NYYC and an alternative
My moderately educated guess is that, unless you have some pre-arranged access, like a letter of introduction by a club member, you probably won't be gracing the hallowed halls of NYYC. Check to see if anyone you know knows a member, and ask them to get you in. Alternatively, you might want to check out the South Street Seaport museums. It's not NYYC but you might find it interesting, if considerably more plebian. In season, you can also take a few hour harbor cruise on some of their schooners. You won't get any hands-on but it is a pretty amazing site, especially on the sunset cruises (bring nibbles and a bottle of wine). As for its origins, I may be mistaken but I believe NYYC's first outpost was not in NJ but in Conn, around the Mystic-Stonington area. Could easily be wrong. And as for them losing the Cup, perhaps the glass is half full point of view is to look at how long they held it. Of course, the half-empty finger of blame should go to the Californian who skippered the defeat. Fair winds.
