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We’re the Central Park Model Yacht Club (CPMYC), a group whose goal from day one has been to "encourage those interested in designing, building and sailing model yachts." And day one was in 1916, making CPMYC one of the oldest model yacht clubs in the country.
WHO WE ARE
Our club is made up of men and women, teachers and students, workaholics and retirees, doctors and people who play them on TV, all kinds. We're open to anyone who's interested. Come by on a Saturday morning and give it a try.
Some of our members buy new ready-to-sail pond boats every few years. Others start out with competitive second-hand boats. And a few of us race model yachts we’ve built ourselves. If that sounds like an interesting approach, check out our Builders Corner. Some of us have only been sailing for a year or two. Others, for decades. In fact, several of the world's top IOM sailors race in our club so those with less experience get to learn from the best. We’re a non-profit organization and a member of the American Model Yachting Association (AMYA), the national governing body for 95 clubs representing approximately 2,500 members across the US. GETTING STARTED
One of our biggest objectives is to get you on water having fun sailing a radio control model boat. And while a major focus of our club is racing RC sailboats, we also know you have to learn to walk before you can run. So if you're a first-timer or novice, we invite you to join us for a quick lesson on Saturday mornings between 10AM and 1PM. Or contact us and let us know you'd like to give it a try. We'll set up a time to give you instructions, pointers, and the controls.
Or rent a boat from sailcentralpark.com/ at Kerbs Boathouse for just $15 for half an hour. If you're thinking of buying or building a boat, go for the class of boat that the local club races. In our case, that's the International One Metre (IOM). 
RACING
On Saturdays between 10 AM till 1 PM, from early April to late November, we race the International One Metre (IOM), the world's fastest growing RC class of radio control sailboat. While it's a fast, nimble high-tech design, it's also more affordable than many similar size classes. (Read more)
WHERE TO FIND US
Just inside Central Park off 5th Avenue between 72nd and 76th Streets you’ll find Central Park Conservatory Water where CPMYC has been sailing since 1916. Right next to the pond is Kerbs Memorial Boathouse where we store our boats from April through November (more info below).
STORING YOUR BOAT AT KERBS MEMORIAL BOATHOUSE
During most of the sailing season we store our boats next to the pond inside Kerbs Memorial Boathouse, which was sponsored in 1954 by Jenne E. Kerbs in memory of her parents Alice H. and Edward A. Kerbs who enjoyed watching the boats from their 74th St and 5th Ave window. If you’re in the area, stick your head inside the boathouse and check out our collection of over 100 sailboats. Or stop by some Saturday morning, watch us race and introduce yourself.
If you're interested in storing a model yacht at the boathouse, stop by the first floor of the Arsenal building just inside Central Park at East 64th Street. Permits become available in late February/early March. They cost $20 for the season which extends from early April until mid November. And there are a limited number of spaces in the boathouse so apply early if you want to be assured of a spot. 
LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE NYC AREA? BECOME AN ASSOCIATE MEMBER
Support one of the oldest model yacht clubs in the United States. And participate in a true New York City institution by joining in on our monthly Zoom meetings. For the Membership Form and more info, click here.
ON THE BIG SCREEN AND IN PRINTCentral Park Conservatory Water is considered the most recognizable model sailing site in the United States - possibly the world. We all remember the E.B. White children’s book 'Stuart Little' and the part Conservatory Water played in that tale. The pond and our boats have also been seen in dozens of movies and TV shows including The TODAY Show, FX, Breakfast At Tiffany's, Miracle In the Rain, Three Men & A Baby, Give Me A Break, The Equalizer, Kate & Allie, and Murder in Black and White. And CPMYC has been written about in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Sports Illustrated, Popular Mechanics, London's Daily Mail, Offshore Magazine, and Model Yachting.
THE RULES OF CONSERVATORY WATER
Out of respect for the many visitors to Conservatory Water and the local wildlife, the Central Park Conservancy has establish the set of rules shown in the photo below that we fully support and hope you will too. These include No Motorized Boats. Thanks for your cooperation.
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Credits: Jonathan Hess, Cory Fraiman-Lott, Ryan Blewett Blewett, NYU Tisch Film and TV School
Try radio control sailing by renting a boat.
Rentals are now open for the 2024 season. For details visit sailcentralpark.com/ |