|
Newport, Rhode Island to Bermuda
The Bermuda 1-2 is two races in one --- a 635-mile singlehanded passage to Bermuda, and a doublehanded return. One of offshore sailing's most extraordinary adventures.
No crew. No hand to take the helm. Just you, your wits, and the relentless North Atlantic, with Bermuda shimmering somewhere beyond the horizon.
The first leg of the Bermuda 1-2 is sailed singlehanded; one person managing every sail change, every navigation decision, every sleepless night watch. It is a race that demands total self-reliance and rewards extraordinary seamanship. You'll cross the Gulf Stream with its powerful currents and unpredictable weather, then navigate to a pinprick of coral 635 miles offshore.
This is what separates the Bermuda 1-2 from any other ocean race in the Americas.
Race History, Past Races & RecordsDepart Newport alone. Navigate by day and night, through squalls and calms. Every decision is yours and yours alone. Manage fatigue, weather routing, and 635 miles of open ocean before making landfall at St. George's Harbour, Bermuda.
After a week in Bermuda (filled with friendships, festivities, and tales from the passage out) each skipper takes on a crew of one for the return leg. Two minds, two pairs of hands, racing back north. Different strategy, same ocean, new adventure.
Arriving in Bermuda after days at sea alone is one of sailing's most profound experiences. You've done it. You crossed an ocean, single-handed, and the island awaits.
Between the two legs, the fleet gathers at the St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club for a full week of camaraderie. The historic town of St. George's is a destination in itself with outstanding restaurants serving fresh local seafood, beautiful beaches just a short walk away, and a UNESCO World Heritage town square that has welcomed sailors for centuries. Shore-side events, meals shared with fellow sailors, and the deep bonds that only come from surviving the same waters make this week unforgettable. Nearly half the fleet returns year after year because this isn't just a race. It's a reunion.
Visit St. George's Dinghy & Sports ClubThe Newport Yacht Club opens its doors, and its docks, to every Bermuda 1-2 competitor in the days leading up to the start. Facilities, camaraderie, and the electric atmosphere of a world-class sailing city await you at the starting point.
Visit Newport Yacht Club →The St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club provides a warm and welcoming home for the Bermuda 1-2 fleet between legs. Situated in the historic town of St. George's, competitors can explore outstanding waterfront restaurants, stroll to beautiful beaches within walking distance, and soak in the charm of the island's most picturesque and historic town square; a UNESCO World Heritage site brimming with centuries of maritime history.
Visit St. George's Dinghy & Sports Club →"Arriving in Bermuda after four days alone at sea, there's nothing else like it in sailing. You've tested yourself completely, and then the island appears."
-- Bermuda 1-2 Veteran, 4-time finisher"The week in Bermuda turns strangers into family. We'd all crossed the same ocean, faced the same weather. By departure day, half of us didn't want to leave."
-- First-time participant, 2023"The singlehanded leg changes you. It's 600 miles of honest conversation with yourself -- about seamanship, about resilience, about who you really are."
-- Newport-based skipper
Need crew for the return leg or want to crew for the return leg, take a look at the Crew Available List.
If you would like to
subscribe to our Offshore Email
distribution list for newsletters, etc.
