Shearwater – Manhattan by Sail

Specialties

Manhattan by Sail provides a diverse fleet of ships and myriad of options for any and all who want to experience the thrill of sailing in the world’s greatest harbor. From basic public sails to specialty outings, music events, cocktail parties, family programming, custom weddings and private charters, Manhattan by Sail is dedicated bringing you an unforgettable sailing experience.

We’ve grown considerably since those long-​ago days when a yacht heeled over and making way through the harbor was a rarity, but everyone at Manhattan by Sail remains committed to the original mission, which has always been about making our passengers feel like a part of our ever-​growing sailing family.

History

Established in 2001.

We’ve been taking people sailing in New York Harbor for more than 30 years. Our story begins back in 1972, when a salty welder named Nick van Nes sailed his 70-​ft. yawl, Petrel, to the tip of the Battery in Lower Manhattan. The neighborhood, then better-​known as a haven for rats and refuse than as the urban oasis it is today, left him undeterred. He built a dock, put up a sign and started taking people sailing.

Petrel quickly drew a devoted legion of locals to her decks, who reveled in the novelty of sailing a grand old yacht in a harbor not yet known for its recreational potential. Among them was a young East Village native named Tom Berton. Tom became a van Nes protogé, and when the old salt decided to close shop and sail north in 2000, he knew what he had to do. Less than a year later he founded MBS and began running public sails and charters from Petrel’s old slip aboard Shearwater, an lovely 82-​ft. schooner purchased (and overhauled) over the winter.

Meet the Business Owner

Tom B.

Business Owner

Tom Berton’s New York sailing odyssey began more than two decades ago, when he discovered the joys of plying the harbor’s waters under sail aboard the legendary Petrel and its equally legendary captain, Nick van Nes, who pioneered public and charter sailing in the city. When van Nes packed up and retired to Martha’s Vineyard in 2000, Tom didn’t hesitate long. Leaving behind a successful career in real estate, Berton bought the Shearwater in early 2001 and reached out for the Petrel’s baton. The tests to his will and resilience as a new small-​business owner came fast and furious: the boat, its crew and the operation barely survived the horrors of ⁹⁄₁₁ despite having set up shop at the foot of the towers. Berton – a member of that rare breed, the born and reared Manhattanite – has, like his city, persevered and prospered since, creating New York’s most unique, personable and fun harbor-​tour business. The proud father of two young girls, Berton lives with his wife Eva in lower Manhattan.