Community Sailing Program Opens at Maritime Museum Sailing School

​Community Sailing Program Opens at Maritime Museum Sailing School

Staff hope to expand access to sailing opportunties

​KINGSTON, N.Y. – The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston is expanding sailing opportunities through a Community Sailing Program that will launch on June 1. This new initiative is modeled after community sailing programs across the U.S. that work to promote, expand, and support public sailing education and experiences.

The new program enables members of the public to purchase a seasonal community sailing membership, giving them access to reserve and sail boats owned by the museum’s Sailing School. Boats that are available include the museum’s keelboats or the catboat Tidbit. Participants are required to have US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification or its equivalent, and sessions must include at least 2 registered participants. Membership in the museum’s Community Sailing Program is $1,200-$1,350 for the four-month season. 

Community sailing programs enable people to enjoy recreational sailing without having to own a boat. Ownership of a 25-foot keelboat can cost an average of $3,000 per year and expenses include routine maintenance as well as winter storage, summer dock rental, insurance. The program will give more people the opportunity to take a boat out on the water. 

Members who will be Skippers (captains) are required to pass an on-water sailing test examining their ability to safely sail on all points of sail in a variety of conditions, be able to leave and approach the dock safely, work with crew, and other elements of sailing. People who are interested in learning more about the museum’s Community Sailing Program can visit www.hrmm.org/adult-sailing. 

In addition to the community sailing program, the Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum offers a variety of sailing classes for youth and adults, as well as special events for sailors of all levels. A summary and calendar of classes can be found on the museum website. Adult classes can be found at  www.hrmm.org/adult-sailing. Youth classes can be found at www.hrmm.org/youth-sailing-program. For more information, people can contact Jody Sterling, Sailing Program Manager, at [email protected] or 845-338-0071.