the new york yacht club

ORC Finds Strength in Numbers for New York Yacht Club's 169th Annual Regatta

Newport, R.I., USA -  Rating rules may make noise with the large custom raceboats, but it’s the rank and file that drive sustained success. The 74-foot Bella Mente will likely be the most eye-catching boat competing under the ORC rating rule at the 2023 edition of the New York Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta, June 9 to 11 . But it’s the plethora of racer-cruisers from 30 to 45 feet in length that are the real proof that ORC has established itself in the United States.

With just under a month to go until the first gun, the ORC fleet for the 169th running of North America’s oldest recurring regatta stands at 33 boats and is well positioned to best last year’s fleet of 39 boats. The record of 49 boats, set in 2021, isn’t out of reach. A total of 88 boats are currently registered for the Annual Regatta.

“Switching rating rules, as the Club did in 2020, going to ORC from IRC, always comes with a few challenges,” says Peter Cummiskey , the event chair for the Annual Regatta. “But our sailors were demanding a rating formula that better handles how different boats perform in varying wind strengths. ORC has delivered tremendous racing, especially at the smaller end of the size range.”

The New York Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta was first sailed on the Hudson River on July 16 and 18, 1846. A similar competition the previous year was called a Trial of Speed. With a few exceptions for world wars and other global crises, the event has been held every year since. For the majority of its existence, the Annual Regatta was raced on waters close to New York City. Since 1988, however, the event has been sailed out of the Harbour Court clubhouse in Newport, R.I., and has settled into the current three-day format, which includes a race around Conanicut Island on Friday, two days of buoy or navigator-course racing on Saturday and Sunday and nightly social activities on the grounds of the historic Harbour Court mansion. The 169th Annual Regatta is sponsored by Hammetts Hotel and Helly Hansen . Preliminary Scratch Sheet for 169th Annual Regatta

Vince and Kristina McAteer’s Summit 35 Divided Sky  has been one of the most active PHRF programs on Narragansett Bay for the past decade and is no stranger to the podium at the Annual Regatta. “My wife and I have always referred to PHRF as ‘perfectly happy racing family,’” says Vince McAteer (East Greenwich, R.I.). “As our kids have gotten older, and more mature, so has their appetite for steeper competition, hence the shift to ORC. Last year was a fun turning point for the program as we had many junior sailors in key positions on the boat. My then 13-year-old, Vincent, was our primary helm for half the season; and when he was off the helm, he was on the bow with other junior sailors from our yacht club. The excitement from the middle schoolers and high schoolers on the team was infectious. It certainly made the rest of us raise our game.” The Club’s selection as the host for the 2024 ORC World Championship has created a spark of enthusiasm in the Northeast. The last time a rating-rule world championship was held in the United States was 23 years ago when the New York Yacht Club hosted the 2000 IMS World Championship. The New York Yacht Club was scheduled to host a combined IRC/ORC World Championship in 2020, but the COVID pandemic forced the cancellation of that event.

For the Divided Sky program, and many others, the Annual Regatta in 2023 is a key steppingstone in the preparation for the Worlds in 2024. “We are targeting the 2024 Worlds, so racing ORC at the Annual Regatta seems like the right thing to do to be ready,” says Vince McAteer. “We will try and race with the rule whenever possible leading up to next year‘s event. We don’t know too much about how the boat performs in ORC, but we are well aware of [Summit 35 designer] Mark Mills’ success in penning boats that perform well across all rating formulas.”

To find proof of the Mills pedigree under ORC, McAteer need not look far. Winning the ORC 4 division in last year’s Annual Regatta was Ben Chigier’s Summit 40 Escape Velocity 2 , also designed by Mills.

"We had a great crew and, of course, Stan Schreyer is a really great captain,” says Chigier , of Manchester, Mass. “We foster good communication and work hard to enable everybody to work well together, and we got lucky. Lots of things went our way, but mostly it’s the crew.”

Chigier won three straight races to start last year’s weekend series and hung on for a win over a trio of J/122s. Repeating the feat will only be more difficult this year as five J/122s are currently registered under ORC, in addition to a number of other competitive teams in that size range. “We’re fortunate to have many of the same crew planning to be back with us this year and hope we can do well again,” says Chigier. “We are a great team, and we always have fun racing in Newport.” At this stage, Chigier says he is undecided on the 2024 ORC World Championship. He plans to race under ORC in the Annual Regatta and the ORC East Coast Championships, hosted by the New York Yacht Club in July, and reevaluate after that.

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Noroton Yacht Club Claims Victory at 2024 New York Yacht Club Grandmasters Regatta

In a stunning comeback, Noroton Yacht Club from Darien, Conn., reclaimed its title as champions at the 2024 New York Yacht Club Grandmasters Regatta. The club, which had been a dominant force since the regatta’s inception in 2010, saw its six-year winning streak end in 2016 and had struggled to regain its former glory. However, with a commanding 4-1 record on the final day of racing, Noroton surged past Day 2 leader Texas Corinthian Yacht Club to clinch the win. Newport Harbor Yacht Club finished third, while Southern Yacht Club secured fourth place.

“We are thrilled to have won the New York Yacht Club Grandmasters Team Race,” said Michael Rudnick, Noroton Yacht Club Team Captain. “We take it one race at a time. We checked the scores just before the last race to see where things stood, and it was a great feeling when we realized we had it.”

The New York Yacht Club has been a pioneer in adult team racing since the early 2000s, with the creation of several regattas, including the Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Commodore George R. Hinman Masters Trophy in 2000, the Morgan Cup in 2003, and the Grandmasters Team Race Regatta in 2010. The Grandmasters event requires skippers to be at least 60 years old and crew members to be over 50, ensuring a unique competition that draws top adult team racers from the United States and Europe. All three regattas are held over consecutive weekends in August at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, using the Club’s fleet of 22 Sonar keelboats. This year’s regatta was sponsored by Helly Hansen, Peters & May, Hammetts Hotel, and Safe Harbor Marinas.

One of the key distinctions between team racing and fleet racing is the strategic focus on competitors behind you. In team racing, the objective is to outmaneuver and control opponents early, often right after the start. “Everybody wants to chase,” explained Noroton skipper Tom Kinney. “Coach Karl [Ziegler] always says there’s a play, and it’s always behind you. In fleet racing, this mindset doesn’t work. But in team racing, it’s crucial.”

The strength of Noroton’s program lies in consistent practice. “We try to race every Thursday night from April until late August,” Rudnick shared. “It’s a great opportunity for sailors of all ages to mix it up and hone their skills. We don’t keep score; it’s all about training and getting everyone involved.”

Noroton’s familiarity with light-air conditions also played a significant role in their victory. The regatta was characterized by breezes rarely exceeding 12 knots, conditions that suited Noroton’s expertise. “We’re good in light air,” Rudnick said. “Western Long Island Sound is typically a light-air venue, so we knew the boat and conditions well. We practice with kites regularly, so the more kites, the better for us.”

As the dust settles on another successful regatta, questions arise about whether this victory marks the beginning of a new winning streak for Noroton. Texas Corinthian Yacht Club, winners in 2021 and 2022, will be eager for redemption next year. Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet continues to close the gap on the top teams, promising even more thrilling competition in the future.

However, the camaraderie and sportsmanship of the Grandmasters event are what truly set it apart. “The New York Yacht Club does an amazing job,” said Rudnick. “The atmosphere is always fantastic. Last night in the tent was a perfect example. We really enjoy coming here every time.”

2024 New York Yacht Club Grandmasters Regatta Winning Team from Noroton Yacht Club:

Final Results:

• Noroton Yacht Club, Darien, Conn. – 15 wins
• Texas Corinthian Yacht Club, Kemah, Texas – 13 wins
• Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Newport Beach, Calif. – 10 wins
• Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans, La. – 9 wins
• Storm Trysail Club, Larchmont, N.Y. – 9 wins
• New York Yacht Club – Altreuter – 9 wins
• Larchmont (N.Y.) Yacht Club – 7 wins
• Gamla Stans Yacht Squadron, Sweden – 7 wins
• Ida Lewis Yacht Club, Newport, R.I. – 6 wins
• New York Yacht Club – Whipple – 5 wins

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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.

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West Coast Clubs Travel East to the New York Yacht Club Resolute Cup

A recent press release from the New York Yacht Club highlighted Bay Area racer Daniel Thielman and his crew from the Corinthian Yacht Club as a new invitee to compete in the annual New York Yacht Club Resolute Cup. This year, 28 teams have been invited to this all-amateur sailing event, including seven from the West Coast: California Yacht Club, Corinthian YC of San Francisco, Newport Harbor Yacht Club, San Diego Yacht Club, Seattle Yacht Club, St. Francis Yacht Club, and San Francisco Yacht Club.

Beyond Thielman’s active campaigning of his Melges 32 Kuai on the Bay, he’s also been active nationally, winning multiple championships in the Melges 20 class, where he’s also the defending world champion. He recently returned to the Corinthian Yacht Club of San Francisco with the IC37 National Championship title won during New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport, RI, sailed July 17–20. This September, however, will mark the first time that his club has fielded a team in the Resolute Cup, motivated by Thielman’s desire to qualify for the prestigious Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, which will next take place in September 2025.

“Members of our Corinthian Yacht Club purchased an IC37 back in 2023 to prepare for the Invitational Cup,” said Thielman. “After a year of preparation, we’ve assembled a team that is ready to make a qualifying bid.”

Thielman will be sailing with trimmers Jen Canestra and Auric Horneman, who have been his constant and trusted teammates for over 10 years of racing Melges boats together, and Nick Voss.

“We currently race in the Melges 20, Melges 14, and IC37 one-design fleets around the country, and PHRF race our Melges 32 on San Francisco Bay,” Thielman says. “We hope that adding Nick as a tactician for the Resolute Cup, with his many years of junior, college and adult team racing experience, will give us the edge we need to be competitive.”

Since 2010, the Resolute Cup has served as a Corinthian championship for US yacht clubs and the only guaranteed pathway for an American club to earn a berth in the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, Corinthian (amateur) sailing’s most prestigious international competition. The seventh edition of the biennial competition — the event was not sailed in 2020 — is scheduled for September 9 to 14 at the New York Yacht Club, Harbour Court, in Newport, RI. The 2024 Resolute Cup will utilize the Club’s fleet of Sonars, with provided sails, equalized rig tune and on-the-water umpiring ensuring sailing’s ultimate level playing field. The 2024 New York Yacht Club Regatta Association regatta calendar is supported by Helly Hansen, Hammetts Hotel, Safe Harbor Marinas and Peters & May.

While Thielman has shown remarkable ability across multiple one-design classes, the Sonar, a displacement boat with a symmetric spinnaker, is a bit of a departure from what he and his team normally sail.

“Every boat we own, and every fleet we compete in, has asymmetric kites,” he says. “We have gotten in limited practices on J/22s to prepare, but with our aggressive championship race schedule in other fleets, we are mostly going to be winging it with a symmetric kite. I would not be surprised if we have a slow start, with results that steadily improve throughout the week.”

The complete list of competing teams is here: American Yacht Club, Rye, NY; Austin (Texas) Yacht Club; Bay Waveland Yacht Club, Bay St. Louis, MS; Bayview Yacht Club, Detroit, MI.; California Yacht Club, Marina del Rey, CA; Carolina Yacht Club, Charleston, SC; Charleston Yacht Club, Charleston, SC; Chicago (IL) Yacht Club; Corinthian Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA; Corinthian Yacht Club of San Francisco, Tiburon, CA; Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead, MA; Edgewater Yacht Club, Cleveland, Ohio; Fort Worth (Texas) Yacht Club; Lakewood Yacht Club, Seabrook, Texas; Larchmont (NY.) Yacht Club; Little Traverse Yacht Club, Harbor Springs, MI; Mystic River Mudheads Sailing Association, West Mystic, CT; New York (NY) Yacht Club; Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Newport Beach, CA.; Pensacola (FL) Yacht Club; San Diego (CA) Yacht Club; Seattle (WA) Yacht Club; Shelter Island Yacht Club, Shelter Island Heights, NY; Southern Yacht Club, New Orleans, LA; St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, CA; Stamford (CT) Yacht Club; Storm Trysail Club (Larchmont, NY); San Francisco Yacht Club, Belvedere, CA.

You can learn more about the Resolute Cup here .

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How Much Does a New York Yacht Club Membership Cost?

The New York Yacht Club, said to be the best club in the world by sailors, is located in New York City and New Port, Rhode Island.  It was founded in 1844 by a group of yachtsmen at the time.

The club was established in 1844, making it one of the oldest clubs in New York.

To date, the club has more than 3,000 members, and membership to the club is by invitation only.

How much does a New York Yacht Club membership cost?

Being a private club, the fees are not publically known, but from our research from third-party sources, we found the membership fees are said to be said to be low $xx,xxx annually and the initiation dues are said to be less than $25,000.  These are estimates given by a third-party source and cannot be deemed accurate.  Refer to the club for more information on the exact pricing.

To join the club, a potential member has to be nominated by a current club member, and as a requirement, the applicant needs to have applicable boating experience and three letters of recommendations.  If approved for membership, the new member is allowed to attend a reception ceremony at the Harbor Court, weather permitting in spring or at the clubhouse at 44th street in the fall.  To read more about the club’s application procedure and by-laws, you can refer to this official PDF.

New York Yacht Club overview

The headquarters offers high-end dining options, patios and libraries filled with books from floor to ceiling, according to Investopedia .  As per BusinessInsider.com , the primary clubhouse also features the  Model Room , which is a room featuring a massive display of model ships.

Tips to know

The club’s headquarters, a six-story stone-front building, is located on 44th street in Manhattan.  Aside from this location, as mentioned, the club offers a located on the water in Newport, Rhode Island.

The club is known for starting the  Americas Cup  yacht race.

54 percent of the members are yacht owners as per the official brochure.  Of these, 1,116 are sailboards and 614 are powerboats.  The rest are yachts ranging from 22 to 289 feet long.

Advertising Disclosure: This content may include referral links. Please read our disclosure policy for more info.

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It was like a funeral at the New York Yacht Club when Australia II won the America's Cup after 132 years

Topic: Sailing

Australia II and Liberty race in the finals of the 1983 America's Cup off Newport, Rhode Island. ( Larry Moran, Chicago )

A weepy, funeral-like procession in midtown Manhattan and an empty champagne bottle turned upside down: two striking images from the day the US lost the America's Cup for the first time after more than a century of dominance — exactly 38 years ago.

The New York Yacht Club in mourning might be the last place you'd expect a visiting Australian to try to gatecrash.

But that's where I found myself on that fateful night: borrowing an oversized blue blazer, jumping in a yellow cab to West 44th Street and talking my way into the members' only enclave.

And all because an elitist yachting competition had somehow captivated our entire nation.

It was on September 26, 1983, that Australia II completed an improbable comeback over US boat, Liberty, winning race seven at Newport, Rhode Island, for a 4-3 victory overall, having trailed 3-1.

Back in Australia, a nation celebrated, led by a champagne-soaked prime minister in Perth.

After a night of watching the drama on television, Bob Hawke effectively declared the following day — a Tuesday — a national public holiday, saying: "Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum."

Three hundred kilometres south of the racing off Rhode Island, the New York Yacht Club was in a state of shock, unprepared for the end of a winning streak — the longest in sports — dating back to 1851.

There, more than anywhere else, at the club's home since 1901, the impact of Australia II's triumph was being felt. As uplifting as the result was for underdog Aussies 16,000 kilometres away, it was, in equal measure, devastating for those supporting the losing favourite.

This moment in history coincided with my first trip — a backpacker-style vacation — to the United States. I'd started the marathon journey from Sydney with Australia II headed for a noble defeat but arrived in New York City with John Bertrand's crew pulling off the near impossible.

The America's Cup was the last thing on my mind when air tickets were booked several months earlier.

In holiday mode, joining some fellow Australian journalists in a Manhattan bar, someone remarked what a great story it would be to sneak into the New York Yacht Club to see how the members were handling the shock of losing the cup.

The New York Yacht Club won the first America's Cup in 1851. ( Facebook: New York Yacht Club )

Along with the world's most dangerous and politically unstable hotspots of the time, the New York Yacht Club on that particular September evening might have been a place where all Australians would have been advised against travelling.

Two days before the races started, the club had unsuccessfully tried through the courts to ban Australia II's controversial winged keel, effectively accusing the Royal Perth Yacht Club syndicate of cheating.

Cup transported by armoured vehicle

Precisely when I arrived at the club, its main doors opened and about a dozen members filed out towards a parked van. Half of them were carrying a large wooden box that looked like a coffin. It didn't take long to work out the America's Cup was inside.

The van was a Brinks armoured vehicle, ready to drive sailing's most famous silverware up Interstate 95 to Newport for the official handover — to the enemy.

Ben Lexcen's winged-keel design caused an uproar in the New York Yacht Club. ( ABC News )

Funerals are often slow and measured affairs but this process was rapid and urgent. While the emotions flowed as they might alongside any cortege, there was also an air of chaos and confusion as a trophy representing 132 years of achievement was ingloriously yanked from the gentrified Beux-Arts landmark in less than 60 seconds.

Jason Dasey lands in New York City in September 1983. ( Facebook: Jason Dasey )

Once the vehicle was out of sight, a few of the members lingered on the footpath, trying to make sense of what they had just witnessed, including a middle-aged man with red eyes.

Fortunately, the man did not throw punches in a fit of New York rage when approached by a journalist from Sydney interested in hearing his views. Instead, there was an invitation to join him and his wife for a complimentary dinner at the club.

So, the New York Yacht Club visitors' book for the evening of September 26, 1983, registered one Australian guest.

'Therapy session' over steak dinner

In the heart of a city with the world's highest concentration of psychiatrists, the meal with a gracious American host had the unfettered air of a therapy session. And, with the Cold War still in full swing, it was also a kind of entente cordiale: two potential adversaries breaking bread in the name of a higher cause.

That same day, Soviet military officer Stanislav Petrov averted a possible nuclear war by correctly identifying a US missile attack warning in Moscow as a false alarm. On American soil, Zimbabwe Prime Minister Robert Mugabe, who had risen to power three years earlier, was on a tense state visit to Washington DC.

The New York Yacht Club successfully defended the America's Cup 24 times in a row before its 1983 defeat. ( Facebook: California Academy of Sciences )

During our dinner, the man opened up in a way one wouldn't have imagined, speaking about his personal pain and sense of loss in saying goodbye to the Auld Mug. For him, the America's Cup — the trophy — was like a close friend whose reassuring presence provided almost daily comfort within the exclusive confines of the club.

The man also shared an insider's account of how the decisive seventh race of the series played out for him and the other members.

Club with no TV and 'ship-at-sea echo'

In contrast to Manhattan's rowdy sports bars, the New York Yacht Club had (in its own words) a "ship-at-sea echo". Then, like now, it was a cosy and refined refuge where members could peacefully enjoy a drink, meal and thoughtful conversation without distraction.

So, with no television or radio on the premises, the only way to get updates on the racing was from an open telephone line to Newport.

Because retaining the America's Cup was almost a formality, members hadn't felt the need to closely follow each day's racing. Most of the previous series were lopsided, with the defender rarely troubled. The US had lost only three of 39 races dating back to 1937, and had dropped just nine races since the America's Cup began in 1851.

But, with the 1983 series tied at 3-3 going into race seven, one member, with a no-dial rotary telephone in hand, was given the job of relaying information from Newport to an increasingly concerned gathering within the club.

Dennis Conner (right) with Alan Bond in 2005, suffered an unexpected defeat as skipper of Liberty. ( AFP: Greg Wood )

Under respected skipper Dennis Conner, Liberty started well and seemed on course for victory. But after surrendering the lead on the penultimate leg, the American yacht was unable to get it back, despite Conner tacking 47 times before the finish.

Australia II, expertly piloted by Olympic medallist Bertrand, crossed the line 41 seconds ahead to clinch the series, meaning the challenger had defied sudden death by taking the last three races to win.

After we had a magnificent steak dinner in the dining room, the man introduced me to other members, with an invitation to look around the club that had operated on that site since 1901. Walking through the various sections, the detail and quality of the many replica boats and ships on display in its trophy room was impressive.

Skipper John Bertrand was hailed as a hero on his return to Australia in 1983. ( National Archives of Australia: A6135, K31/10/83/2 )

Champagne bottle replaces missing cup

What stood out was the sizeable display case that had protected the America's Cup until a few hours earlier.

Instead of showing off precious silverware, the structure now housed an empty champagne bottle, its spout pointing to the floor, symbolic of an institution whose world had been turned upside down.

After the man and his wife had gone home, I wrote my story by hand on New York Yacht Club letterhead in a quiet corner of the club. Then, in those early days of computers long before email, the article was dictated on a reverse-charges telephone call to a typist back at the Sydney Morning Herald for the next day's edition.

Just after midnight, this Australian visitor was the second-last person to leave the club, let out the front door by the night security guard.

John Bertrand and Alan Bond joined former prime minister Bob Hawke in Sydney on the 30th anniversary of the America's Cup victory in 2013. ( AAP: Dean Lewins )

For someone who didn't live through Australia's unexpected success off the Rhode Island coast, it is difficult to explain four decades later the significance of winning — let's face it — a relatively obscure sporting event.

But Bertrand's unexpected success, powered by Ben Lexcen's winged keel and Alan Bond's cash, seemed to energise a nation down on its competitive luck.

Australia had won just nine medals at the ill-fated and partly boycotted 1980 Moscow Olympics and only five — with no gold — at the Montreal Games four years before that. Compare that to 46 medals, with 17 golds at the recent Tokyo Olympics.

Boxing Kangaroo flag galvanises a nation

The boxing Kangaroo flag that fluttered in the Rhode Island breeze off Australia II's forestay became a symbol of its triumph. And it would epitomise our fighting spirit in decades of other sporting battles to come. Rather than the nagging feeling that we might not be good enough, sticking it to the Yanks in their own — ahem — waterways when all seemed lost, proved that anything was possible.

The triumph came just seven months into Bob Hawke's first term as prime minister and remains one of his most endearing moments, setting the tone for his tenure. Wearing a gaudy Australian-branded sports coat, his euphoria bubbled over in the early hours amongst a packed crowd at the Royal Perth Yacht Club. Indeed, as a proud West Australian, this moment was even sweeter.

Years later, the America's Cup would be voted by the readers of my old newspaper as the greatest day in Australian sports history, more significant than winning world cups in rugby and cricket and staging the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

The boxing kangaroo at the Australian team's base at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. ( Mark Raltson: AFP )

It remains the only time Australia has actually won the America's Cup. In a disastrous defence at Fremantle four years later, Kookaburra III was trounced 4-0 by Stars and Stripes 87, skippered by 1983 loser, Dennis Conner. Conner's tale of redemption is featured in a 1992 film, Wind.

New Zealand is the current holder of the America's Cup, having successfully defended the trophy in March — winning it for the fourth time — after  Emirates Team New Zealand defeated Italy's Luna Rossa by seven races to three off the coast of Auckland.

After leaving the New York Yacht Club on that autumn night in 1983,  I took a reflective stroll back to my accommodation a few blocks away near Times Square.

I rounded a corner, past the open doors of a late-night bar whose house band was cranking out a raucous version of Who Can It Be Now? by Men At Work. The Melbourne group's other big hit, Down Under, was the unofficial anthem of Australia II's challenge, but I'd never heard US musicians covering Australian artists before.

In those pre-Crocodile Dundee days, the full brunt of Australia's cultural awakening and transformation — and the resulting international invasion — was still a few years away.

But for a split second on that last Tuesday in September 1983, I caught a glimpse of the future.

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New York Yacht Club Grandmasters Regatta

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Founded in 2007, the New York Yacht Club Foundation has granted more than $13.9 million to fund much needed capital projects in both New York and Newport thanks to the generosity of nearly 1,500 individuals and families.

The care and maintenance of these historic properties requires constant attention and is made possible through the support of the New York Yacht Club Foundation.

Make a donation

About the 44th Street Clubhouse

In 1897, Commodore J. Pierpont Morgan’s unexpected purchase and donation of a three-lot site on West 44th Street was the gift on which the New York Yacht Club would erect its first permanent Clubhouse. Designed by the celebrated Warren & Wetmore architectural firm and completed in 1901, the historic Landmark building—so designated by New York City’s prestigious Landmark Preservation Commission—is a preeminent example of Beaux Arts architecture.

About Harbour Court

Conceived by the Boston-based consortium of Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson, the Renaissance Norman-style mansion was completed in 1906, five short years after the 44th Street Clubhouse. The former residence of the late NYYC Commodore John Nicholas Brown, Harbour Court was acquired by the Club in 1988, and has since evolved into the internationally recognized Clubhouse and sailing center that it is today.

About Station 10

In 1845, Commodore John Cox Stevens commissioned architect Alexander Jackson Davis to design the New York Yacht Club’s first Clubhouse—a distinctive structure influenced by the Gothic Revival school. Originally erected in Hoboken, New Jersey, it was later moved to Glen Cove, New York, where it was known as Station 10. The structure was later moved to Mystic Seaport in Connecticut before a final journey to its lasting home at Harbour Court.

CONSIDER MAKING A

Over the next decade, with multiple projects on the horizon, in the planning stages, or under way at both Harbour Court or 44th Street, major funding is required to ensure that these Clubhouses are preserved for future generations. The ongoing restoration and preservation of these historic properties is made possible by the New York Yacht Club Foundation through your generous support.

NYYCF Board of Directors

Harry t. rein.

President & Chairman

Joseph F. Huber

Vice President - Development

Marie Klok Crump

Vice President - Marketing

David T. Guernsey, Jr.

Christopher l. otorowski, commodore david k. elwell, jr..

At-Large Member

Commodore Charles H. Townsend

William mathews (matt) brooks.

Chairman Emeritus

Lauretta J. Bruno

Amy h. ironmonger, ralph heyward isham, gary a. jobson, michael f. johnston, commodore philip a. lotz, mark mashburn, douglas l. newhouse, carol o’malley, charles f. willis iv, arthur j. santry iii, donald j. steiner, commodore paul m. zabatakis, executive director, andrew b. rose.

For more information or assistance with making a contribution, please contact the Foundation by calling 401-608-1125 or [email protected] .

John Rousmaniere’s many books include The Golden Pastime: A New History of Yachting, The Annapolis Book of Seamanship , and histories of the America’s Cup, maritime photography, ocean racing, and classic yachts. His Fastnet, Force 10 was hailed as “a narrative worthy of the best sea literature” by the Los Angeles Times . Sail magazine called A Berth to Bermuda “Both a grand entertainment and an invaluable resource for aficionados of the sport of ocean racing.”

The New York Yacht Club: A History, 1844-2008

by John Rousmaniere

This definitive new history of America's oldest yacht club and one of the world's best known clubs covers the Club from its founding in the cabin of a small sloop in 1844 through the America's Cup years - the longest winning streak in history - before the cup was finally lost in 1983. Since then, the Club has found a whole new, dynamic life as an active, modern yacht club that still treasures its past with its superb clubhouses and fabulous art collections in New York and Newport, RI. This lavishly illustrated book will be an engaging account of yachts, races, and personalities with names like Harold Vanderbilt, J. Pierpont Morgan, Dennis Conner, Ted Turner, and today's great sailors who have shaped the Club and worldwide yachting. Author John Rousmaniere is America's preeminent yachting historian. His many books include The Golden Pastime: A New History of Yachting; The Low Black Schooner: Yacht America, 1851-1945; A Berth to Bermuda: 100 Years of the World's Classic Ocean Race; and Fastnet, Force 10.

ISBN: 978-0-9706-442-2-0

ISBN Limited Edition: : 978-0-9706-442-3-7

10 x 10, 336 pages, October 2008

200 color and black and white illustrations, hardcover

Watch a preview of It's All About the Sailing , A Companion DVD to The New York Yacht Club: A History, 1844-2008

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Claire Harrington, NYYC Rear Commodore on the Annual Regatta

Join us as we interview New York yacht Club Rear Commodore Claire Harrington on the process and results of a historical annual regatta held on the East Coast for over a century.

According to Bella Mente Racing’s tactician Terry Hutchinson, both the Around the Island Race and the Annual Regatta series were very hard-fought, but for different reasons. “For the Around the island Race, Belle Mente had to contend with not only our competition (which included long-time rival  Vesper , an IRC 72) but also two transition zones (major wind shifts) and lots of bogeys (other boats) on the racecourse to navigate through,” he said. “Saturday/Sunday racing was equally as good.  Bella Mente ,  Proteus , and  Vesper  each won races, and while  Bella Mente  came out on top it was an incredibly tight event.”

Indeed, as stellar as  Bella Mente ’s performance was in the weekend’s primarily moderate breezes, there was no real turning point when the team felt assured of overall victory. “ The last race was short, so when we led Vesper around the first lap after a lot of exciting boat-on-boat action, it was looking more likely we’d win,” said Sanderson, “however, it’s never over in this class, which makes it exciting all the way to the end.” 

Victorious Bella Mente Racing Team

Sanderson and Hutchinson both noted that training sessions leading up to this event were critical in the continual development of  Bella Mente  and its equipment. As part of that, Coach James Lyne analyzed the boat’s sail set-up, maneuvers and weight placement. During training and racing, he photographs and records the performance of the boat from an aero and hydro standpoint. “We were really happy with the new rig and sails,” said Sanderson, “but somehow we need to find some rating optimization without slowing the boat down, so we have some fun challenges ahead!”  Sanderson added that for the Annual Regatta, Bella Mente Racing knew that Bella Mente  would be most closely matched with  Vesper  and  Proteus.  In the end, the three finished, respectively, in first, second and third with only one point separating each position. “The fact that we all ended up so close on points was no surprise,” he said, “but Vesper beat up on us pretty hard at the previous regatta in the Caribbean, so it was nice to be at least in the hunt. We are under no illusion, though; we still have a lot of work to do if we want to be in the mix for the Maxi World Championships later this year.”  Meanwhile, next up for  Bella Mente  is the July 13-16 New York Yacht Club Race Week at Newport.

More About NYYC Annual Regatta The New York Yacht Club’s Annual Regatta was first sailed on the Hudson River on July 16 and 18, 1846. A similar competition the previous year was called a Trial of Speed. With a few exceptions for world wars and other global crises, the event has been held every year since. For most of its existence, the Annual Regatta was raced on waters close to New York City. Since 1988, however, the event has been sailed out of the Harbour Court clubhouse in Newport, R.I., and has settled into the current three-day format.

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Photos: Inside the Exclusive New York Yacht Club in NYC

Located on 37 West 44th Street, New York, NY, the New York City Yacht Club is a private social and yachting club founded by a prominent New Yorker named John Cox Stevens. Originated on July 30th, 1844, the original purpose of the club was simple: to race sailing yachts. Today, the club is composed of over 3,000 members dedicated to both yacht racing and design. As one of New York’s most elite social clubs, membership to the NYYC is very exclusive, which makes photos hard to come by, but we were able to get a look inside the stunning club.

The club was first started during an outing on Steven’s own yacht Gimcrack with eight friends. On that boat, anchored in New York Harbor, the group developed their idea to form the NYYC. They designated Stevens as commodore, and three days later, announced their launching of a yacht club cruise to Newport, Rhode Island: the beginning of the historical connection between these two cities. In 1845, the NYYC’s first clubhouse was built on land granted by Stevens in Hoboken, NJ, in close proximity to the Hudson River. Read more. 

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