Spectator information

With Lady Liberty to the south and the Freedom Tower and Manhattan skyline to the east, the 2025 Around Long Island Regatta will begin Thursday, July 24, 2025, at 1100 hours.

In 1976, Frank Braynard, one of the creators of the South Street Seaport and the Bicentennial Tall Ships celebration, brought the idea for an Around Long Island regatta to Sea Cliff Yacht Club and the event was born. The original start began offshore, south of the mainland, in open water. In 2017, to make the start more exciting for racers and spectators, the club moved the start to NY Harbor. Now, the excitement of the start can be viewed from the stadium-style vantage offered by the Manhattan Yacht Club’s “Willy Wall” anchored just off of Ellis Island.

The Willy Wall is open to all spectators who want to experience the excitement of a regatta start up close. Join us for a fun afternoon on New York Harbor with a spectacular view of the start. There will be a cash bar and you can bring your own food.

How To Get To The Willy Wall From Manhattan

Take the Little Lady ferry from World Financial Center Terminal at Vesey St toward Liberty Landing Marina in Jersey City. Get off at the second stop at Liberty Landing Marina http://www.libertylandingferry.com/. You’ll need to walk around the Liberty Landing Marina to Dock D where the Manhattan Yacht Club (MYC) launch will pick you up and then proceed to the Will6 Wall.

If Arriving by Car

You can park at Liberty Landing Marina (Google Maps) and proceed to Dock D.  The ALIR/MYC Launch will be at Dock D at the Liberty Landing Marina, where you will get on the next launch that will take you to the Willy Wall.

ALIR/MYC Launch

The ALIR/MYC launch runs every 30 minutes from the Liberty Landing Marina beginning at 9 AM.

The starting sequence will begin at 11 AM. The first start will begin at 11:05 AM with subsequent starts every 10 minutes until everyone is started by about 12:05 PM.

For more information about the race or the start, check out this website or email alir@seacliffyc.org. 

We look forward to seeing you on Thursday, July 24, 2025