Over 30 boats have already signed up for The Rally to the Cup which departs from several East Coast ports on June 10th, 2017 to allow enough time for arriving in Bermuda before the June 17 start of the finals for the 35th America’s Cup. It will provide dock space at the St. Georges Sports and Dinghy Club and along the wall in town for the first 30 to 35 boats to sign up and a designated anchorage area (with launch service) or a berth along the wall in St. Georges for all others.
“Sailing to destinations as a group is an extremely rewarding experience, and Bermuda is just a short challenging few days’ sail away,” said OPO’s CEO Hank Schmitt, well known in cruising and yacht delivery circles for his orchestration of the annual North American Rally to the Caribbean (NARC). “Most Americans do not have time to attend the entire race series, but with some planning, sailing to Bermuda for the finals and back is doable.”
The rally fee of $199 per boat plus $150 per person includes rally planning and logistics, three socials, weather forecasting by WRI, Radio Net, help with customs and immigration as well as logistics in Bermuda, a Rally burgee, and T-Shirts for all crew.
“Simply put, this is about further promoting the rally concept and getting as many boats to Bermuda as possible,” said Schmitt, adding that he flew to New Zealand twice while New Zealand hosted the America’s Cup. “The people of Bermuda are more gaga over the America’s Cup than even the Kiwis were in 2000, so it should be great fun!”
Departure Ports and Hosts
The Rally to the Cup departs from six different ports, each of which have a host committed to welcoming participants. They are: Southwest Harbor, Maine/Hinckley Yacht Services; New York Harbor/Raritan Yacht Club (New Jersey); Newport, R.I./ Offshore Passage Opportunities; Annapolis, Md./National Sailing Hall of Fame; and Charleston S.C., Ocean Sailing Academy; West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Sailing Club.
OPO’s mission is to seek, gather and create quality offshore passage opportunities for its members. The company’s North American Rally to the Caribbean (NARC), a 1500-mile “delivery south” from Newport, R.I., has taken place each November for the last 16 years.
For more information on the Rally to the Cup or Offshore Passage Opportunities, contact Hank Schmitt, 1-800-4-PASSAGe, +1 631-423-4988 or visit www.sailopo.com.
