Sailing School

HUDSON LEGACY SAILING SCHOOL

The beginners program for age groups 9-16 will use Sunfish sailboats.

Individual effort is the key.

The advanced program will use Lightnings and offer the opportunity to crew on larger boats involved in the various racing programs on the river. Being part of a crew and working together is the emphasis here.

Both Lightnings and Sunfish are raced on the river in other venues so there will be plenty of opportunities for competition, both at the local and national levels.

Sailing School Course Offerings Include:

Sail making and repair

Boating Safety

Understanding Weather

Beginning Racing

Advanced Racing

Day Sailing

Cruising

Navigation and chart reading

Net Making & Commercial Fishing

Will be focused on the traditional skills used by generations of Commercial Fishermen.

Sailboat Rigging

Our complete rigging shop is capable of making all the rigging used in our fleet and restorations.

The art and skills will be taught to those that are interested:

Knot tying and marlinspike work

Splicing all types of rope

Splicing wire to rope

Traditional rigging (Types of rope and their uses)

Modern Rigging Design

Standing Rigging

Running Rigging

Sailing School BOATS

The International Lightning

Design: Sparkman & Stephens, 1938
              Over 15000 built
              More than 500 fleets worldwide (Now)
Length: 19'0" (5.8m)
Beam:   6'6" (2m)
Displacement: 700 lb (318 kg)
Draft:    (board down): 4'11" (151.3cm),
             (board up) 5" (12.8cm)
Mast height: 26'2" (7.9m)
Sail area: (main & jib): 177 sq.ft.
              (spinnaker) 300 sq.ft.
Crew:    (racing) 3

Get The Best Of Both Worlds
Without Compromising Either One

The Lightning, a 19 foot trailerable centerboard sloop, was originally designed by Sparkman & Stephens as an affordable family day-sailor and racing boat. She has evolved into one of the most popular and competitive one-design racing classes in the world. Awarded ISAF International Class status, the Lightning is sailed in more than 13 countries and in the Pan American Games, and the class provides a professionally-managed association that is among the largest in all of one-design sailing. The Lightning's rig is simple, but offers sophisticated sail shape controls. The hull features a unique hard chine design that combines the stability that provides sail-carrying power, with flat bottom sections that promote planing. The International Lightning Class Association protects the boat's design and licenses custom and private builders to build boats under its administration. A list of Lightning builders is available from the ILCA upon request. Lightnings are raced on the Hudson river.

Dinghy Responsiveness,
Sportboat Performance
The Best Of Both Worlds

Whether racing or daysailing, the Lightning offers a combination of performance and stability that eludes most one-designs. The Lightning's hard chine and 130 lb centerboard give her the stability and power of a small keel boat going to weather in strong winds and allow her to carry a very large spinnaker for breathtaking offwind rides.

There's room in the cockpit for two couples or a family to daysail, but the Lightning is easy to ramp launch and light enough to trailer with ease. In the event of a capsize, she can be righted and sailed dry by her crew.

Refined Design,
Today's Technology

Whether you're more interested in how a boat looks or how it behaves, it's hard to beat the Lightning. The Class maintains an attitude that promotes conservative innovation, making the boat faster, safer and more maintenance free, while keeping prices affordable. Most Lightnings built in the last 25 years can be made competitive and it's not uncommon to see them winning races right along with new ones. In fact the 1995 World Champion sailed a boat built in 1969! (Made of wood)

Modern Lightnings are built in foam-cored fiberglass with stainless steel centerboards and black anodized aluminum spars. The world's top sailmakers give the class their best efforts. In short, there are enough controls to keep the most technically inclined happy, but it's good tactics, boat-handling and hiking that win races. We will build them out of wood.

The Best Competition In The World Or
A Way To Get Away From It

Ted Turner, Dennis Conner, Ken Read, Dave Dellenbaugh, Dave Curtis, Bruce Goldsmith, Tom Allen, Neal Fowler, Steve Benjamin, Ched Proctor, Bill Shore, Greg Fisher, Andy Horton are just a few of the rock stars who have competed in the Lightning. After more than 60 years and more than 15,000 boats it's easy to find a regatta when you want to. But whether you're interested in serious racing or you just want to go for a joyride with the family, you'll find what you're looking for in the Lightning.

Club Racer Or International Icon

The Lightning truly excels as a racing boat. It requires a wide range of different skills, both tactical and technical. At 700 pounds all up, the boat is tough enough to avoid frequent breakdowns, but light enough to plane wildly on the reaches.

A World Championship is held every two years. North American, South American and European Championships are held each year as are innumerable regional and District championships. Major regattas attract some of the finest sailors in the world, but you find class members friendly and the sailmakers' complete tuning guides helpful at getting you up to speed in a hurry.

The International Lightning Class Association
Welcome To Our World

The ILCA is one of the oldest and best organized class associations in sailboat racing. Its primary purpose is to serve its membership, preserve the integrity of the Lightning and provide high-quality competitive events. In addition, the ILCA publishes a monthly newsletter Lightning Flashes with up-to-date regatta news, boat brokerage and ideas on how to get the most out of your Lightning. An annual Yearbook, containing many illustrated articles, reports on major championships, fleet reports and a complete association mailing list, is also published. The professional ILCA staff is always on hand to assist both current and potential members.

If you're looking for a boat you can be proud to sail, one that offers dinghy handling with the performance of a sportboat, a refined design that's free of fads, complete with the technology of today for both racing and daysailing - Get The Best Of Both Worlds. Get into a Lightning. See you on the water.

David Dellenbaugh, former Lightning World Champion and starting helmsman for 1992 America's Cup defender America3:
The Top 10 Things I Like About The Lightning:
1. There's Lightning racing almost everywhere.
2. Some of the best sailors in the world sail the Lightning.
3. Lightnings are available from more than one high-quality builder.
4. Lightnings even 20 years old are still competitive.
5. The boat is one of the best crew trainers on the water today.

6. The class is not so strict as to discourage experimentation which makes the boat faster and easier to sail.
7. The Lightning has interested the finest sailmakers in the world so the sails and the tuning guides look great and are easy to use.
8. The Lightning is a very roomy boat for daysailing.
9. Lightning sailors sail hard, but they're not too cutthroat - someone's always ready to answer questions.
10. The class management is as good as you'll find in one-design sailing.

SUNFISH

Specifications: LOA: 13'9" Beam: 4'1" Sail Area: 75 sq. feet Hull Weight: 130 lbs Designed by Alexander Bryan and Cortland Heyniger Handcrafted in the USA
Convenient storage in the back of cockpit which is perfect for extra gear or a cooler. Patented kick-up rudder makes beach launches, landings, and shallow-water sailing effortless. Self-bailing cockpit Hydrodynamic daggerboard maximizes upwind performance. Lateen rigged sail: 1) automatically depowers when hit by a gust of wind 2) two sides of the sail are supported which ensures durability 3) easy to rig and derig Mainsheet is the only control line that you need to use to enjoy the simple pleasures of sailing a Sunfish.			Simple main halyard is one of the two lines on the Sunfish, it hoists and lowers the sail in a matter of seconds, enabling spontaneous enjoyment of the water. Stainless steel bow handle: facilitates carrying, docking, and holding the boat into the wind while launching or loading Molded in keel is designed to take the abuse of repeated beach landings
Racing Rules for Kids and Small Boat Tacticians

By Hugh Elliot, US Sailing Certified Judge

As a small boat skipper or tactician, I am too busy with steering or trimming to get into arcane details (of the rules). I offer the following as a lighthearted collection of very basic rules. While it mixes right of way rules with tactical rules of thumb, I find it quite a good place to start. Experience and study will fill in the blanks.

1. Don't hit other boats. Collisions are slow and arguments are slower.
2. Keep out of the way of boats in front of you.
3. Port tack boats usually have to stay out of the way of everyone else.
4. Windward boats must stay away from leeward boats.
5. The inside boat gets to go round the mark first.
6. Don't hit marks. Doing circles is slow.
7. Don't hit the committee boat. First, it is a mark (see Rule 6) and second, it really makes them mad.
8. Nothing good ever happens on a layline.
9. The port tack layline is a very ugly place.
10. Control your own destiny: stay out of the Protest Room. Protest Committees are uncontrollable: with a 100% solid case, you have a 50% chance of being DSQ.

The sunfish is the most popular boat ever produced. Millions of people have learned to sail and enjoy the water on the Sunfish. Sunfish have explored quiet coves, planed across lakes, and sailed in big ocean swells. For over 40 years there has been no better way to play on the water.

Sunfish - Easy to sail and a great beginner's boat that also can challenge the most seasoned sailor, the 14-foot Sunfish attracts sailors at all levels of skill. The sunfish sails under a single, low-profile lateen sail, that is simple to rig and control. The boat is usually raced solo, but readily accommodates two. Sunfish – a one-person sailboat that is very stable and easy to learn to sail.

What are the sizes of these sailboats?

The sunfish is 13’9" long, and the Lightning is 19 feet long.

How much do I need to know about sailing before I begin racing?

A basic knowledge of sailing is all you need to race a one-person sailboat. Regardless of your skill level or experience, you will be welcomed and assisted by the more experienced skippers. Crewing is an excellent way to learn sailing and more about racing.

The Sunfish is a one person racer. The Lightning requires three people (including the skipper) for most regattas (two can sail in local races).. The Hudson at Beacon Sailing Club provides clinics on how to crew.

What is the stability of these sailboats?

The Sunfish is a stable small sailboat – seldom capsizing. Lightnings are very stable. Many Lightning skippers will go through years of sailing without capsizing.

Capsizing in a Sunfish is part of the fun in sailing these boats. They are designed to be "wet boats." Water doesn’t usually come into the boat during a Sunfish capsize – and if it does, these boats have self-bailing systems that quickly clear any water. After the Sunfish capsizes, the boat is easily brought upright. The challenge for Sunfish skippers is to right the boat as fast as possible and continue racing.

How wet will I get?

The Sunfish seldom capsizes, but water splashes over the deck and you will get wet on a windy day. When sailing in a Lightning, you will get some spray – but otherwise will usually keep dry.

How many can be on these sailboats when not racing?

The Lightning will comfortably hold 6 to 8 adults for a relaxing sail and a picnic lunch or moonlight sail.

You can take another person with you on the Sunfish. It will be fun, but probably not romantic. Plan on getting wet on the Sunfish.

How long does it take to set up my boat and be ready to sail?

The Sunfish is a very easy boat to rig and get in the water – five minutes and you are sailing. It takes about 20 minutes to rig and launch the Lightning.

How complicated are these boats to sail?

Complexity is closely related to the number of sail controls. Sail controls change the shape and position of a sail. The Sunfish is a very The Lightning has many more sail controls than the Sunfish.

What are these boats made of?

Almost all sailboats today are made of fiberglass. The Sunfish are fiberglass. The Lightnings built in our shop to sailing association rules and specifications will be of wood construction.

Tuition: $550 (Scholarships available as needed)

Coastwise Navigation Knowing where you are on the water.

Except in the smallest bodies of water, the sailor is helpless if he or she lacks the age-old skills of piloting and dead reckoning. Even in the clear waters of the tropics, vigilant eyeball navigation is not enough to keep a vessel off the reefs. For young beginners we will emphasize all the safety aspects of boating on the river. For example, what will the wind and current do with the boat if you fall out of it? What effect does the tidal flow have on the currents? What will happen to you if you fall out of the boat? And what you need to understand before you leave the confines of the river to travel. Only a fool would get underway without a good understanding of how to use charts and instruments to navigate a safe voyage. Dependence solely on electronic devices is very dangerous. Failure in an emergency can cost lives and the smallest of boats seldom have them. For these reasons, basic piloting is taught in all our Seamanship classes. The goal of this course is to give students a really thorough understanding of, and familiarity with, the subject—approaching it both in the classroom and on the water.

We start with charts, the fundamental tool of the navigator. Modern charts present an incredible amount of information, and to really utilize it all—to continuously visualize the connection between the chart and your spot on the water—takes skill and experience. You will acquire both. You'll examine compasses—types, azimuths, lubber lines, the confusions of deviation and variation. Parallel rules and dividers will become your friends as you learn the techniques of plotting courses, LOPs, and fixes. You'll move on to more advanced procedures such as running fixes, compensation for set and drift, bow and beam bearings, circles of position, and the six-minute rule. You'll go boating a lot in this course, putting your lessons into practice and getting skillful with the tools. You'll use traditional and reliable instruments like the compass and lead-line, and you'll gets your hands on electronic devices like depth sounders and GPS. A day or two of fog will be welcome, but barring that, you'll work under a airplane pilot's training glasses to experience running blind.

This course provides the ideal blend of the theory and practice of coastal navigation. By week's end, you should be able to enjoy piloting and be safer with your boat on the water.

Tuition: $550 (Scholarships available as needed)