THE SAG HARBOR EXPRESS
ISSUE DATE: 10/23/03 October 2003
Youth Sailing: Pierson Team to Catch the Wind
by Beth Young
Last Saturday afternoon was on the blustery side. Early morning fog and rain broke through to a broad sunshine at noon, but it was still one of those days that curling up indoors fought with the desire for one last afternoon on the water.
Seven of Pierson High School's new sailing club members decided it was a sailing opportunity not to be missed, and they jammed into the Breakwater Yacht Club clubhouse, trying on their new team windbreakers and sharing photos and memories from a summer on the water.
Pierson's sailing club just began meeting three weeks ago, and though the school has never had a sailing-related organization before, many kids in the group have been summer students and instructors at Breakwater for years.
Only 20 schools on Long Island have International Sailing School Association (ISSA) sailing teams, and locally, only Southampton and Westhampton compete in the league.
Pierson High School hopes to join the league by next year, but they're beginning with just an intramural team.
The students are competing in JY 15s, which are small sailing dinghies manned by two people.
They're very durable, self-bailing, a very smart design and they're fast. The ease of use of the design has hooked its share of Sag Harbor's young sailors.
Jon Bailey was coaching the group Saturday.
"Ok...we're gonna race today," he said, reviewing the three minute whistle start the students will have to learn. The group was to do a series windward-leeward races after a couple of practice starts, and they all seemed game.
"Weight is really important on these boats. We're going to roll-tack every tack. We are a pro sailing team," Jon pepped the students up as they rigged their boats. "It's really windy..." a gust swooshed through to punctuate his comment, "...actually it's quite windy, but it's within our realm of sailability. But if anyone capsizes we all gotta go to shore."
Peter McArdle's son Kyle is sailing in the club, and, along with Chantel Bourel, who put the club together, he's one of the students who came up through the ranks, and now teaches in the yacht club's summer program.
"It's all about the kids at Breakwater," said Peter as Kyle and Chantel headed out through the cut in the breakwater to the racing grounds just off Haven's Beach. After a series of practice starts, Kyle and Chantel, two of the most experienced sailors in the group, found themselves more than once stopped dead into the wind on the starting line as the whistle sounded.
Peter laughed as time and again Jon rounded the course ahead of the other four boats, coming first off the starting line and gaining boat lengths every time he rounded the mark.
"It's good that the coach is winning this time," said Peter. "It gives the kids someone to look up to."
This summer, the kids at Breakwater beat the Devon Yacht Club in East Hampton for the first time at an Eastern Long Island Sailing Association sponsored event, and the high school sailing team will help extend both the use of the clubhouse farther into the season, and add a racing component to the already strong sailing instruction program at Breakwater, which hosts JY-15 regattas on Sundays in addition to its Wednesday night series for larger boats.
The high school sailing team has been in the works since the Breakwater Yacht Club began work on construction of their clubhouse over five years ago. Breakwater hopes to outfit the students with drysuits and gear when they begin to compete, taking that financial burden off the school system.
"Having the building allowed us to do this," said Breakwater's Director Mark Matthews. "We needed a warm place for the kids to go. We were hoping the students could learn and grow from this the way we all did."
And he hopes becoming top-notch sailors will help the students back on land as well.
"Sailors have a unique approach to the world," said Matthews. "They believe that by using your brain and your body, and prevailing against the elements, you develop self-confidence. And that's important in every area of your life."
The club plans to sail Tuesday and Saturday afternoons through Thanksgiving. A spring racing season is also possible. Students will be able to compete at the ninth grade level and up, but seventh and eighth grade students can also join the practice regattas.
posted by Breakwater 10/28/2003 03:45:00 PM
Results of BYC fall series so far
posted by Breakwater 10/21/2003 09:08:00 PM
THIS SATURDAY
At the BYC Club House
The Awards Celebration @ 6 p.m.
There is still time…..
Tickets: $35.00 in Advance, $ 40.00 at the door
Proper Dress / Evening Attire Is Requested (not required)
Let's make this a Party to Remember!!
posted by Breakwater 10/21/2003 09:06:00 PM