Waterborne Activities

The Academy boasts one of the finest waterfront training programs in the country. A wide range of extracurricular activities are available to challenge midshipmen competitively and professionally. As a result, nearly 25 percent of the student body participate in these programs, making the Yocum Sailing Center home to some of the most popular activities on campus.

To support the curricular educational program, there are several modern, speciallyequipped vessels that are used as floating laboratories for transportation and engineering students, in both core and elective programs. The centerpiece of the fleet is the 224-foot training ship, KINGS POINTER. The vessel gets underway for routine training throughout the week, and takes part in weekend and week-long training cruises along the East Coast.

In the extracurricular arena, the Varsity Intercollegiate Sailing Team is the most decorated varsity team at the Academy. With 11 North American collegiate championship titles to their credit, Kings Point sailors are accomplished competitors. The Academy fields teams in seven sailing disciplines: freshmen coed, single-handed and double-handed (both men and women), coed sloops and coed team racing. The USMMA competes against colleges and universities throughout the United States, and is consistently ranked in the Top 20. The two-season sport runs from September through November and February through June.

The largest waterfront team is the Varsity Offshore Sailing Team. Midshipmen compete in day and overnight races throughout Long Island Sound. The Offshore Team competes against sailors from the state maritime academies, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. During the summer, midshipmen also take part in Block Island Race Week and the prestigious Newport to Bermuda Race.

The Academy also offers JV, recreational and instructional sailing programs, under the guidance of an experienced sailing instructor and coach. The Kings Point fleet includes J- 24s for use in USSailing-certified introductory sailing classes offered to midshipmen. These boats are also available for recreational sailing
in local waters. In addition, a Windsurfing Club was formed in 1995 and competes in open regattas through the area.

For midshipmen interested in competitive rowing, the Kings Point Varsity Crew offers a challenging program of head races and sprint competition. Novice, lightweight, heavyweight and women’s boats compete at such events as the Head of the Charles and the Dad Vail National Championships.

The USMMA Power Squadron is open to midshipmen interested in improving their shiphandling, navigation and engineering skills. Several vessels, each manned, maintained and commanded by a crew of Midshipmen, get underway each weekend for training and goodwill cruises throughout the region.

For more information please visit the Waterfront web site