Sailing camp brings NYC youth to the shores of Shelter Island
As Rylee Pierre navigated the small, speedy sailboat through choppy waves around Shelter Island, it began heeling and tipping on one side. The 13-year-old knew he had to shift his position to equalize the weight and balance the boat. But the boom that connects to the main sail swung around toward his face and blocked his path, knocking him into the water.
He suddenly felt the cool bay water, a refreshing reprieve on a sweltering July morning, he said. It was his first experience capsizing, a common fate for young sailors learning on the dinghy known as a 420.
"I was a little nervous at first," said Pierre, who lives in Manhattan. "I just knew I had to keep cool and follow what [the instructor] was saying and I’ll be fine."
Pierre recalled the experience as a "core memory" of his four days sailing around Shelter Island through a partnership that recently brought more than a dozen New York City youth to the Island for free lessons. For many families, taking up sailing is cost-prohibitive.
The Shelter Island New Horizons Program, in its third year, links sailors from the Shelter Island Yacht Club with those at Hudson River Community Sailing, a nonprofit that teaches sailing to underserved New York City kids.
The young sailors from the city, most around 13 or 14 with at least one year's sailing experience, get to learn at the Shelter Island yacht club that has produced elite sailors like Amanda Clark, the two-time Olympian.
The program goes beyond teaching the technical skills of sailing. It helps "to open some doors for people that might not have the same opportunities that kids out here do," said Jeffrey Bresnahan, director of sailing for the Shelter Island Yacht Club.
"Sailing and being on the water is about confidence," he added.
Several years ago, Hudson River Community Sailing brought a group of students to Shelter Island for a race, recalled Mwenye Seville, the nonprofit's youth program director. The idea for a partnership grew from that.
The yacht club’s vice commodore, Benjamin Dyett, also serves on the board of trustees for Hudson River Community Sailing. He pitched the idea to the board of the Shelter Island Yacht Club.
Still, the program had trouble getting off the ground.
Seville said the program was "a hard sell" to city parents who were anxious about sending their kids to live on an island with strangers three hours away.
"We had to build up some trust," he said.
The program brings kids "from all over — every sort of race, color, religion," many of whom haven't spent any extended time away from home, Dyett said. Dyett is also Shelter Island's first Black town council member.
The program "started small," Bresnahan said, and grew to its largest group this year, which included 10 youth sailors and five youth instructors who are a few years older and train under the yacht club’s staff like an internship.
Promoting diversity in sailing builds on a goal US Sailing, the sport’s national governing body, has undertaken in recent years.
US Sailing has launched initiatives to make the sport more accessible. It has encouraged local sailing organizations to "provide an inclusive sailing environment," according to its website.
The Hudson River kids typically sail on keelboats like the J/80 and J/24. Seville said those boats "are a little bigger" than the ideal size for teaching middle school students.
In the Hudson River where they sail, the current and vessel traffic restricts the types of boats they can use, he said.
Given the chance to learn on the "high performance" 420, as well as other types of boats, was a highlight for many of the young sailors, Bresnahan said.
"The [420] boats are much tippier, you get wet, it’s very action-packed," he said.
Penelope Vargas, 13, of New York City, started sailing lessons three years ago. This year was her second time in the New Horizons program.
Vargas said she was "confident" and "excited" to participate again.
She said it’s "way different" sailing around Shelter Island compared to the Hudson River.
"The water’s cleaner, first of all," she said with a laugh.
During their week on Shelter Island, the students cram in two daily sailing lessons, along with activities like a golf lesson through a partnership with Gardiners Bay Country Club, recreational swimming and a beach party with pizzas delivered by boat.
Pierre described it as a "wave of events." On the water, he learned how the spinnaker, a downwind sail, can propel the boat faster, "pushing it like a parachute."
On their final evening, the students boarded one of four larger boats like a J/88 for the yacht club's weekly Wednesday night racing. Nearly two dozen boats cruised out to the starting line near a jetty off Greenport. At precisely 6 p.m., the sailboats began racing southwest in Greenport Harbor.
Afterward, a table for 19 awaited the Hudson River Community Sailing group for dinner at the yacht club.
Looking ahead, Bresnahan said the goal is to expand and allow some of Shelter Island’s young sailors to spend time on the Hudson River.
Emily Smith Ewing, of Greenport, has served as a host parent all three years. This summer, she had five girls stay at her home, providing them a place to sleep and meals and keeping them comfortable away from home.
She has seen how the kids, typically quiet and reserved at first, open up after the first day of sailing and are "bubbling with excitement."
Cora Abdoo, program coordinator for Hudson River Community Sailing, spent the week assisting the sailors in a chaperone role.
She said the students became immersed in the experience and were pushed out of their comfort zone.
It was "incredible to watch" the students challenge themselves and grow over just a few days, she said.
Rebecca Jimenez, 23, works as a program assistant for Hudson River Community Sailing and also chaperoned.
She said the students love the experience of sailing new boats and even jumping in the bay water — something they can’t do in the Hudson River.
Jimenez said she hopes the students leave Shelter Island knowing how to keep an open mind, think outside the box and understand they can accomplish anything.
"I think it shows them a world they never thought possible," she said.
As Rylee Pierre navigated the small, speedy sailboat through choppy waves around Shelter Island, it began heeling and tipping on one side. The 13-year-old knew he had to shift his position to equalize the weight and balance the boat. But the boom that connects to the main sail swung around toward his face and blocked his path, knocking him into the water.
He suddenly felt the cool bay water, a refreshing reprieve on a sweltering July morning, he said. It was his first experience capsizing, a common fate for young sailors learning on the dinghy known as a 420.
"I was a little nervous at first," said Pierre, who lives in Manhattan. "I just knew I had to keep cool and follow what [the instructor] was saying and I’ll be fine."
Pierre recalled the experience as a "core memory" of his four days sailing around Shelter Island through a partnership that recently brought more than a dozen New York City youth to the Island for free lessons. For many families, taking up sailing is cost-prohibitive.
WHAT TO KNOW
- New York City youth sailors spend a week living on Shelter Island as part of the Shelter Island New Horizons Program.
- The program allows students from Hudson River Community Sailing based in New York City to integrate into the Shelter Island Yacht Club's youth sailing program.
- The students, most around 13 or 14 years old, learn to sail on "high performance" 420 boats.
The Shelter Island New Horizons Program, in its third year, links sailors from the Shelter Island Yacht Club with those at Hudson River Community Sailing, a nonprofit that teaches sailing to underserved New York City kids.
The young sailors from the city, most around 13 or 14 with at least one year's sailing experience, get to learn at the Shelter Island yacht club that has produced elite sailors like Amanda Clark, the two-time Olympian.
The program goes beyond teaching the technical skills of sailing. It helps "to open some doors for people that might not have the same opportunities that kids out here do," said Jeffrey Bresnahan, director of sailing for the Shelter Island Yacht Club.
"Sailing and being on the water is about confidence," he added.
Small beginnings
Several years ago, Hudson River Community Sailing brought a group of students to Shelter Island for a race, recalled Mwenye Seville, the nonprofit's youth program director. The idea for a partnership grew from that.
The yacht club’s vice commodore, Benjamin Dyett, also serves on the board of trustees for Hudson River Community Sailing. He pitched the idea to the board of the Shelter Island Yacht Club.
Still, the program had trouble getting off the ground.
Seville said the program was "a hard sell" to city parents who were anxious about sending their kids to live on an island with strangers three hours away.
"We had to build up some trust," he said.
The program brings kids "from all over — every sort of race, color, religion," many of whom haven't spent any extended time away from home, Dyett said. Dyett is also Shelter Island's first Black town council member.
The program "started small," Bresnahan said, and grew to its largest group this year, which included 10 youth sailors and five youth instructors who are a few years older and train under the yacht club’s staff like an internship.
Promoting diversity in sailing builds on a goal US Sailing, the sport’s national governing body, has undertaken in recent years.
US Sailing has launched initiatives to make the sport more accessible. It has encouraged local sailing organizations to "provide an inclusive sailing environment," according to its website.
'Action-packed'
The Hudson River kids typically sail on keelboats like the J/80 and J/24. Seville said those boats "are a little bigger" than the ideal size for teaching middle school students.
In the Hudson River where they sail, the current and vessel traffic restricts the types of boats they can use, he said.
Given the chance to learn on the "high performance" 420, as well as other types of boats, was a highlight for many of the young sailors, Bresnahan said.
"The [420] boats are much tippier, you get wet, it’s very action-packed," he said.
Penelope Vargas, 13, of New York City, started sailing lessons three years ago. This year was her second time in the New Horizons program.
Vargas said she was "confident" and "excited" to participate again.
She said it’s "way different" sailing around Shelter Island compared to the Hudson River.
"The water’s cleaner, first of all," she said with a laugh.
During their week on Shelter Island, the students cram in two daily sailing lessons, along with activities like a golf lesson through a partnership with Gardiners Bay Country Club, recreational swimming and a beach party with pizzas delivered by boat.
Pierre described it as a "wave of events." On the water, he learned how the spinnaker, a downwind sail, can propel the boat faster, "pushing it like a parachute."
On their final evening, the students boarded one of four larger boats like a J/88 for the yacht club's weekly Wednesday night racing. Nearly two dozen boats cruised out to the starting line near a jetty off Greenport. At precisely 6 p.m., the sailboats began racing southwest in Greenport Harbor.
Afterward, a table for 19 awaited the Hudson River Community Sailing group for dinner at the yacht club.
'Bubbling with excitement'
Looking ahead, Bresnahan said the goal is to expand and allow some of Shelter Island’s young sailors to spend time on the Hudson River.
Emily Smith Ewing, of Greenport, has served as a host parent all three years. This summer, she had five girls stay at her home, providing them a place to sleep and meals and keeping them comfortable away from home.
She has seen how the kids, typically quiet and reserved at first, open up after the first day of sailing and are "bubbling with excitement."
Cora Abdoo, program coordinator for Hudson River Community Sailing, spent the week assisting the sailors in a chaperone role.
She said the students became immersed in the experience and were pushed out of their comfort zone.
It was "incredible to watch" the students challenge themselves and grow over just a few days, she said.
Rebecca Jimenez, 23, works as a program assistant for Hudson River Community Sailing and also chaperoned.
She said the students love the experience of sailing new boats and even jumping in the bay water — something they can’t do in the Hudson River.
Jimenez said she hopes the students leave Shelter Island knowing how to keep an open mind, think outside the box and understand they can accomplish anything.
"I think it shows them a world they never thought possible," she said.
Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.
