Race Sponsors

The ‘Jewel of the Atlantic’, Bermuda is less than two hours away from most Eastern US airports.

Bermuda ranks as one of the more remote islands in the world. Certainly, it is one of the most beautiful places in the world; those from all walks of life have confirmed this point since the late 18th century when Bermuda began attracting visitors to its far-flung shores. Located in the Atlantic Ocean, the Island is on the same latitude as Cape Hatteras, NC, just 650 miles off the Eastern seaboard. Warmed by the waters of the Gulf Stream, Bermuda is a sub-tropical island with lush vegetation; the seasonal rainfall and a stable water table provide sufficient water to support a relatively dense growth accented by splashes of glorious colour. The highlight of the Bermuda yachting calendar is the biennial Newport Bermuda Race. With its beginnings in 1906, the ‘Thrash to the Onion Patch’ has since inspired other long-distance races and has over the years attracted thousands of boats crewed by some tens of thousands of men and women who have raced to this beautiful island.

The Official Rum Sponsor of the Newport Bermuda Race is not your typical corporate purveyor of distilled spirits. Founded in 1806, Goslings has been blending award-winning rums for 212 years including the distinctive Black Seal Rum. The family-owned company proudly describes it perseverance “For Seven Stubborn Generations” and with justification—the company is Bermuda’s largest exporter and oldest business house.

North Sails is proud to renew its support of the Newport Bermuda Race as the Official Performance Partner for the 2024 edition.

In its capacity as the Performance Partner, North Sails will organize race-prep webinars featuring North Sails Experts, race veterans, and special guests. These sessions will cover a range of topics, including sail choice, inventory optimization, and weather routing for the race. The webinar schedules will be made available online, and registration links will be sent in advance.

“The Newport Bermuda Race has challenged competitors for decades, and we’re thrilled to have North Sails continue its commitment to helping them meet it.  With experienced race advice for new and veteran sailors alike, expert weather analysis, and of course, fast sails tough enough for this venerable race, North Sails helps improve this event for all involved,” said Andrew Kallfelz, Race Chairman.

Remarking on the prominence and staying power of this event, North Sails President Ken Read said, “We are always impressed with the energy and enthusiasm that surrounds this event, and delivering pre-race support for the skippers and their crews is the foundation of our Performance webinars. We’re looking forward to taking questions and exploring opportunities to help competitors optimize their race programs as efficiently and practically as possible.”

North Sails is a pioneering force in sailmaking, boasting an impressive legacy marked by groundbreaking innovations that have revolutionized sailing. Recognized as the preferred sailmaker for prestigious events like the America’s Cup and amongst Grand Prix, Ocean Racing, Olympics, and Superyachts, North Sails offers a comprehensive range of sails underpinned by an unwavering commitment to all sailors. North is the world’s leading sailmaker with a vast network of over 100 sales and service sites globally. 

“The Newport Bermuda Race is a classic race on par with the likes of the Fastnet, Sydney-Hobart, and Transpac,” added Read. “The East Coast can serve up challenging weather conditions in mid-June. With a combination of 3Di and Helix Structured Luff, North allows for a reduced sail inventory that can carry you through a wider variety of conditions, a game-changer during distance racing. Our philosophy is simple—provide the fleet with high-performance reliability to make the race enjoyable for participants at all levels.”

2024 North Sails Performance Seminars:

For more than a century, Castle Hill Inn has captured the imagination of guests from around the world with its enchanting coastal setting, relaxed elegance and authentic Newport spirit. A Relais & Châteaux property, Castle Hill Inn exemplifies the warmth and quiet luxury of 19th-century seacoast life nestled on a 40-acre peninsula overlooking Narragansett Bay. 

The historic Castle Hill Lighthouse located on-property not only serves as a beacon for ships navigating Narragansett Bay, but also as the starting and finish line for many of Newport’s famous yachting races and regattas, including the Newport Bermuda. Sailing enthusiasts, fans and onlookers will have a one-of-a-kind vantage point from The Lawn at Castle Hill Inn, dotted with white Adirondack chairs, where they can enjoy panoramic views of the ocean and watch the sailboats flying past as they begin their journey to Bermuda on race day.

Guests and visitors alike can pamper themselves with luxurious face and body treatments at The Retreat at Castle Hill by Farmaesthetics, the Inn’s intimate boutique spa, offering products and services that reflect the tenets of classic herbal formulation. From fine dining in The Dining Room at Castle Hill, to regional cuisine, fresh seafood and seasonal cocktails on The Lawn, dining at Castle Hill Inn is as much a tradition as it is an experience. Guests can also create custom itineraries with Castle Hill’s wealth of onsite experiences, including sailing, stargazing, clambakes, bonfires, games on the lawn, and more.

Barton & Gray Mariners Club is thrilled to partner with the 2022 edition of the Newport Bermuda Race, providing start line support and unrestricted viewing aboard their Fleet of Hinckley Yachts.

“Our Members have been taking in the action and beauty of the Bermuda Race start aboard our fleet for the past 15 years, so we could not be happier to officially support and celebrate this international sailing event ” said Doug Gray.

Founded in 2006 by a group of marine industry and recreation veterans, Barton & Gray Mariners Club set out to create an unparalleled boating experience for its Members. Now with 70 Hinckley Yachts in more than 30 Harbors across the Eastern Seaboard & Great Lakes, yachting has never been easier. With each trip personally curated by the in-house concierge team, and hosted by a crew with over 15 years’ experience, the possibilities are endless with a fleet of captained yachts at your beck and call.

Circle Manhattan, host a clambake on the beaches of Nantucket, and cruise the Chicago River all in the same weekend. The possibilities are endless with a fleet of captained yachts at your beck and call.

Visit Lady Liberty in Manhattan, host a clambake on the beaches of Nantucket, or cruise to the start line of the Newport Bermuda Race. The only place better for spectating than the lawn at Castle Hill, is from the deck of a a Barton & Gray Hinckley Yacht.

Safe Harbor is the largest owner and operator of marinas in the world. The company is dedicated to providing exceptional service and memorable experiences to the global boating community. 

August 12–14, 2022

Mark your calendars for the 2nd annual Safe Harbor Race Weekend sailing regatta in and around Narragansett Bay!

View the 2021 Race Weekend highlight video here.

Helly Hansen Newport has outfitted crews from the America’s Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race and is now the Official Gear Supplier to the Newport Bermuda Race.

Helly Hansen Newport, is the oldest Helly Hansen licensed store in North America, and has become a worldwide distributor of the finest boating, winter sports, and rainwear gear available. They have provided solutions to the movie industry, government agencies, large and small corporations, teams and clubs, private boats and other groups. Helly Hansen Newport has outfitted crews from the America’s Cup, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Newport to Bermuda Race, as well as many professional skiers and riders. Helly Hansen and Bigweathergear would like to provide you with the right solution for your outdoor needs.

To pre-order custom crew gear, email Meghan at [email protected] or visit the Newport Bermuda Race page.

Team One Newport has been the leading outfitter for the world’s best sailors, racers, teams, and businesses since 1985. Customer Service is our passion and we strive to make sure every customer is completely satisfied with their purchase. We choose our brands carefully to make sure we only carry the “best of the best” and proudly stand behind every product we sell. Our Team Sales/Embroidery Shop is the best in the business and supplies customers with everything from technical gear to shore gear, embroidery, sublimation, and gifts.

Shop the official Newport Bermuda Race Team One store by clicking the “Learn More” button below.

Safe Harbor Marina’s Newport Shipyard offers downtown dockage, haul-out, refit/repair capabilities and more. As a yachting destination, Newport is hard to beat. The beautiful harbor, lively regatta circuit, charming town life and central location ensure that “America’s sailing capital” lives up to its billing every summer. At the center of the action is Newport Shipyard. With the biggest lifts, cleanest facilities, and the most dock space in town – as well as a full-service yard, ship store, restaurant and fitness center all right on the harbor front – Newport Shipyard has become New England’s yachting hub, attracting the best boats on the East Coast and around the world.

At Newport Shipyard, we’re boat people too, and every facet of our operation is geared towards enhancing and promoting life on the water. We have hosted America’s Cup events, two Volvo Ocean Race campaigns, the J Class World Championship, and countless other major regattas and boat shows, along the way becoming the port of call for some of the industry’s biggest movers and shakers. So whether you’re a mega-yacht needing a refit, a cruiser looking for a summer base, a racer campaigning the regatta circuit or a transient just looking for a great place to tie up.

August 12–14, 2022

Mark your calendars for the 2nd annual Safe Harbor Race Weekend sailing regatta in and around Narragansett Bay!

View the 2021 Race Weekend highlight video here.

Founded in 1819 and headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, BankNewport is one of the longest-standing community banks in the United States and, as a mutual organization, is committed to the financial success of its customers, employees and communities. With 18 branch locations throughout Rhode Island and commercial lending offices in Cumberland and Providence, BankNewport offers a full suite of loan and deposit products and services for families and businesses.

BankNewport’s business lines also include OceanPoint Marine Lending, specializing in marine and recreational vehicle financing programs, and OceanPoint Insurance, a Trusted Choice independent insurance agency, providing a broad range of property casualty insurance products, including employee benefits and marine related insurance products.

BankNewport is committed to creating impact and economic opportunities for all, demonstrated through their robust All In Giving philanthropy, BNWise financial education program, and We’re All In employee volunteerism. Over the past 11 years, BankNewport has contributed more than $7 million in grants, sponsorships, and donations to a wide range of nonprofits to help strengthen and enrich lives and communities throughout Rhode Island.

“Discover Newport is excited to join our friends at Bermuda Tourism in support of this truly classic sailing competition,” says Evan Smith, CEO & President of Discover Newport.

“Both islands have long been recognized as popular travel destinations where history, sport, and culture come to life. Special places to relax and enjoy natural scenic beauty and an abundance of activities ranging from world-class dining, great year-round events, and a wide range of outdoor sports. As the host city for the starting line, Newport is looking forward to welcoming racers, family, and fans for the race week leading up to the thrilling and colorful start on June 17th. We wish all the competitors a swift and safe voyage to the beautiful island of Bermuda. In the spirit of the sport, best of luck to all!”

Newport, and our eight connected coastal communities, all share a rich and well-preserved New England history along with an indelible spirit of artistry, hard work, and ambition that’s simply classic.

Our complete brand portfolio of yacht coatings includes Awlgrip®, Interlux® and our latest acquisition, New Nautical Coatings, alongside premium brand Sea Hawk. We supply the sustainable and innovative paints and coatings that our customers, communities—and the environment—are increasingly relying on. That’s why everything we do starts with People. Planet. Paint. Our world class portfolio of brands—including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon—is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from a pioneering paints company that’s committed to science-based targets and is taking genuine action to address globally relevant challenges and protect future generations.

Sea Bags designs and manufactures totes and accessories using recycled sail cloth collected from a network of passionate boaters that love the water as much as we do. Of course, we clean our sails before we make them into bags, but the materials retain the essence of what they once were, where they’ve been and what they’ve done. It’s this previous life on the water that makes each bag unique.

We were founded in 1999 on three cornerstones that still guide us in business today: being made in Maine, giving back to our local community, and staying green in product and practice. In 2021, we became GreenCircle Certified, verifying the material used to make Sea Bags Totes and Bucket Bags is made from 100% recycled content from recovered sails and sail cloth. Because of this, we are proud to have saved over 700 tons of sails from the landfill. We also use eco-friendly inks and continuously develop innovative solutions for reducing waste.

Our materials come from Maine first, New England second and USA third. We use one of the last remaining thread manufacturers in the U.S. and one of a few rope manufacturers in New England. Each Sea Bag is meticulously designed, sewn and finished by skilled Maine craftspeople in Portland, Maine. We carefully select and cut sails, considering unique stitching details, grommet holes, and original markings, ensuring that every product is one-of-a-kind.

Bluenose Yacht Sales (BYS) is sponsoring ALCHEMIST, a Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 in the 2022 Newport Bermuda Race and offering another SF3300 for sale and/or charter for this race. We are a broker/dealer staffed by experienced, like-minded sailors, dedicated to assisting clients in the boat-buying process for brokerage yachts while representing many new brands including Jeanneau, CNB, Saffier Yachts, and EXCESS and HH Catamarans. The Bluenose team has a unique brokerage program promising to sell your boat in 90 days or less. With over 50 years of combined yacht sales experience, all members of the Bluenose Yacht Sales are excited to be an Official Sponsor and the Exclusive YB Tracker Sponsor for the 2022 Newport Bermuda Race. For more information contact Glenn Walters, managing partner, email: [email protected]

Learn More” button leading to https://www.kvh.com/solutions/leisure-marine/ 

KVH is thrilled to return as the Official Connectivity Sponsor of the 2024 Newport Bermuda Race, building on our long history with the race starting in our home port of Newport, RI.  KVH has been helping sailors gain a competitive edge since our foundation in Newport in 1982 with the invention of electronics for America’s Cup yachts. During KVH’s 2022 Newport Bermuda Race sponsorship, we were pleased to see our customers represented 25% of the race fleet, with five of our customers winning first in class.

With our technology partner Intelsat, KVH is delighted to provide a limited-time offer to all 2024 race participants on the purchase of a new TracNet or TracPhone satellite communications system, as well as a special data promotion for our TracNet and TracPhone customers during the race. KVH is also offering a special Starlink promotion exclusively for boats registered to race to help participants comply with the regatta’s satellite communications connectivity requirement. Please contact Alexandra L. Mouligné for details: [email protected] or 401-266-8530.

For more than forty years, KVH has been helping sailors overcome challenges on the water – with the world’s first digital compass, the first tri‑band satellite TV system, and the first end-to-end VSAT communications solution. Innovation, quality, and a focus on customer success make KVH the right choice for connectivity at sea. KVH’s satellite communication products and services include the award-winning 37 cm TracPhone® V30 satellite system and TracNet® H30 all-in-one hybrid Wi-Fi, 5G/LTE and satellite connectivity system, and the KVH VSAT network, the world’s No. 1 maritime VSAT network by units since 2011, according to industry analysts. KVH is also a reseller of Starlink antennas and LEO satellite service, providing 24/7/365 technical and airtime support worldwide; please visit www.kvh.com/starlink for more information.

Sailing World connects the community of racing sailors through words, images and shared experiences. Across many mediums, it explores the sailor’s passion and showcases the lifestyle, destinations and technology. It links knowledge-hungry participants to the sport’s top experts, providing unrivaled instructional content. For more information, visit sailingworld.com.

Cruising World is the sailing enthusiast’s passport to exploring the world’s coastlines and oceans while voyaging under sail. Its contributors inspire and entertain through stories, pictures and videos that underscore the beauty and adventure of sailing, while providing instruction on the disciplines of seamanship, navigation and boat handling. The Cruising World community is made up of experienced, committed sailors and boat owners. Cruising World’s mission is to nurture their dreams with practical how-to information and stirring real-life adventure features. For more information, visit cruisingworld.com.