Newport occupies a permanent position in the history of yacht racing — twelve America’s Cup defences between 1930 and 1983, the Newport-Bermuda Race, the Fastnet fleet departing from here in the old days. The mansions on Bellevue Avenue are enormous even by gilded-age standards; the harbourfront has been doing yacht business since the 1700s. As a charter start point, it is peerless: provisioning, crew facilities and a maritime infrastructure that knows exactly what a superyacht needs.
From Newport, the route north runs through Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound to Martha’s Vineyard — the ferry traffic is dense enough in summer that you learn to time the passages — and on to Nantucket, where the cobblestone streets and grey-shingle houses are largely unchanged since the whaling era. The anchorage in Nantucket harbour on a July evening, with the town’s lights reflected in the water and the smell of the waterfront restaurant district carrying offshore, is one of the pleasures of the New England summer.
Maine is the destination for the serious sailor. The coast from Portland north to Mount Desert Island is a labyrinth of passages, islands, peninsulas and tidal rivers. Fog is a constant companion in July and August — radar navigation is a fact of life. The lobster is hauled from traps a hundred metres from your anchorage; the blueberries on Mount Desert Island are better than any you have had anywhere else. Acadia National Park climbs to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, which catches the first sunrise in the continental United States.
- Newport Mansions and America's Cup heritage — the cradle of American yachting
- Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket — the quintessential New England summer islands
- Maine's Penobscot Bay — remote anchorages, granite islands and the freshest lobster
- Acadia National Park — the first sunrise in America, visible from the helm
New England's charter season is tightly defined: June through September, with July and August as peak months. The water is too cold for comfortable swimming before late June and the season largely closes after Labor Day. The shoulder months offer less crowded harbours and arguably better sailing conditions. Hurricane season (August–September) is a factor that experienced charter captains monitor closely.
