12 Meter Heritage Regatta to be held in NY Harbor
by Manhattan Yacht Club 16 Mar 2022 09:58 PDT
June 17-19, 2022
12 Meter Heritage Regatta © George Bekris
The 12 Meter Heritage Regatta is set for June 17-19, 2022. Details and the Notice of Race are now posted here.
12 Meters are the most iconic sailboats in our country. They were used in the America's Cup from 1958 to 1987. They represent the epitome of American yachting tradition.
It is a great honor that these yachts are coming back to New York Harbor to race in front of the Statue of Liberty for the second year in a row.
If there is one harbor event you participate in this summer, this should be it!
There are four ways you can participate in the 12 Meter Heritage Regatta:
1) Race on a 12 Meter - You can get a group of 10 to 12 friends together and charter one of the 12 Meters for one or more days. There are four 12 Meters available for charter. You do not need to be a sailing expert to charter a 12 Meter. These boats have experienced captains and crews to help you sail around the course. This is also a non-spinnaker regatta because of the busy harbor.
Any group, company or yacht club can charter one of the 12 Meters. If you love sailing and appreciate the historic importance of these 12 Meters, you can do it! Just send a note to saying, "I want to charter a 12 Meter." We will send you the information package.
If you want to race on a 12 Meter but are not part of a large group, there may be individual tickets available at the last minute to race in this regatta. Send an email to office@myc,org saying "Individual Tickets" and you will be put on the list to get first crack at these tickets.
2) Watch the races - There will be several spectator boats, such as Arabella, to take sailing enthusiasts out to watch the races. Each spectator boat will sell tickets at different prices and leave from different locations around the harbor. You will have lots of opportunity to choose from. To get on the list for spectator boat information, visit here and complete the form at the bottom of the page. Every time a new spectator boat is confirmed, you will get pre-notification and first chance at the tickets.
Spectator boats by themselves are a great experience. You will meet lots of interesting people, have great food and drink, plus get outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine. And when you combine riding on a spectator boat with getting to see the 12 Meters race, then this will be the best event of the summer! Get your fun friends together, save the dates and starting booking some tickets. This is best harbor event of the year! Don't miss it.
3) Bring Your Own Sailboat and Race - If you have your own sailboat in or near New York Harbor, you can come race with the 12 Meters on Saturday. There will be a special "12 Meter Pursuit Race" on Saturday, June 18. Details are here.
The purpose of this race is to give all sailboats in and around New York Harbor a rare opportunity to race with and against the historic 12 Meters. This is a Pursuit Race and yachts will start in order of their PHRF rating, from slowest to fastest. This reduces the danger of a crowded starting line. Each yacht will be allocated a specific starting time (based on GPS time) and once your time arrives, you may cross the starting line and begin the race. Starting times are calculated so that all boats theoretically finish at the same time. If you pass someone during the race, you beat them. If they pass you, they beat you. The 12 Meters will be fast and start closer to the end. They have an opportunity to sail up through the fleet. It will be a spectacular experience if one of the 12 Meters sails up and past your yacht. And if you beat one of the 12 Meters, you will have bragging rights for a long time!
4) Cover the Event in the Media - If you want to cover the event for media, just let us know and we will assist you. There will be a Press Day on Thursday when members of the press will be invited to tour two of the 12 Meters and also go for a sail past the Statue of Liberty. There will also be a press boat to bring you out to see the action on Friday through Sunday. To register for the Press Day and the regatta, please send your credentials to .