Maritime Museum to Host Sailing Conference

​Maritime Museum to Host Sailing Conference

Online event includes presentations and panels featuring women mariners

KINGSTON, N.Y. – The HRMM Sailing School and Kingston Sailing Club will host the 5th annual Riverport Women's Sailing Conference on Saturday, November 13, 2021, from 10:00am-4:00pm. The event is virtual and will include presentations and panels featuring women mariners. Topics include maritime navigation, safety around large vessels, outboard engine troubleshooting, and more. The event is open to anyone who is interested in sailing regardless of experience. 

The conference will feature a keynote address from Tracy Edwards whose story is chronicled in the documentary film Maiden. Edwards, a 24-year-old cook on charter boats, overcame the odds to become the skipper of the first all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World sailing race in 1989.

A schedule of topics can be found on the HRMM museum website at www.hrmm.org/sailing-school. Conference participants can choose from a variety of workshops and presentations including sessions from Dawn Riley of Oakcliff Sailing, Deborah Mellen of Impossible Dream, Elizabeth McCarthy from SUNY Maritime, and Haley Lhamon of Team Sail Like a Girl. Workshop choices include weather/wind, rules of the road, basic navigation, safety around large vessels, outboard engine troubleshooting, buying a boat, sustainable sailing, introduction to racing, and more. All sessions will be presented by experienced women mariners. 

Men are welcomed to attend the conference. Organizations such as sailing teams, community sailors, yacht club groups, and school groups are encouraged participate. General admission is $60 per household, and $50 for museum members. The fee for registration as an organization is $150. Advanced registration is required and is available at www.hrmm.org/sailing-conference.

The Sailing School at Hudson River Maritime Museum offers a variety of sailing experiences for youth and adult students. Classes are available for every level of experience and include 1-day introductory sessions, youth groups, and certification opportunities. The school hosts the annual Riverport Women’s Sailing Conference each November and is the only US-Sailing-accredited sailing school in the Hudson Valley. Learn more at www.hrmm.org/sailing-school.