Sailing for landlubbers on the Hudson?

August 4, 2015 8:28 AM

I want to introduce some adolescents to the joy and graciousness of sailing, and well-built beautiful wood boats. They have never been on a boat. No ocean sailing for their 1st time? Not too long, kids get bored? The choices range from marine education to singing Pete Seeger songs to hipster evening wine cruises. Anyone have experience or ideas?
posted by ebesan to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (7 answers total)

I went on a trip with about 20 coworkers with these guys: https://www.manhattanbysail.com/ If you are in NYC, and have some money to burn, it was delightful. About 1.5 hours, not choppy, a beautiful boat, totally decent food. I can't speak to their "kids parties" private charter (looks like it's targeted at younger kids), but it might be worth chatting with them.
posted by Phredward at 8:45 AM on August 4, 2015

My mom crews on Pete Seeger's Hudson River sloop Clearwater and they have a special focus on environmental education for teens. They'll be upstate until the end of the month then at 79th Street.
posted by nicwolff at 9:00 AM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I've also crewed on Clearwater and it's a great experience. A day or half-day sail with them is fun, active, and scenic. I would say, though, that big-boat experience feels different from small-boat experience. Check out the Schooner Pioneer at South Street Seaport for a bit more nimble, smaller vessel that may offer more hands-on experience. They are great educators with a real love for traditional-rig sailing in and of itself.
posted by Miko at 10:09 AM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

I've done Atlantic Yachting and thought it was awesome.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 10:10 AM on August 4, 2015

Hudson River Community Sailing is a not-for-profit org. That offers first time sailing lessons mor echeaply than any of the other NYC vendors I looked at. My wife and I did one and it was well taught and pretty great althoguht there was limited wind and the current was strong so we got a alot of experience having a sailboat hold exactly still in the river. Lessons.
posted by edbles at 10:32 AM on August 4, 2015 [1 favorite]

Hey. So I don't sail so much on the hudson any more. (I race mostly on the sound now.) But I know a ton of people who still do. A few questions: How old and how many adolescents? Do you want to send them on there way, get a drink, and then meet them on the dock or go out sailing with them? Is this a one time thing, or do you want to sign up for a 1 night a week class for 6 weeks? Are any of them particularly interested in racing or is this just a first step that you are pushing?

Manhattan by sail, the clearwater, etc are great fun, but they won't really give the small boat sailing experience.
posted by ihadapony at 6:56 PM on August 4, 2015

Response by poster: Thx. Older teens. A 1st step, maybe the last. I want to give them the experience on the water; the craft, the sport; w/out scaring them off. If it ends there, so be it. They have expanded their boundaries and tried something new, maybe thrilling? These kids are not likely to become sailors; but are game for trying something new. That's why I thought, don't push, try something simple at first, see how they react. Who knows? Me, I love the the craftsmanship, the skill, the quiet.
posted by ebesan at 7:23 AM on August 5, 2015