The Race Boats
Dennis Conner's International Yacht Club Challenge will be competed on a fleet of identical J/24 sailboats. The boats are all owned and maintained by the Manhattan Sailing Club. The fleet is docked at the North Cove.
Club members use these boats for racing and cruising in the harbor. Races are held every Tuesday and Wednesday evening plus on Saturday afternoon.
The club fleet is maintained in excellent condition by a professional staff. The boats have all been rebuilt to exact one-design specifications.
All sails, sheets and other racing equipment will be provided with the boats. Teams may only use the equipment provided by the club. No additional sails or boat equipment may be brought aboard by any teams.
Teams will only race a boat for one race. At the end of each morning race, teams will travel back to North Cove for lunch. For the afternoon race, teams will race on another boat.
The J/24s are normally raced with a crew of 5 people. In strong winds, extra weight is helpful to sail upwind. In lighter winds, less weight means more speed.
Unlimited crew changes are permitted as detailed in the Notice of Race. You may bring extra crew and for windy races, sail with more people.
Also, you can bring extra crew and give some of your teammates days off during the regatta. They can spend a day walking around the city, visiting the Museums, seeing a Broadway show or going to the top of the Empire State Building. Visiting New York City is a great opportunity. The larger your team, the more opportunities everyone will have for sailing and siteseeing.