Newport, Martha’s Vineyard & the Edgartown Yacht Club 12 Meter Regatta
Up to 9 days and 8 nights on our flagship Arabella
August 7-15, 2023
This summer, the MYC Annual Cruise on Arabella will start in Newport, RI. Arabella will be anchored in the harbor and serve as your floating hotel to explore and enjoy the sailing capitol of our country. Then Arabella will cruise over to to Martha’s Vineyard, the distinguished summer playground of the rich and famous. We will anchor off Edgartown and guests can visit and explore the many aspects of the island, including the famous beaches. We will also send a team to race in the Edgartown Yacht Club’s 12 Meter Regatta. Arabella will serve as a spectator boat so you can go out to watch the races and cheer our team on Saturday & Sunday. And finally on Monday, Arabella will return to Newport. This luxurious week of vacation onboard our 157-foot flagship is only open to MYC Members and their guests.
The itinerary for this incredible week is detailed below. Space is limited to 34 guests. For more information and to reserve a cabin, email office@myc.org.
Monday, August 7, 2023 – Board Arabella in Newport Harbor
The cruise begins! Arabella will accept members beginning at 6 pm on Monday. You can also arrive anytime on Tuesday or before 9 am on Wednesday.
Newport is easy to reach from NYC by Amtrack. Exit at North Kingston and Uber/Lyft the final leg to Newport. You can also drive up, or do a one-way car rental. When you get to Newport, go to the Newport Yachting Center (right in the center of it all) and Arabella’s tender will pick you up from the dock and bring you onboard. Arabella anchors in the harbor to the west of Goat Island. While in Newport, breakfasts and lunches will be served onboard and you go ashore for one of the many fine dining experiences in the evening, plus the nightlife!
Tuesday, August 8, 2023 – Explore in Newport RI
On Tuesday, we will remain at anchor so members can go ashore and explore Newport. There is a lot to do! If you have never been before, save time to tour some of the famous mansions or do the Cliff Walk. This is the new Sailing Museum as well as the Tennis Hall of Fame. To sail around the harbor, you can visit Sail Newport at Fort Adams where many members have rented J/22s in the past. You can also buy a ticket to ride aboard one of Newport’s charter 12 Meters like American Eagle or Columbia or do a sunset trip on Madeline or Rum Runner. If you have time, don’t forget to walk around the Newport Shipyard and see the other mega yachts. This shipyard is where Arabella was rebuilt in 2000. You can visit their Belle’s Cafe for lunch outdoors. At sunset, all Members are encouraged to gather for cocktails on the lawn at Castle Hill where you can watch the yachts sail in and out of Newport Harbor. After the sun sets, its time for a special Newport evening and you will be able to have oysters, steaks, clam chowder and more. Don’t forget to stop by the Cooke House on Banister’s Wharf. But remember, the launch back to Arabella ends at 12 midnight and the hot tub closes at 1 am. This is only the start of our week long cruise!
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 – Sail to Martha’s Vineyard and Edgartown
On Wednesday morning after breakfast, Arabella will weigh anchor, fire the cannon and depart Newport Harbor. She will travel out the East Passage and pass Castle Hill on her portside. Then her sails will be raised. After passing to starboard of Bretton Reef, Arabella will turn east and sail towards Vineyard Sound. This will be a full day of sailing and depending on wind, we expect to anchor off Edgartown by late afternoon. While sailing towards Vineyard Sound, keep your eyes out for whales. Last summer, we spotted a humpback whale swimming in a southerly direction.
If the wind is fine on this day, everyone will get a chance to help raise the mizzen sail and also steer Arabella on her course. Be sure to get your picture at the steering wheel!
Thursday, August 10, 2023 – Day of Exploration on Martha’s Vineyard
This year, you will have several days of extraordinary summer vacation on the jeweled island of Martha’s Vineyard where the rich and famous go to relax and unwind. There is nothing comparable to the summer atmosphere and laid back style of Martha’s Vineyard. We will stay at anchor off Edgartown and it is only a short tender ride in to town. For the next few days, Arabella will serve as your beautiful floating hotel. There are so many places to visit and dine on Martha’s Vineyard that you will only be able to scratch the surface.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g29528-Activities-Martha_s_Vineyard_Massachusetts.html
https://thegetaway.com/destinations/plan-your-getaway-to-marthas-vineyard/3/
Friday, August 11 – Arrival of our 12 Meter “America II” at the Edgartown Yacht Club
Now you can wake up late, stretch, have a cup of coffee outdoors on the aft horseshoe and then slowly start your breakfast. By this point in our Annual Cruise, the rest of the world will seem so far away. Friday is a second day to relax and unwind on the beautiful island of Martha’s Vineyard.
But soon our yachting engagements will pick up in the evening when we anticipate the arrival of our 12 Meter “America II.” Yacht club members will be encouraged to put on their blazers, ties and scarves, and other finest apparel, as we head over to the historic Edgartown Yacht Club to catch the lines of our flagship as she pulls in to dock. Then we celebrate and toast our delivery crew with drinks from the Edgartown Yacht Club bar. And by the way, they have the best oysters of any club in the United States. If you have not yet tried them, ask for a dozen oysters from Sweet Neck Farm at the bar. They will be among the best oysters you have tasted in your life, guaranteed!
Photo: Part of the intrepid crew of MYC members who raced our flagship America II (US46) at the 2021 Edgartown Yacht Club 12 Meter Regatta. On Saturday & Sunday, guests on Arabella will have the option of going out to cheer on our racing team.
Saturday – A Day at the Races
One of the reasons for this year’s Annual Cruise stopping by Martha’s Vineyard, besides that it is the best summer vacation place in the country, is that we also want to watch and support our 1987 America’s Cup 12 Meter “America II” which will be racing in the Edgartown Yacht Club 12 Meter Regatta. There will be two days of racing with Arabella going out to watch the races each day. Twelve Meter Regattas normally have fun social events attached with them as well and if any of these are opened to our Members, we will be there. There is also a possibility that we will host some of the 12 Meters sailors onboard Arabella for a Mount Gay Rum & Tonic party one evening. This regatta should be amazing, and we meet lots of sailors and make many new friends.
On Saturday, Arabella will head out to watch the afternoon races and then anchor back in front of Edgartown for our members to go ashore and celebrate with the sailors at the Edgartown Yacht Club.
Photo: Our flagship America II (US46) leads the race at the 2021 Edgartown Yacht Club 12 Meter Regatta. We won two of the four races that summer.
Sunday – Another Opportunity to watch the 12 Meter Races & Awards Ceremony at the Edgartown Yacht Club
The 12 Meter Regatta runs over two days. On Sunday, Arabella will again go out to watch the afternoon races. You can stay aboard and cheer for our team, or head ashore and do more exploration of the island. Later in the afternoon after the races have ended, the Awards Ceremony will be held at the Edgartown Yacht Club. All members are encouraged to put on their finest yachting clothes and again head to the club to support our team which hopefully wins a trophy.
On Sunday night, Arabella will stay at anchor off Martha’s Vineyard. Members who have to be in an office on Monday can fly back by plane from Martha’s Vineyard on Sunday night or Monday morning. And those of us who are lucky to stay can keep the party going.
Monday, August 14, 2021 – Sail back to Newport & Sunset Cruise with Cannon Salute
On the day after the regatta ends, Arabella will raise her anchor in the morning and head down the Elizabethan Chain in search of fresh sea breezes for her sail back to Newport. We look forward to shaking out all the sail for this glorious day-after-the-regatta cruise. Our arrival in Newport is expected to be in the late afternoon. At sunset, Arabella will give our guests one final “wow-experience” by doing a tour around Newport’s inner-harbor before heading out to Castle Hill where the canon will be fired to salute the spectators onshore. Be prepared for a return salute! After we return to anchor, guests will have one final night in Newport and in Arabella’s legendary hot tub.
Tuesday, August 15, 2021 – Depart Arabella
All great things must always come to an end, but this week-long vacation on our 157-foot flagship will live on in your memory for many years. Tuesday morning is departure day for our final guests. The tender will take you from our anchorage in the center of Newport harbor back to the Newport Yachting Center where you can catch a train or rent a car to return to Manhattan. Thank you for living the dream with Arabella and her great crew. Until next year’s MYC Annual Cruise, bon voyage!
The 2023 MYC Annual Cruise is open to members and their guests. There are 18 cabins which are for double or single occupancy. The public rates for a similar cruise to this can be seen see at https://americansailingvacations.com/experiences/cruises/arabella-new-england/. However, since Arabella is owned by Manhattan Yacht Cub, our members get special rates which will be in the range of 40-50% off. To express interest in one of the cabins and to request the special member rates, please email office@myc.org.
