Narwhal Yacht Charters is New York Harbor’s #1 rated sailboat charter, founded in 2012 by Master Captain Eric Puleio, who has personally captained every single charter out of Chelsea Piers for 15 years — more than 14,000 guests and 68,000+ nautical miles with a flawless safety record. The company holds an extraordinary 1,631 out of 1,634 five-star reviews across Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google, and has been featured as a New York Times Editors’ Top Pick, along with coverage in Bloomberg, TimeOut, Gotham Magazine, and Refinery29.
Trips run aboard the Genesis, a classic Tayana 37 sailboat named in tribute to Captain Eric’s parents’ own original sailboat (also called Genesis) that they lived aboard for the first six years of their marriage — the two handmade nameplates from his late father are bolted to the current boat’s sides. Every sail is fully private, capped at 6 guests, with Captain Eric personally at the helm and full access to the entire boat, including the shaded cockpit, open deck, cabin, and bowsprit — a layout the company says no other NYC sailboat charter offers.
Daily 2, 3, or 4-hour morning, afternoon, sunset, and city lights sails all depart and return to Chelsea Piers, running April 1 through November 30, 7 days a week (8am-midnight). Every charter includes bottled water, sodas, ice, cups, plates, bowls, utensils, and napkins at no extra cost, with guests bringing their own food, beer, wine, or liquor. Sunset sails are specifically timed so guests witness the actual sunset, not before or after.
Pricing runs from $560 for a 2-hour charter, with Sunset and City Lights sails starting at $700 — fully all-inclusive, with no taxes, surcharges, or booking fees (booking fees waived entirely when paying by phone, Venmo, or Zelle). A no-cost weather policy allows a full refund or reschedule if conditions are unsafe or rain exceeds 40% for more than 30 minutes, unlike most competitors who charge a separate weather insurance fee.
For couples, small groups, or anyone in NYC looking for a deeply personal, exceptionally well-reviewed private sailing charter with the same captain every time, Narwhal Yacht Charters offers a genuinely one-of-a-kind experience aboard the Genesis with Captain Eric Puleio.
