12 Meter Yacht Charters

What 12 Meter Yacht Charters does

12 Meter Yacht Charters is a privately held sailing charter company based in Newport, Rhode Island, operating the largest fleet of America's Cup 12 Meter yachts in the United States. The company's core asset base consists of five historic 12 Meter sloops — Columbia (US-16, 1958 America's Cup winner), Nefertiti (US-19, 1962 defender trials), American Eagle (US-21, 1964 contender), Gleam (US-11, 1937 trial horse), and Onawa (US-6, 1928) — all officially measured in with the International Twelve Metre Association and still actively competing in regattas. The fleet is supplemented by Hinckley motor yachts, classic motor yachts, and traditional schooners to serve groups up to 300+ guests. The business was formally consolidated under one charter brand in April 2020, though the individual vessels remain owned by separate parties (e.g., Kevin Hegarty/Columbia, Jack Klinck/Nefertiti, Andy Tyska/Gleam) and are operated under the company's brand.

The company generates revenue through four primary streams: (1) ticketed public sails including 2-hour cruises at $110/adult, 3-hour racing experiences at $210/person, and special event sails starting at $200/person; (2) customized private charters starting at $1,640 for 2-hour morning sails accommodating up to 13 guests, scaling to full-fleet events for 300+ guests at bachelorette parties, weddings, and corporate outings; (3) corporate team-building packages that can deploy up to six 12 Meter yachts for racing regattas; and (4) ancillary merchandise and gift certificates sold online and at the Bowen's Wharf ticket kiosk. Go-to-market is primarily direct-to-consumer via the company's website with embedded FareHarbor booking, supplemented by phone reservations, email, a physical kiosk, and an e-commerce store. Distribution is domestic and concentrated in Newport and the broader New England region.

The customer base is segmented across individual tourists, corporate groups, private celebration parties (bachelor/bachelorette, weddings, proposals), sailing enthusiasts seeking authentic America's Cup racing experiences, and private groups of 1 to 300+ guests. Marketing relies on content/SEO through the company blog and website, organic social media, and email newsletters. Headcount is 1–10 employees, consistent with a small, locally managed operator. There are no disclosed funding rounds, partnerships, M&A activity, or AI/technology platforms; competitive advantage rests entirely on the irreplaceable historic vessel fleet and the captain/crew expertise required to race and charter them.

Name

12 Meter Yacht Charters

Legal name

12 Meter Yacht Charters

Website

https://12meteryachtcharters.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

12 Meter Yacht Charters operates the largest U.S. fleet of historic America's Cup 12 Meter yachts from Newport, Rhode Island, offering ticketed public sails, private charters, corporate team building, and regatta racing experiences for tourists, corporate clients, and celebration groups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sailing Charters

NAICS

Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (487210)

SIC

Water Transportation (4400), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cruise Yacht Charters (Private Crewed) (THAEADAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Crewed Yacht Charters (Luxury Crewed) (THAEAEAA), Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB), Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

Keywords

• Yacht charter services
• Sailing excursions
• America's Cup yachts
• Private boat charters
• Corporate sailing events

Headquarters

HQ city

Newport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticketed Sails: Per-person tickets for scheduled 2-hour sailing cruises, 3-hour racing experiences, and special event sails departing from downtown Newport. Open to individuals, couples, and small groups up to 6-7 guests.
2. Private Charters: Hourly charters (minimum 2 hours) with exclusive use of yacht. Accommodates groups from 1 to over 300 guests. Includes private charters, bachelorette/bachelor parties, proposals & weddings, corporate outings, racing regattas, and specially priced morning sails.
3. Merchandise Sales: Online shop selling 12 Meter Crew Gear including Columbia Sailor Cap ($36), Nefertiti Sailor Cap ($36), Columbia Polo (from $50), Columbia T-shirt (from $30), Columbia Long Sleeve T-shirt (from $40), Commodore Sweatshirt (from $60), and Gift Certificates (from $110).
4. Corporate Team Building: Customized corporate sailing events for team building, client entertaining, executive meetings, and employee incentives. Can include racing regattas with up to six 12 Meter yachts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

12 Meter Yacht Charters sells sailing experiences aboard authentic America's Cup 12 Meter racing yachts from Newport, Rhode Island. The core offering includes scheduled public sails (daily and sunset), private charters, corporate event charters, sailing instruction, and retail sales of branded sailing merchandise. Customers are leisure travelers, celebration parties, and corporate groups seeking an on-water experience on historically significant Cup-class vessels.

Product overview

12 Meter Yacht Charters operates the largest fleet of America's Cup 12 Meter yachts in the United States, offering sailing experiences from Newport, Rhode Island. The core product portfolio includes five historic 12 Meter yachts (US 16 Columbia, US 19 Nefertiti, US 11 Gleam, US 21 American Eagle, US 6 Onawa) available for ticketed public sails and customized private charters, complemented by Hinckley motor yachts, classic motor yachts, and schooners for larger groups. Ticketed sailing options include 2-hour cruises ($110/adult), 3-hour racing experiences ($210/person), and special event sails, while customized charters accommodate events ranging from bachelorette parties and corporate team building to weddings and racing regattas with capacities up to 300+ guests. Additional revenue streams include crew gear merchandise and gift certificates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 12 Meter Crew Gear: Official clothing and merchandise brand for the America's Cup fleet, including hats, polo shirts, t-shirts, and sweatshirts available for sale on each boat or through the office and ticket kiosk.

Products and services

• Daily Sails Scheduled daytime public sailing excursions aboard America's Cup 12 Meter yachts in Newport harbor, sold on a per-person basis to individual tourists and small groups.
• Sunset Sails Scheduled evening public sailing excursions aboard America's Cup 12 Meter yachts in Newport harbor, sold on a per-person basis and positioned as a premium scenic experience.
• Private Charters Custom private charter of a 12 Meter America's Cup yacht for individuals, families, or private groups, typically for celebrations such as birthdays, anniversaries, and reunions, with custom timing and guest counts.
• Corporate Events Private charter of a 12 Meter America's Cup yacht booked by companies or organizations for corporate outings, client entertainment, and team-building events.
• Sailing Lessons / Instruction Hands-on sailing instruction offered aboard the 12 Meter America's Cup yachts for guests who want an active, learn-to-sail experience rather than a passive excursion.
• Branded Sailing Merchandise Retail sale of branded sailing apparel and accessories tied to the 12 Meter Yacht Charters brand, available to guests and walk-in retail customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Columbia won 1st in class for the 2019 12 Meter World Championship Traditional Division
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sightsailing Newport: Direct competitor offering ticketed schooner and sailing cruises out of Newport, RI. Comparable product/customer set (Newport tourists seeking on-water experiences) and overlapping ticketed cruise model make it the most directly comparable peer.
• Newport Harbor Shuttle / Newport Harbor Tours: Operates harbor sightseeing tours in Newport competing for the same tourist on-water experience dollars. Comparable tourist geography and ticket-based business model, though typically on smaller vessels.

Regional players

• Sail Newport: Nonprofit sailing center in Newport offering lessons, rentals, and sailing experiences to locals and visitors. Comparable regional audience and access to Newport harbor infrastructure, though more community-school oriented than premium charter.

Broad incumbents

• Dream Yacht Charter: Large established yacht charter operator with bareboat and crewed offerings. Comparable crewed yacht charter use case at a wider scale, though focused primarily on catamarans and destination cruising rather than heritage racing yachts.
• GetMyBoat: Global peer-to-peer boat rental marketplace. Indirectly competitive as an alternative booking channel for charter customers looking for sailing/water experiences in Newport and other coastal markets.
• Sailo: Peer-to-peer boat charter marketplace with global reach. While not a direct sailing-charter competitor, it competes for incremental nautical leisure bookings and offers a comparable end-customer alternative for sailing experiences.

Others

• Clarke Cooke House: Newport luxury dining partner featured in the company's Dine & Sail package. Adjacent ecosystem participant that cooperates with and competes for the same Newport luxury tourist wallet; useful reference for partnership economics.

Emerging players

• J/World Sailing Performance: Sailing school and charter operator offering racing and charter experiences. Comparable hands-on sailing/racing exposure model, especially relevant for the racing-experience and corporate team building use cases.
• Classic Charter Sailing (Maine Coast): Operates heritage schooner and windjammer cruises along the New England coast. Comparable premium small-ship sailing experience model with similar trip-based pricing and tourist customer segment.
• Annapolis Sailboat Charters: East Coast sailing charter operator serving Annapolis waters, competing for similar sailing-experience customers. Comparable business model (per-person and private charters) in an adjacent coastal sailing market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/12MeterChartersNewport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/12-meter-charters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 12 Meter Yacht Charters