World Sailor and Pioneer Sailboat Racer, Dawn Riley, leads Keynote Address Open to the Public at 8th Annual Riverport Women’s Sailing Conference presented by Hudson River Maritime Museum & Kingston Sailing Club

FOR  IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Jody Sterling, Sailing School Director  [email protected]

Sail care and repair workship

KINGSTON, N.Y. –  The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum and the Kingston Sailing Club are pleased to announce the Eighth Annual Riverport Women’s Sailing Conference, March 28 - 29, 2025. This annual gathering of sailors and aspiring sailors welcomes everyone. The conference includes a free social hour, a free keynote address by Dawn Riley, and an optional dinner on the Friday evening (pre-registration required), followed by a full day of hands-on workshops and presentations on a range of topics led by experienced women mariners on Saturday, March 29, 2025. 

The general public is encouraged to attend the free social hour, with a cash bar, on Friday, March 28, from 4:30 to 5:30 pm and a free Keynote address with Dawn Riley from 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Frank Guido’s Little Italy, Thomas Street, Kingston, New York. Dawn Riley, a world sailor, leader, and a pioneer in the sport of sailboat racing, will regale attendees with tales of her participation in the Whitbread Around the World race aboard Maiden with Tracy Edwards and her all-women crew in 1989-90, her participation and leadership in four America’s Cup campaigns, and her current leadership of the premier US sail training academy, Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, New York.
 A family-style dinner will follow at Frank Guido’s Little Italy. Please note that registration for the dinner is separate from the conference registration fee. Advanced booking is required by March 22, 2025.  The cost is $60 per person.

The 2025 Riverport Women’s Sailing Conference (RWSC) is co-sponsored by the Hudson River Maritime Museum and the Kingston Sailing Club and will be held in person, on land, at the Hudson River Maritime Museum campus in Kingston, New York on Saturday, March 29.

People of all genders are welcome to register for the conference. Tuition for adults ranges from $100 to $125, and a discounted registration is available for those aged 14-20 $75. For more details about the workshop sessions and for online registration please visit, www.hrmm.org/riverport-womens-conference or call (845) 338-0071. 

On Saturday, conference registrants will enjoy networking, a panel discussion, coffee/light breakfast, and lunch. They will  participate in five workshops  taught by expert women mariners. Workshop topics include Becoming a Boat Owner, Sail Care & Maintenance, Introduction to Racing, Diesel Engine Maintenance, Safe Navigation Around Large Vessels, Essential Sailing Knots, Coastal & Offshore Passage Planning, Outboard Engine Troubleshooting, and more. Early Registration for the Conference is recommended  to reserve your place in the specific workshops you’d like to attend. 

For descriptions of workshop sessions and to register for the conference and the pre-conference dinner please visit, www.hrmm.org/riverport-womens-conference or call (845) 338-0071. ​

Keynote speaker dinner

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.

The Kingston Sailing Club promotes and encourages the Corinthian spirit of racing (conducted in accordance with the US Sailing & ISAF rules and prescriptions) and cruising; promotes and encourages sportsmanship, seamanship, appreciation of the sailing environment, and the non-polluting, recreational use of our local waters, specifically, the Hudson River and its tributaries; and serves the best interests of the membership of the Kingston Sailing Club. Unlike some clubs, KSC does not own any boats, slips, or meeting space, and they sail on member-owned boats. KSC is a long-time partner of the Hudson River Maritime Museum, and enjoy regular use of their facilities, contribute financially, volunteer for and support their programs, and all KSC members are members of HRMM. ​

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