Take the Country’s Largest Passenger Sailboat for a Spin

New Yorkers will again have a chance to cruise around New York’s waterways in a luxury, historic replica sailboat right in Lower Manhattan. 

This month Manhattan by Sail returns to the Seaport for the first time in nine years, offering speciality sails and private charters on its newly renovated sailboat, the Clipper City, the largest of its kind in the country. 

The ship is a replica of the lumber-hauling schooners that helped build America more than a century ago. Clipper City itself was built in the mid-1980s using plans purchased from the Smithsonian. It’s 158 feet long, with 100-foot-tall masts and room for 149 passengers, which the company says is the most of any passenger sailboat in the whole country. 

There’s lots of room to spread out across its spacious decks, full-service bar, ample seating and raised quarter deck that offers great views of the city from the harbor. Expect tasty cocktails on tap, local beers and hot beverages once the fall sets in. 

The return of Manhattan by Sail comes after nearly a decade of planning and after Pier 17 was rebuilt in recent years. Sailing packages are available for daytime, sunset and city lights cruises, passing by the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Governors Island. Visit the site to book a trip or read more about Clipper City and its history.