The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum
Sailing Director, Jody Sterling
Contact
The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum is proud to be
the only accredited US Sailing school in the Hudson Valley
the only accredited US Sailing school in the Hudson Valley
The Hudson River Maritime Museum, in partnership with the Kingston Sailing Club, founded the Sailing School in 2017. Featuring youth and adult sailing classes, and occasional US Sailing instructor certification classes, the Sailing School seeks to get a new generation of enthusiasts out on the water. For more information about 2023 classes, click the buttons below!
The Sailing School at HRMM is an MVP Member of US Sailing. You can benefit from this connection!
Which sailing class is right for me?
Adult Sailing Programs
- First Sail - for the adult (or child ages 5 and older, accompanied by an adult) who has never sailed before, this is a two-hour gentle introduction to sailing aboard our historic catboat Tidbit. More experienced sailors are also welcome!
- Adult Sailing Series - if you already love to sail, you may start with a four-session Adult Sailing Series Class , 12 hours total. The class will usually take place on stable keel boats. Instructors will modify the curriculum to suit the needs of participants, so beginners as well as more experienced sailors will enjoy the class. Students may enroll in more than one series.
- US Sailing Basic Keelboat Class - if you know you love to sail, and you want to learn as much as possible in a very focused way, you may start with our 21-hour US Sailing Basic Keelboat class. This class covers all the basics one needs to know to become a safe, basic sailor. Since the class is suitable for beginner and intermediate sailors, many of our students take this class more than once to solidify their knowledge and skills.
- New! US Sailing Performance Sailing is a 21-hour class taught by US Sailing-Certified instructors. Designed for sailors who have already completed US Sailing Basic Keelboat, have good basic sailing skills, and wish to continue to build their skills, focusing on sail trim and harnassing the boat's potential and each sailor's potential.
Youth Sailing Programs-Ages 5-17
- Parent-Child Sailing Class - youth ages five to nine make friends, learn the basics of sailing and have fun with a parent or guardian in three consecutive three-hour classes.
- Introduction to Youth Sailing - designed for children ages six through nine, this class is a gentle introduction to sailing in three consecutive three-hour classes.
- Youth Sailing Program - designed for youth ages ten through seventeen, this one-week class (M - F, 9 am to 4 pm) teaches beginners as well as more experienced sailors the basics and builds their sailing skills on a variety of boats from 8 foot Optimist Prams to stable Catalina Capri centerboard boats to 420 racing boats and more. Many of our youth sailors enroll in multiple weeks of Youth Sailing Program.
- Building & Sailing Boats - designed for youth ages ten through seventeen, this class teaches the basics of boatbuilding and the basics of sailing in a four-day combination of woodworking on boats and sailing boats.
Family Sailing Programs
- Parent-Child Sailing Class - designed for a parent and a child (ages 5 to 9) to experience together, the class introduces students to the basics of sailing in a safe and nurturing environment.
History of The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum
In August, 2017, Hudson River Maritime Museum offered its first youth sailing program, with one week of youth and one week of teen sailing. In 2018, we added Adult Sailing classes and became a US Sailing Certified School.
Fast forward to 2023, and the school has grown to include 10 weeks of a variety of summer youth sailing programs. Our centerboard boat fleet has grown to include three 420's, two Capris, a Snipe, and eight Optimist Pram sailboats, four of which were built by our very own Youthboat builders!
The 2023 Adult Sailing Season has also grown tremendously. We now offer many two-hour introductory sailing sessions on board our historic Catboat Tidbit, a number of Adult Sailing Series classes, and five sessions of our 21-hour US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification class aboard our 24' J24 Keelboat and our 25' Merit keelboat.
Get Involved
Volunteer at the Sailing School
The Hudson River Maritime Museum depends on it's many volunteers. If you would like to help out, contact [email protected]
The Hudson River Maritime Museum depends on it's many volunteers. If you would like to help out, contact [email protected]
Make a Donation
The sailing school would not be able to survive without its generous supporters. Help us keep up with the ever growing costs of maintenance, training, and equipment that we need to be able to continue to share this amazing sport.
The sailing school would not be able to survive without its generous supporters. Help us keep up with the ever growing costs of maintenance, training, and equipment that we need to be able to continue to share this amazing sport.