Member Area

Login to access the latest member infomation and member-only content like The Telltale.

Fleets

    Enjoy some serious fun at the Nyack Boat Club

    The Nyack Boat Club is one of the most active, vibrant sailing and racing clubs in the tri-state area. We have strong one-design classes, with a broad enough range of boats to accommodate all interests, ages, and skills. Within the one-design group, there are Ensign, Ideal 18, Laser, Lightning, Sonar, and Thistle fleets that run active racing programs from May through October.  When not enjoying more casual cruises on the Hudson, our Cruising fleet actively races on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, in both spinnaker and non-spinnaker classes under the PHRF rating system. If you'd like more information, all our fleets are listed below and we encourage you to read through their descriptions. The contact information for each fleet captain is included if you have any questions.
     

    Cruising Fleet

    NBC’s largest fleet is its “Cruising” fleet, which is visible in the mooring field just off our clubhouse where the Hudson River's natural beauty provides a striking setting and a true escape from everyday life. Club members are shuttled to and from their boats by the NBC launch. Several times a season, the cruising fleet organizes group cruises up and down the Hudson River, anchoring and spending the night in favorite locations before cruising back home the next day.
     
    In addition to these more casual cruises, we actively race on Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons in both spinnaker and non-spinnaker classes under the PHRF rating system. We often get 15 or more boats out on the water on a Wednesday evening, with the setting sun a perfect backdrop and conclusion to the races. Afterwards, our very social group gathers on the patio for a social hour (or two). When our season ends and the cruises and racing become part of a shared history, we haul our boats, and our acre of tarmac becomes winter storage.
     
    For more information about racing contact Fleet Captain Carol Marsh at carolmarsh46@gmail.com or, for general Cruising information, contact Captain Jeff Levy at jaffloat@me.com.   More info...
     

    Ensign Fleet 51

    The Ensign is the largest class of full-keel sailboats in North America, with over 2000 boats manufactured since 1962. Designed by Carl Alberg, its sustained popularity is due to very solid and durable construction, and a timeless design that lends itself equally and admirably to comfortable family cruising, enjoyable day sailing, and close, strategic, tactical racing. The Ensign Class is one of the strongest national organizations, with numerous local fleets from coast to coast. To learn more about the Ensign, check out the Ensign Class website.

    For the 2022 season, we are hosting the Ensign National Championship from August 6th through August 11th. Ensign sailors and crews from throughout the U.S. will be converging on the Nyack Boat Club to sail on the majestic Hudson River. It will be a spectacular event and we hope you’ll join us. Lodging and social events will be located in the historic Hudson Valley, just a few steps to Victorian downtown Nyack, an easy walk from the Nyack Boat Club. For more information about the Ensign National Championship, contact Event Chair Jon Simpson at jshbear@msn.com.

    For more information about the Ensign fleet, contact our Fleet Captain, Rick Feldman, at ensign1450@gmail.com.

    More info...

    Ideal 18 Fleet

    The Ideal 18 program has NBC-owned boats that are fully maintained by the club and available for exclusive use by members of the Ideal Program during the regular NBC season.  The Ideal 18 is a keelboat designed by Bruce Kirby, the famed designer of the Laser & the Sonar. It is designed with safety and simplicity in mind. It is perfect for the new sailor but also appeals to experienced sailors of one-design racing.  

    Within the fleet, there are sailing programs for every interest.  We offer: 

    • Learn to Sail - our sailing director conducts classroom sessions followed by on- water teaching.  
    • Advanced Sailing - for those more experienced, the emphasis is skippering and boat handling.
    • Casual Sailing - sign out one of the boats and enjoy an afternoon on the Hudson.
    • Women’s Sailing - improve your sailing & skippering skills, and then gather on the patio with the group for a social evening. 
    • Racing - is offered for beginners in a fun, safe environment as well as sessions that are more competitive that would appeal to an experienced racer. 

    Join us. Become a Special Activity Member, which entitles you to access the Ideal Sailing Programs and use of related Nyack Boat Club facilities.  Contact  Admissions at i18admissions@nyackboatclub.org.  To learn more about the Ideal 18, check out the Ideal 18 Class website.   More info...

    Laser Fleet

    One of the greatest things about the Laser is that it offers a huge amount of fun and family pleasure to sailors of all ages, sizes, and levels. But it can also put your physical skills to the test, offering an exhilarating experience at the highest levels of sailing. It’s no surprise that more than 200,000 owners have been attracted to its winning combination of simple charm and high performance, making it one of the most popular one-design fleets in the world.

    Unique to the Laser is the three-rig option: 4.7, Radial, and Standard. By simply changing the sail and the lower mast section, you can accommodate all weights and/or wind conditions.

    We have an active Laser racing fleet here at the Nyack Boat Club.  We run a weekly racing series on Tuesday evenings and Sunday afternoons, and host and participate in numerous regattas. In addition, we very much enjoy the camaraderie of our fellow club members, and we're looking forward to a very active 2022 sailing season.  To learn more about the Laser, check out the Laser Class website.  For more information on the Laser fleet at the Nyack Boat Club, contact Michael Gunn at lmichael.gunn@gmail.com.   More info...
     

    Lightning Fleet 75

    The Lightning, a 19-foot trailerable centerboard sloop, was originally designed by Sparkman & Stephen as an affordable family daysailer and racing boat. She has evolved into one of the most popular and competitive one-design racing classes in the world. The Lightning's rig is simple but offers sophisticated sail shape controls; its unique hard chine hull design provides stability for sail-carrying power, while flat bottom sections promote planning. Paired with a 130-pound centerboard, Lightnings have 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 off-wind rides.

    Whether racing or daysailing, the Lightning offers a combination of looks, performance, and stability that eludes most one-designs. There's enough room in the cockpit for two couples or a family to daysail. Whether you're a serious racer, or just out for an afternoon sail, it’s hard to beat a Lightning. 

    The fleet races on Sundays at the boat club from May to October, and if you’re interested in regional and national competition, there are regattas up and down the East Coast from Spring through Fall, and in Florida during the Winter months. 

    Whether you’re already a boat owner, or are looking for a crewing spot, the Lightning Fleet welcomes you.  For more information contact our Fleet Captain Peter Browne at pbrowne126@gmail.com.  And to learn more about the Lightning, check out the Lightning Class website.

     

    Open Fleet

    Every Fleet at NBC started with one boat and until there are 6 or more boats in the fleet it is not feasible to establish an independant fleet. The Open Fleet provides a growing fleet the competition and infrastructure to race on a consistent basis until the fleet is large enough to form a new fleet.

    For more information contact our Fleet Captain Peter Sloat at djsnpfs4@optonline.net.    More info...

    Sonar Fleet 23

    Ever think of getting out on the water on a safe but exhilarating sailboat? Whether you're new to sailing, or thinking about kicking things up a notch by trying racing, the Nyack Boat Club has an active and growing fleet of Sonars. Sonars are 23-foot-long high-performance keelboats designed with simple, efficient rigs to provide sparkling performance in reasonable comfort. These one-design sailboats can ghost along in light air, yet their deep keel and rudder make them stable and quite manageable when the wind pipes up—and when it does, you’ll be sitting on the “rail," very much aware there is no better boat to sail than a Sonar.
     
    The fleet is looking ahead to the 2022 season with enthusiasm. The fleet’s primary activity is Sunday afternoon club races run by our volunteer race committee and race patrollers.   Being a strict one-design class the races are very competitive, with every boat capable of “winning on any given Sunday," as they say. We race off our front porch—literally, 15 minutes from porch to starting line—on the beautiful and historic Hudson River.  
     
    The races themselves can be very exciting, and it’s certainly a big part of the fleet’s appeal. But it's just as much the camaraderie of the fleet members that brings us back week after week. Each afternoon before racing we get together on the patio for coffee and donuts and discuss the highlights of our past week.  We then launch and haul our boats as a group effort since they are dry-sailed.  After the races have concluded and the boats are hauled, we go back to the patio, open the fleet cooler and unload drinks and snacks, and finish the day by discussing boat speed, mark roundings, and our next Sunday outing.  But it doesn’t end there: Over the course of the year, we host several social functions ranging from BBQ’s and lobster boils to axe-throwing outings to trips to museums. During the winter months, some members meet up to ski together in New York and Vermont. Anything fun is on the table.
     
    Perhaps you’d like to sail with us?  If so, please contact Holly Cullen at hollydcullen@gmail.com.  
     

    Thistle Fleet 41

    The Thistle is a high-performance, one-design racing sailboat designed in 1945 by Sandy Douglass to be light, fast, affordable, and fun. With clean lines and straightforward rigging, the Thistle quickly became a nationally popular racing class, and it's been a mainstay at the Nyack Boat Club since 1951 as Thistle Fleet #41.
     
    Thistles are generally sailed with a three-person crew, where each crewmember is actively involved in the boat mechanics and tactics. It's easy to get started with a Thistle, but the boat provides a lifetime of sailing challenges, learning, and thrills. With its a high sail-to-weight ratio, the Thistle gets moving even in the slightest breeze, but can get quite exhilarating as the breeze builds and it gets up on a plane.
     
    Life in the Thistle Class—and in the NBC Thistle fleet in particular—can be described simply as "great sailing, great friends." While we're competitive on the water, we’re a family on shore. We run training sessions for new Thistlers, offer tuning sessions for all of our boats, and hold family get-togethers on the club’s patio and grounds. Our signature event is the Paul LoGerfo Memorial Regatta, which is held each fall as part of the Thistle East Coast Fall Series. 
     
    The Thistle is easy to pack up for travel to regattas. Each year, we look forward to district, regional, and national level events where we catch up with old friends and quickly make close new ones.  We share racecourses with some of the best sailors in the world and always find that these sailors are just as excited to share their knowledge with us as we are to be racing with them.
     

    Want to try sailing a Thistle with us?  We know you'll enjoy being in the boat—it’s fun and fast, and you'll be welcomed by a great community of people. Our fleet is actively growing and we can always find a spot for you on a boat in the fleet.  For more information, contact our Fleet Captain Ryan Harris at nbcthistles@gmail.com. And to learn more about Thistle sailboats, check out the Thistle Class website.    More info....