FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
KINGSTON, N.Y. –  The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to announce that 2021 sailing programs are now open for registration. New this year are 2 online classes in addition to on-the-water sessions later in the season.
 
Sailboat Ownership - An online interactive 4-hour class featuring 2 sessions. This class is for newer and prospective sailboat owners.  Participants will meet like-minded sailors and learn more about boat ownership. Class meets March 1 and March 8, 6:00 - 8:00 pm.  Price is $36/$40 per person.
 
Introduction to Sailboat Racing - An interactive, online 4-hour class featuring 2 sessions. This class is for sailors new to racing or interested in learning more about racing basics. Participants will meet local sailors and become more comfortable with the excitement of sailboat racing! Class meets March 15 and 22, 2021, 6:00 - 8:00 pm. Price is $36/$40 per person.  
 
 
Adult sailors will also find a variety of on-the-water classes beginning in May. COVID-safer practices will continue until New York State and local authorities change their directives. Practices include small class sizes, outdoor-only activities, and the wearing of masks. On-the-water classes include the following:
 
First Sail - A 2-hour introduction to sailing with a U.S. Sailing certified instructor on board our classic catboat Tidbit. Two to five students at any level of sailing experience are welcome to join this excursion out on the beautiful Hudson. Price is $35 - $50 per person.
 
New Boat Owners Sailing Class - Supports newer boat owners as they develop and practice their skills. Participants will sail their own vessels along with the sailing school fleet with instructors on nearby safety boats. $50 per boat.
 
Adult Basic Centerboard, Adult Basic Centerboard Two, and Adult Centerboard Sailing Clinic – These classes will be offered in 2021. Centerboard boat classes are a great way to learn to sail. Participants will work with a U.S. Sailing certified instructor on small boats and get a close-to-the-water learning experience in this sequence of three 3-hour classes.
 
US Sailing Basic Keelboat, Basic Keelboat II: Spinnaker, Basic Keelboat II: Skipper - These are in-depth courses on larger keel boats and will be offered in 2021 to those who wish to make a time commitment of 21 hours for each class. U.S. Sailing certified instructors cover many topics and students are eligible for testing to earn certification as U.S. Sailing Keelboat Sailors at the end of the first course. They can earn more sea time and hone their skills during the second and third classes in this series.
 
For details about classes and to find registration links for all Sailing School offerings, visit the Sailing School online at https://www.hrmm.org/adult-sailing.html or call (845) 338-0071.
 
The Hudson River Maritime Museum is located along the historic Rondout Creek in downtown Kingston, N.Y. HRMM is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the maritime history of the Hudson River, its tributaries, and related industries. The Museum opened the Riverport Wooden Boat School in 2016 and the Riverport Sailing School in 2017.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to announce the Fourth Annual Riverport Women’s Sailing Conference has opened registration for its new, virtual event taking place on Friday, November 6 and Saturday, November 7, 2020.
 
Taking place on the evening of Friday, November 6, 2020 and from 1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 7, 2020, the Women’s Sailing Conference features speakers and instructors from around the world. The goal of the conference is to energize and empower women to get involved in sailing at all levels. Everyone, women and men, from experienced sailors to those who have never been on the water before are welcome! Conference registration is by household, so gather around your screens to participate in these amazing opportunities.
 
The conference begins on Friday, November 6 at 5:00 pm. Pour yourself a glass of wine or sparkling cider and get ready to be wowed by our Friday night keynote speaker, Captain Dawn Riley, the first woman to manage an America's Cup sailing team. She has raced on four America’s Cup campaigns and two Whitbread (The Ocean Race) teams. Dawn now runs Oakcliff Sailing Center, which provides opportunities for participants to build world class sailing skills in local and offshore racing and to learn the business of sailing.  Based in Oyster Bay, NY, Oakcliff hosts sailors from around the world and trains them to work and sail at the highest levels of the sport.

Tracy Edwards, captain of Maiden, opens our Saturday, November 7 session at 1:00 p.m. You may recognize Tracy’s name from the recent film Maiden (2019), about the all-women crew who competed in the Whitbread Around the World Race in 1989-1990. Members of the original and current crews will regale us with stories and keep us updated on their efforts to educate girls around the world through their current project The Maiden Factor. Participants are encouraged to watch the documentary film about the race before attending. Maiden is available for purchase on Amazon Prime or included with STARZ.
 
The afternoon will continue until 6:00 pm with more amazing women-led presentations including:
 
·         Welcoming Sailors from Diverse Communities
·         The History and Mission of the Sloop Clearwater
·         Safety Around Large Vessels
·         Maritime Careers
·         Blue Water Sailing
·         Basic Navigation
·         Communications at Sea
·         Sail Care and Repair
·         and Outboard Engine Troubleshooting
 
Afternoon sessions will be available in three sets of three concurrent sessions. All sessions will be recorded, so those participants who want to revisit presentations they did not attend will have access to the recordings after the conference.
 
The fee for the entire conference is $50 per household. We welcome participants from low-income and underserved communities and have scholarships available. To apply for a scholarship, please email Jody Taffet Sterling at jsterling@hrmm.org                                                                               
 
For more information, please visit www.hrmm.org/sailing-conference or email jsterling@hrmm.org.

KINGSTON, NY - The Hudson River Maritime Museum is pleased to offer two Sailing 101 classes as part of the Riverport Sailing School this fall.
 
Sailing 101 is the first course of a two-course Basic Keelboat Training Series. It will be offered in the fall of 2017 and spring of 2018. On-the-water course Sailing 102 will be offered in the late spring and summer of 2018.
 
Sailing 101 will be taught entirely on land and will cover such topics as: Preparation to Sail, Crew Operations and Skills, Sailing Theory, Leaving the Dock or Mooring, Navigation, Navigation Rules, International-Inland, Heavy Weather Sailing, Overboard Rescue Methods, Safety and Emergency Procedures, Anchoring Techniques, Returning to the Dock or Mooring. The course will use the "Learn Sailing Right" textbook published by the United States Sailing Association and will be taught by Christin Ripley, an experienced sailor and US Sailing Certified Basic Keelboat instructor.
 
This course is offered twice this fall - two Saturdays, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., November 4 and 11, 2017 OR four Tuesday evenings, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on November 7, 14, and December 5, and 12, 2017.
 
Tuition for HRMM members at the Household level and above is $175. Non-members are $220. Tuition includes all course materials, including the “Learn Sailing Right” textbook published by US Sailing.
 
To register for the course, visit www.hrmm.org/sailing-school.