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SAILING INTO SUMMER

2/11/2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jody Taffet Sterling, Sailing School Director, [email protected]

The Sailing School at Hudson River Maritime Museum
announces its 2025 Adult Sailing Programs

KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum (HRMM) is pleased to announce that 2025 youth, family and adult sailing programs are now open for registration. As the only accredited US Sailing school in the Hudson Valley, the Sailing School features seeks to inspire a new generation of enthusiasts. encouraging them to embrace the river as their playground and classroom, and fostering a lifelong love of sailing.
Based out of the Museum’s waterfront campus, the Sailing School is situated on the Rondout Creek in Kingston, New York. , All programs are taught by US Sailing and Sportsafe certified instructors using Sailing School’s fleet of twenty-two sailboats of various types. Descriptions of the programs available are provided below. For additional information and links to register for individual classes, visit www.hrmm.org/sailing-school or call Jody Sterling, Sailing School Director at (845) 338-0071. Early Registration is recommended as our sailing classes do sell out.

All HRMM members receive discounts on registration fees.

CLASS SCHEDULE:

PARENT-CHILD SAILING CLASS
One child, age 5 - 8, with an adult
US Sailing Certified instructors welcome students to sailing in this five (3-hour) session class in a relaxed environment, where students feel safe, have fun and learn some sailing basics while making friends and having new experiences.
Dates: June 26 - July 2, 2025; August 18 - 22, 2025; August 25 - 29, 2025. 1 - 4 pm.
Fees: $450 (HRMM Household Member $405) Per Person

FIRST SAIL
Adults will enjoy a relaxing two-hour introduction to sailing on the Rondout Creek and the Hudson River aboard our stable catboat Tidbit. Experienced sailors are also welcome. Adults may also sign up children age 5 and older to join them.
Dates: Saturdays, June through September.
Fees: $75 for Adults (5 - 10% Discounts for HRMM Members; $60 for Children)
ADULT SAILING SERIES
This is a four-session (12-hour) class, designed for adults 18 and older, who are either new to sailing or who have some experience but wish to get out on the water and practice their skills.
Class 1 - June 10, 12, 17, 19, 2025; 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Class 2 - July 8, 10, 15, 17, 2025; 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Class 3 - Aug. 5, 7, 12, 14, 2025; 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Class 4 - Aug. 19, 21, 26, 28, 2025; 4:30 - 7:30 pm
Class 5 - Sept. 9, 11, 16. 18, 2025; 3:30 - 6:30 pm
Fees: $450 (5 - 10% Discounts for HRMM Members)
US SAILING BASIC KEELBOAT
An intensive, 21-hour class taught by US Sailing Certified instructors and covers many topics which a competent sailor will need to master. The course will use the Basic Keelboat textbook published by the US Sailing Association, and students who successfully complete the course will be eligible to become certified as Basic Keelboat Sailors through US Sailing.
Class 1: June 9, 13, 16, 20, 23, 27 & 30: 4:30 pm- 7:30pm
Class 2: July 7, 11, 14, 18, 21, 25 & 28: 4:30 pm- 7:30pm
Class 3: July 19 & 26, Aug. 2 & 9: 11:00 am to 4:15 pm
Class 4: Sept. 8, 12, 15, 19, 22, 26 & 29: 3:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Fees: $660 (5 - 10% Discounts for HRMM Members)
US SAILING PERFORMANCE SAILING
This intensive 21-hour class is taught by US Sailing Certified instructors and is designed for those who have mastered the basics and have already earned US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification. Performance Sailing will cover more advanced skills focused on Sails, Boat Handling, Wind, Basic Racing, Safety and Emergencies.
Class 1: June 14, 21, 28, & July 12; 11:00am- 4:15pm.
Class 2: September 6, 13, 20 & 27: 11:00 am - 4:15 pm.
Fees: $650 (5 - 10% Discounts for HRMM Members)
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The Hudson River Maritime Museum is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the maritime history of the Hudson River, its tributaries and related industries. In addition to extensive collections documenting maritime transportation, industry, recreation, and natural science, the museum offers classes and programs at its Wooden Boat School, Sailing and Rowing School, and aboard Solaris, the 100% solar powered tour boat and floating classroom. The museum is located along the historic Rondout waterfront in downtown Kingston. Visit www.hrmm.org for more information.

ENDS

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Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Long-Running Lecture Series Announces Winter/Spring Lineup

2/3/2025

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Media Contact:
Kirsty Gaukel
Hudson River Maritime Museum
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (845) 338-0071

Program Contact:
Zachary Martin
Director of Education
Email: zmartin@hrmm.org

KINGSTON, N.Y. (February 4, 2025) -- The Hudson River Maritime Museum is excited to announce the Winter/Spring lineup for its renowned Follow the River Lecture Series. For over a decade, this lecture series has brought together historians, authors, and maritime experts to explore topics ranging from regional and maritime history to ecology and art inspired by the Hudson River. This season's lineup, running from February through April, promises engaging discussions with leading experts. Tickets are $10 ($5 for HRMM Members).
Upcoming Lectures:

Hudson River Ecology
Speaker: Dr. Stuart E.G. Findlay
Date: Wednesday, February 19, 2025 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Join us for an insightful presentation by Dr. Stuart E.G. Findlay, an aquatic ecologist with over 30 years of experience studying the Hudson River. Dr. Findlay’s research on sensitive wetlands, shoreline restoration, and environmental monitoring is shaping the future of the river’s recovery. In this lecture, he will discuss the effects of climate change and human activity on the river’s ecology and share strategies for protecting and preserving this vital waterway for future generations.

Dreams of Freedom
Speaker: Marilyn Higgins
Date: Wednesday, March 19, 2025 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Join author Marilyn Higgins as she delves into her historical fiction novel, Dreams of Freedom. Set just before the Civil War, the novel follows Aileen O’Malley, a young Irish immigrant searching for her lost family along the Erie Canal—a region that played a pivotal role in the Underground Railroad. The novel brings to life the era’s fierce debates over slavery, immigration, and national identity. Higgins will discuss her research, the historical backdrop of her novel, and the real-life struggles that shaped this tumultuous time in American history.

Life on the Erie Canal as a Tugboat Cook
Speaker: Bettina Mueller
Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

In 1976 and 1977, Bettina Mueller embarked on an extraordinary adventure, working as a cook aboard a tugboat traveling from New York Harbor to Buffalo on the Erie Canal. Over three trips, each lasting approximately three weeks, she navigated the challenges of feeding a crew of five while traveling through 57 locks and under 15 lift bridges along the historic canal. In this lecture, Bettina will share stories from her book, Photographique – A Journal, offering a unique glimpse into life aboard a working tugboat, illustrated with stunning photographs from her journey.
Japanese Wooden Boatbuilding
Speaker: Douglas Brooks
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Join master boatbuilder Douglas Brooks as he shares insights from over 25 years of studying traditional Japanese boatbuilding. Having apprenticed with nine boatbuilders across Japan, Brooks has documented and preserved their techniques before they vanish. His latest book, Japanese Wooden Boatbuilding, is the first comprehensive study of the craft. In this lecture, Brooks will explore the crucial role of apprenticeships in sustaining Japanese crafts, the challenges posed by modernization, and his personal experiences learning from masters who often require students to "steal" their knowledge. His talk offers a captivating look into craftsmanship, cultural preservation, and the future of wooden boatbuilding in Japan, accompanied by stunning photographs of traditional Japanese boats.

Following the lecture, we are offering a rare opportunity to take a class with Douglas Brooks at the Museum’s Wooden Boat School on April 19 and 20. Under Brooks’ guidance participants will make a wooden plane in the Japanese style, practicing hand tool skills with the chisel and saw. Registration information can be found at www.hrmm.org/adult-classes

Poetry of the Hudson
Speaker: Paul Kane
Date: Wednesday, April 23, 2025 | 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

The Hudson River has long inspired poets, writers, and storytellers, its beauty woven into myths, legends, and verse. This illustrated talk led by Paul Kane, an esteemed poet, author, and scholar, delves into the poetry of the Hudson, exploring its lyrical essence and enduring presence in the American landscape. From the river’s source in the Adirondacks to its wide embrace of New York Bay, we trace its influence through the works of poets past and present, uncovering the ways in which the Hudson itself feels inherently poetic.
Join Us for an Engaging Season of Maritime History and CultureEach lecture will be held in-person in the Wooden Boat School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum, providing an opportunity for attendees to engage with speakers, ask questions, and deepen their understanding of the region's rich history and ongoing ecological challenges.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit www.hrmm.org/lecture-series or call (845) 338-0071.

Japanese Boat Building

About the Hudson River Maritime Museum:

About the Follow the River Lecture Series
For more than a decade the Hudson River Maritime Museum's "Follow the River Lecture Series" has hosted historians, authors, and maritime experts for engaging illustrated talks on a variety of regional history and maritime subjects. In recent years, many of the lectures have also been recorded and are available on YouTube. For more information about upcoming lectures and to access recordings of past lectures, visit www.hrmm.org/lecture-series.

The Hudson River Maritime Museum is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the maritime history of the Hudson River, its tributaries and related industries. In addition to extensive collections documenting maritime transportation, industry, recreation, and natural science, the museum offers classes and programs at its Wooden Boat School, Sailing and Rowing School, and aboard Solaris, the 100% solar powered tour boat and floating classroom. The museum is located along the historic Rondout waterfront in downtown Kingston. Visit www.hrmm.org for more information.

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News

SAILING INTO SUMMER

The Sailing School at Hudson River Maritime Museum
announces its 2025 Adult Sailing Programs

Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Long-Running Lecture Series Announces Winter/Spring Lineup

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Categories

GET INVOLVED

stay connected

News

SAILING INTO SUMMER

The Sailing School at Hudson River Maritime Museum announces its 2025 Adult Sailing Programs

Hudson River Maritime Museum’s Long-Running Lecture Series Announces Winter/Spring Lineup

Archives

Categories

GET INVOLVED

stay connected

The Sailing School at Hudson River Maritime Museum
announces its 2025 Adult Sailing Programs