By the early twentieth century, City Island had built a worldwide reputation for building quality wooden boats, especially yachts. Situated in the waters of western Long Island Sound and Eastchester Bay, the island is suitably positioned for great sailing. City Island provided service for schooners stopping along the East Coast, and the yards hired skilled craftsmen to build yachts that would win and defend several America’s Cup races. The Bx29 City Island bus turns around near the southern tip of the island. For a time, the boatyards dominated the economy on City Island, and when the wars came, the boatyards contributed to advances in naval technology, including the World War II era minesweepers. Kids on City Island grew up with the water, catching crabs and rowing small boats. Memories of the glory days of yacht building on a City Island storefront. City Island built enormous yachts for the Gilded Age robber barons of New York. The island’s most famous contributions t
A boating guide to New York City