The Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum Contact jsterling@hrmm.org
COVID-19 & Our Campus
To learn about how COVID-19 has affected our campus and the changes we have made, read the statement on our homepage at www.hrmm.org.
To learn about how COVID-19 has affected our campus and the changes we have made, read the statement on our homepage at www.hrmm.org.
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 2022 classes, click the buttons below!
Which sailing class is right for me?
ADULTS
YOUTH
- First Sail - for the adult (or child accompanied by an adult) who has never sailed before, this is a gentle introduction to sailing aboard our historic catboat Tidbit.
- Adult Centerboard Sailing Series - if you already love to sail, you may start with a three-session Adult Centerboard Sailing Series. Centerboard boats are small and close to the water, giving the sailor a direct experience of wind and water.
- Adult Keelboat Sailing Series - if you already love to sail, and you are not as spry as you might be, you may wish to start with a three-session Keelboat sailing series. You can learn to sail very nicely on a keelboat, which is larger, more stable, and requires less agility than centerboard sailboats.
- 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. Many of our sailors take this class more than once to solidify their knowledge and skills.
YOUTH
- Introduction to Youth Sailing - designed for children ages six through eight, this class is a gentle introduction to sailing in four consecutive three-hour classes, either morning or afternoon.
- Youth Sailing Program - designed for youth ages nine through seventeen, this one-week class from 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.
- Reach/STEM Youth Sailing Class - designed for youth sailors, ages ten to fourteen, beginners as well as more experienced sailors learn Science, Technology, Engineering and Math concepts through hands-on activities and sailing experiences.
- Building & Sailing Boats - designed for youth ages ten through seventeen, this class teaches the basics of boatbuilding and sailing in a four-day combination of woodworking on and sailing boats.
On November 13, 2021, the Sailing School at the Hudson River Maritime Museum and the Kingston Sailing Club co-hosted its fifth annual women’s sailing conference. This was a virtual event, from 10 am to 4 pm. Keynote Speaker Tracy Edwards, MBE, of Maiden fame, enthralled and inspired her audience with stories from the famous all-women’s 1989-90 Whitbread Around the World Race campaign which she led. She explored the resilience she developed as a young sailor and explained this quality is just what is needed as we navigate the depths and shoals of our current times. Tracy discussed how she and others are bringing that flexibility and energy to the Maiden Factor Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting education for girls around the world. In addition to the Keynote, the conference presented twelve workshops on topics including weather for the mariner, sailing as therapy, navigation, rules of the road, safety, buying a boat, sustainability, and more. There were four racing workshops including How to Develop as a Racing Sailor with Dawn Riley, Executive Director of Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, New York, who was recently inducted into the US National Sailing Hall of Fame. 
Dawn Riley, foreground, and crew
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Most exciting, Tracy Edwards announced the vessel Maiden will be restarting its around-the-world sailing trip in early 2022, and the fact that the vessel and its crew will be visiting us at the Hudson River Maritime Museum in Kingston, New York in June, 2022!
Tracy Edwards
Finally, the conference concluded with a panel of sailors, representing seven local sailing organizations, who presented a variety of ways people can get out on the water. It was a wonderful day bringing men, women and youth together to learn and grow as sailors. 
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AdventureSail, KSC & HRMM, August 2021, Kingston, NY
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Adult Sailing Programs
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Courses for adults of all levels including First Sail, Basic Centerboard Boat Sailing, Women on the Water, and more.
Youth Sailing Programs
A variety of classes targeting youth ages 9-17. Courses include an online Youth Sailors' Zoom Get-Together, Youth Basic Centerboard Boat Sailing, and intermediate classes.
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 2022, and the school has grown to include 10 weeks of a variety of summer Youth Sailing programs plus our new STEM/Sailing after-school program. 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 2022 Adult Sailing Season has also grown tremendously. We now offer many two-hour introductory sailing sessions on board our historic Catboat Tidbit, several adult centerboard boat sailing classes, several adult keelboat sailing classes and five sessions of our 21-hour US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification class aboard our 24' J24 Keelboat and our 25' Merit keelboat.
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 2022, and the school has grown to include 10 weeks of a variety of summer Youth Sailing programs plus our new STEM/Sailing after-school program. 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 2022 Adult Sailing Season has also grown tremendously. We now offer many two-hour introductory sailing sessions on board our historic Catboat Tidbit, several adult centerboard boat sailing classes, several adult keelboat sailing classes and five sessions of our 21-hour US Sailing Basic Keelboat certification class aboard our 24' J24 Keelboat and our 25' Merit keelboat.
2021 Season Photos
2018 Youth Sailing Program Photo Gallery
Donations Welcome
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.