees families, among many others. Sir Thomas Lipton, J.P. Morgan and the Earl of Dunraven (the British challenger for the America’s Cup, with his yacht Valkyrie ) were among the club’s members.

Initially intended as a snub directed at the New York Yacht Club’s largely steam-powered yachting fleet, at Lipton’s recommendation the regatta was encharged to the New York Yacht Club. In due course, the regatta was won by the yacht Atlantic , sponsored by the New York Yacht Club, and skippered by Charlie Barr. Barr, a three-time winner of the America’s Cup, was one of the leading sailors of his day.

The Atlantic sailed to victory in record time, establishing trans-Atlantic mono-hull records that stood for 100 years. The AYC’s entry, the yacht Thistle , a schooner built in 1901 by New York’s Townsend & Dourney and owned and skippered by Robert E Tod, finished 10th. Tod, a New York investment banker, was the only owner-skipper in the regatta.

The Atlantic Yacht Club’s Seagate clubhouse was destroyed by fire in 1933. The club soldiered-on for a number of years thereafter, becoming inactive in the 1950s. It was revived several decades later, in the early 21st century, and today, the AYC operates off Bay Parkway, directly across Gravesend Bay from its earlier Sea Gate location, with a social facility in Brooklyn Heights.

This story is courtesy the Roosevelt Island Historical Society, founded in 1977 to recover, maintain and disseminate the record of Roosevelt Island’s heritage from colonial times to the present. Visit their website at www.rihs.us .

Photos of Atlantic Yacht Club, and the yacht Shamrock III, owned by Sir Thomas Lipton, being launched, supported on pontoons.

Please Support The New York Almanack

Reader interactions.

March 17, 2023 at 8:02 PM

My great-great grandfather, William Van Nyse Hanson, was a ship joiner, was involved in the building of the America, and was an honorasry member of the Atlantic Yacht Club (as well as a Commodore at the Amateur Yacht Club) in the 1800s. How can I find out more information about his relationship to these organizations?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

New York Almanack delivers to you each day.

We receive no public funds - we're supported only by readers like you.

You Can Make Recurring Donations Using One of the Following

Buy Me A Cup of Coffee & A Pint of Beer

CashApp $NewYorkAlmanack

You can also send recurring payments via your bank’s “bill pay” options (or just by check) to:

New York Almanack 7269 State Route 9 Chestertown, NY 12817

Make A One-Time Contribution

Venmo @John-Warren-363

Thanks so much for your continued support! Without your support we can not publish New York Almanack.

*Donations are not tax deductible.

Don't Show Me This Message Again.

Huntington Yacht Club

Dining/catering.

We have a full service restaurant that overlooks scenic Huntington Harbor. Reservations are required. Click here to view more information.

The Huntington Yacht Club is composed of a variety of memberships. We invite anyone who is interested to fill out an information form. Click here

Visitors from reciprocal clubs are always welcome! Please call the office for more information on club privileges.

Marina and Launch Information

Our award winning Elite Fleet marina is a state-of–the-art 100+ slip installation with power, Wi-Fi and water connections. A field of 60 moorings with seasonal launch service. Make reservations through Dockwa

Club Information

Huntington Yacht Club has over 130 years of Excellence. Click here to learn more about the amenities that make Huntington Yacht Club an icon on both land and sea.

Rye Yacht Club Milton Harbor Rye, New York