Sail Brooklyn

Low Tide On The Gowanus Canal

2008-12-15T19:02:00.007-05:00

While we discovered some birdhouses along the banks of the Gowanus Canal, the tide was low, uncovering more secrets, including a Victorian birdcage, a few tires, bottles, an air conditioner and some other stuff that was beyond recognition. The interesting thing was that everything was some sort of shade, even the silty bottom of the Canal.

And while we're glad to see birds, ducks, fish and even Sludgie surviving in the Gowanus Canal, its sad to see this much crap in this historic waterway. We assume most of the big stuff was dumped in there, but most of the smaller stuff enters the canal via the storm drains. When it rains really hard, all of the junk that my neighbors toss into the street, including those McDonalds meals, soda bottles, cigarette butts, lottery tickets and candy wrappers end up in a storm drain and that stuff -- at least the trash in my neighborhood -- ends up overflowing into the Canal and then out to sea.

Gowanus Canal Nest Colony ... seriously

2008-12-14T19:57:00.013-05:00

You never know what you will see along the Gowanus Canal. Along both sides of Degraw Street is a small group of canary yellow birdhouses -- an installation called the Canal Nest Colony. The birdhouses, or "nests" are crafted from recycled materials and hope to attract the Eastern Bluebird and and Purple Martin Additionally, two trees were planted along a drainage area to filter pollutants.

We really like it for a number of reasons, but mostly because it highlights the unique beauty of the canal.

The Only Private Beach in the Five Boroughs

2008-08-13T21:09:00.006-04:00

When viewing Breezy Point from the Rockaway Inlet it is easy to forget that you are a mere 22 miles from Manhattan in a waterway that separates Brooklyn from Queens. The khaki colord sand beach is very clean and usually empty. On the beach sits the large "Lighthouse" Fire Control Tower, which looks lighthouse missing that is missing its light, or a huge lifeguard tower, with a row low-slung beachhouses of various styles, but all maintained beautifully framing the beach. From the beach, there is a great view of Manhattan, Brighton and Coney Island Beaches, Jamaica Bay, and the Manhattan Skyline. And because it sits on a bay, the beach is significantly less rough than the ocean side (it does get very rough, however.)

Breezy Point, which the New York Times calls "the whitest neighborhood in the city," is a small neighborhood of about 2800 homes on the Western end of Rockaway Point. Known as the Irish Riveria, Breezy Point is the only private beach in the five boroughs and run as a cooperative where the Breezy Point Cooperative, Inc. owns the land and the co-op members own the building only. Houses rarely go for sale on the open market and are typically sold through word of mouth. If you do find one, you'll have to need to put at least 50% down and use to use one of two co-op approved banks. You will also need three references from established residents, a large percentage are fourth and fifth generation. You'll need to do all of this prior to getting board approval.

The neighborhood, which is gated, with security guards, has no schools and very limited shopping. In addition to the seclusion and beautiful beaches, It is the home of the Rockaway Point Yacht Club and also has one of the most diverse populations of state and federally listed collection of shorebirds in the area, with over 1,000 nested terns (non-gull birds) in the co-op.

Non co-op members can visit Breezy Point by picking up a free one-day permit at the Jacob Riis Park Visitor Center, which will permits a car to park at the lot at the end of Rockaway Point Boulevard. Or do what we do, and check it out from the water. Either way, you won't be disappointed.

Sailing to Brooklyn from Ireland

2008-08-10T15:42:00.010-04:00

It is really amazing how many international sailboats come through Brooklyn. Earlier this year, Thomas Coville's maxi trimoran Sodeb'O was moored at Gateway Marina prior to its attempt to set a North Atlantic crossing record. And last year, we came across the crew of S/V Pasha, who came to Brooklyn in search of a laundromat.

I was fortunate enough to go sailing this weekend. With Baby Salt's arrival, it has been rather difficult squeezing in time for a sail (more on that to come). Following the sail, we saw the sailing vessel Safari of Howth, a Halberg Rassy 42, docked at Miramar Yacht Club. The ship, owed by Carmel & Ken Kavanagh, hailing from the Howth Yacht Club, was easily identified by its Irish flag flying from the stern. Safari of Howth left Ireland about two years ago and comes to Brooklyn by way of a long journey which included stops in the Caribbean, Florida and up the Eastern Seaboard. The boat will be in Brooklyn through the end of August, then will sail to the Chesapeake and Washington areas where they will stay until mid-October. Then its back to Ireland for Christmas.

The skipper, graciously invited us aboard, prior commitments kept us from accepting his offer. And while we didn't board the Safari of Howth, the skipper didn't leave us empty handed. We were each handed a beer prior to our departure.

Sailboats in Newtown Creek

2008-08-08T09:33:00.004-04:00

Our good friends at Gage & Desoto Design sent us a shot of two sailboats docked against a bulkhead on the Brooklyn side of Newtown Creek. The small sloop looks to be under 20 feet with the other in the 29-to-33 foot range.

Of course we don't have any information about these vessels, their captains or the sailing scene along the Brooklyn/Queens border, but we're happy to see more sailboats in unusual spots in Brooklyn.

Photo of the Day

2008-07-29T11:36:00.001-04:00

DSC_7539
Originally uploaded by Sail Brooklyn

A shot from the end Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn shows some sail and powerboats taking advantage of this weekend's windy conditions

The Lonely Waterfall

2008-07-27T21:50:00.007-04:00

We really like Olfar Eliasson's "The Waterfalls"particularly because it is bringing so many people to New York City's Upper Harbor and the installation brings the entire landscape of the waterfront, from Governor's Island up the East River to the Manhattan Bridge. And the waterfall that is installed underneath the Brooklyn Bridge is particularly spectacular, not only from the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, but also from the Manhattan side.

We do, however feel sorry for the lonely, unappreciated waterfall, that sits off the Montague St. entrance of the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. First, from the promenade, the viewer sees more structure than it does waterfall, and it is virtually impossible to hear because of the noise from the BQE. To its credit, however, it does make the viewer pay attention to Governor's Island and its waterfall. And its site on Furman Street, while accessible by bicycle and on foot is rarely trafficked, surrounded by fences and barbed wire, but there are spots where the view is priceless.

Hello Portland (Oregon, not Maine)

2008-07-23T19:45:00.006-04:00

Next week we'll be in Portland Oregon to celebrate Baby Salt's Great Grandfather's 88th Birthday. We're also looking forward to getting some well needed R&R and checking out the area, which we hear is amazing (we've never been there before).

While we are there, we would love to check out the local sailing scene, which looks very active. We've done a little research and have seen a number of active sailing clubs incluging the Willamette Sailing Club, Island Sailing Club the Hood River Yacht Club, and of course, the Portland Yacht Club, which turned 100 years old this year.

We'd like to acknowledge the Sail Portland Website and YachtClub.com's Oregon club list page which are good resources.

We'd appreciate any suggestions from readers or also hope to hear from other sailing and water blogs, like Proper Course, Frogma, Messing About in Sailboats, and Tugster.

1000 Days at Sea and a Baby Makes Three

2008-07-22T21:35:00.003-04:00

When we last blogged about Reid Stowe's and Soanya Ahmad's 1000 Days at Sea venture, Soanya had left the voyage at day 307 because of sea sickness. Today, we read that Soanya had given birth to a baby boy who she named Darshen.

Congratulations Soanya and Reid.

Obviously, Darshen was conceived at sea on the Schooner Anne, which is not completely surprising, but considering that the plan was to sail continuously for 1,000 days, you think they would have done a bit more planning and preparation in the birth control department.

Reid plans to continue sailing for another 540 days.

U-Boat in Red Hook

2008-07-21T21:54:00.008-04:00

New York's waterways are full of surprises: Sludgie the whale, and sharks are among the unique sea creatures spotted; and we've read about dead bodies in the East River and seen sailboats along the Gowanus Canal. Today's find was no exception. Birthed in the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal lies what appears to be a submarine.

We're very thin on facts regarding this diver. Perhaps its part of George Bush's war on terror. Or perhaps it is birthed in Brooklyn as a means to close the border. We're just not sure.

Update:

Our friends at Gowanus Lounge just ran a post with the history of the sub. It is the USS Growler, and it has been looking for a home for a little while.

On the Water Edition

2008-07-20T22:34:00.006-04:00

We brought our Flip Video along to capture a different perspective of Coney Island. The wind was particularly, blowing in the low 20s with recorded gusts of 28 knots per hour. Because the wind was continuing to build, we didn't stay out too long, but it was well worth it.

The first video shows us passing SV Odessa, which hails out of Miramar YC in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.

The second video gives a not often seen perspective of Coney Island.

Gowanus Canal Boat Yard?

2008-07-16T21:38:00.005-04:00

Along the Gowanus Canal, on the hard behind the Tom Ottterness studio, lies a 20-something foot sloop. While not the first sailboat we've seen along the Gowanus, this is much more peculiar because a crane was needed to pull her out of the water. From our vantage point, we could see that the boat is fully rigged with a mainsail and a relatively new outboard. She appeared to have decent bottom paint. We know the boat has been out of the water for at least six months.

In the water is what appears to be a Boston Whaler. It is conceivable that this Whaler is used to commute and for pleasure or even a run to Fairway.

Perhaps Otterness knows the story of the boats.

Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club's Centennial Celebration

2008-06-06T08:41:00.000-04:00

Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club will celebrate its 100th anniversary this Saturday, June 7th.

For more information, contact Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club at 718-891-0991.

Our Second Anniversary

2008-05-28T22:00:00.000-04:00

It is the 110th blog post since our first two years ago. In that time, we crafted 110 entries, roughly one post per week (the stats include the semi-dormant six month period following the Baby Salt's birth), generating 15,000 visits.

Thank you for your support

Learn to Sail in One Night: $25

2008-05-27T22:11:00.008-04:00

On Friday, June 6, Miramar Yacht Club is offering its "Learn to Sail in One Night" class to non-members. The class is condensed to only the basics of what's needed to know how to sail. The veteran instructors will cover:
sailing nomenclature, parts of a sail, apparent wind, Bernoulli Principle, points of sail, luffing, sail trim, slowing and stopping a sailboat, sailing again after a stop, tacking, jibing, general rules of the road, red-right-return, anchoring, docking and a few knots. Whew!

And they are offering a free sail the class runs from 8:00pm - 10:30 p.m. and cost $25, which includes materials, refreshments and we'll mention the free sail again.

To make a reservation or get information please call 718-743-5823 or e-mail sail@miramaryc.com.

Boerum Hill's Babbling Buckets

2008-05-27T21:30:00.008-04:00

Last March, we told you about a large scale sailboat model in the front yard of a large, red brick townhouse on Dean Street, between Smith and Nevins Street. The same house, we noticed had recently installed fountain constructed of large white plastic buckets (five gallons?).

The installation is sizable; at least five feet high and six feet in diameter. Its round pyramid shape is very well proportioned to the large brick yard. As you approach it, the sound of water trickling into a tub increases in volume to when you are in front of it, that is the dominant sound you hear on that Brooklyn block.

We love it and can't wait to see the next installation.

A Late Start to the Season

2008-05-26T21:52:00.006-04:00

On Saturday, May 24 there were a number of empty slips sat alongside boats being worked on and not yet sailed. We saw a number of boats that had just been launched with the owners making last minute arrangements to get ship shape for the season. Typically, at this point on the calendar most local sailors have been in the water for a few weeks. The strange weather this May has stalled, but not killed the start to the season.

The 2008 Sailing Season has Commenced

2008-05-08T14:58:00.005-04:00

The 2008 sailing season has commenced.

While my 76-year old father, Pappa Salt, has been sailing in the very cold and rainy Midwest for over a month, our season started yesterday. Typically, we'd take a few weeks to prep the boat, ensuring that she was sanded, varnished, well cleaned, polished and painted (both below the waterline and the bootstripe). This year was different, a combination of family obligations, parenting Baby Salt (who's almost one year old) and work limited my boat prep schedule to one weekend. And it wasn't really even a weekend, I had a free weekend day to get the boat prepped and one day to get her in.

Thankfully, our boat is very heavily built, in decent shape and we've been slowly upgrading some of the more critical components, combined with the fact that she's a fairly low-maintenance boat, enabled us to do a good enough job to get her in the water for the season. In one afternoon, we applied two coats of Micron CSC bottom paint. Its supposed to be multi-season (the rep said we could get two to three seasons use), and at $200 a gallon, were planning for this to be the last bottom paint job for a few seasons. We also had a few prominent stains on the hull, which we removed. Other than that and a mild washing of the hull, we didn't do anything other than check the rigging to ensure that it was fine -- which it is.

Yesterday, we headed down to the bay and dropped her into the water, stepped mast, rigged the boat in under three hours, leaving us enough time for a little sail. Which we did. Life was perfect that afternoon.

Becoming a first-time father in June of 2007 didn't leave me with much time to sail, so we are trying to figure out a way that we can add more sailing into the mix, while, at the same time, being fair to Mrs. Salt in terms of weekend baby duties. So that is what we need to figure out this year. I expect in a few years that this issue will subside, because Baby Salt will be sailing with us. As I know some readers have expressed interest in balancing a marriage, sailing and a newborn, we'll do our best to tell you how this works.

Springy Dinghy

2008-04-17T09:55:00.004-04:00

Today's lazy-as-heck post has me link to Frogma, which has a post and photos of some Laser sailors from the Sebago Canoe Club.

Yacht Clubs of Brooklyn: Sorta Edition, Sebago Canoe Club

2008-04-09T13:10:00.002-04:00

It's finally Spring, which means that we'll be sailing soon. But what do others, who have a passion to breathe the salt-air and experience the aero- and hydro-dynamics of sailing, but have a very limited budget do to start making plans to get on the water?

The simplest thing would be to find a friend with a boat and mooch! (For those moochers out there, the appropriate etiquette is to offer to help the skipper perform pre-season work on their boat, such as sanding and painting. And when you're invited, bring something, whether beer, fruit, water or sandwiches. It will be appreciated.)

Let's say you don't know anyone with a boat, there are still some low-cost options out there for you. One is the Sebago Canoe Club located on the Paerdegat Basin in Canarsie, Brooklyn. SCC has been around for 75 years and is easily accessible to Jamaica Bay after a short sail/paddle under Belt Parkway. As we can personally attest, Jamaica Bay is a fantastic sailing area, but our friends at SCC tell us that Paerdegat Basin "can be a bit nasty at times - particularly when the sewage goes to the storm drains and empties into the Basin, but once out of the Basin and into the Jamaica Bay it is an amazing place to sail and perfect for small boats and truly beautiful."

Sebago Canoe Club's sailing program is very different from a traditional yacht club/sailing club. The club is all volunteer - no paid staff so everything is done by their members - and the sailing committee is quite small (15-20 members) by comparison to the club's kayaking group.
All of Sebago's boats are limited by what can be carried down the ramp that goes to their dock. In terms of sailing, they sail one-design dinghies including Lasers, Sunfish, and Force 5s. The club has several sailors who have larger skiff type boats and some members still have and use sailing canoes. The club's boats include two Lasers, three Sunfish, a Super Sunfish, a Force 5 and a Club 420.

SCC's club boats are available to members who have been "certified." (Information is on their website outlining the requirements.) Additionally the club requires yearly work by it's members as part of the membership requirement. Because SCC maintains all of its boats, their sailing members must be self-sufficient with getting their boats down to the water and launched. Unfortunately, SCC does not offer rentals and does not have a youth program.

SCC has an annual sailing class for members, that includes classroom, rigging instruction, some on-the-ground practice and then on-the-water practice both days - (second day usually includes an extensive cruise, followed by a beaching, setting up buoys and putting the students through the paces of boat handling and capsizing). This year it takes place on June 28th and 29th. Our friends at Sebago Canoe Club limit their classes to members because the class has a 1:1 ratio of students to instructors. In addition, SCC's sailors plan cruises once a month throughout the summer and have races every Friday evening (on the water by 5:30pm). If last year is any indication, SCC is serious about racing. They had more than 16 club races in 2007.

The only time SCC takes out non-members is at their open house, which is scheduled to take place on May 24th.

Considering that family memberships start at $250, individual memberships are $175, this may be one of the best summertime options for New Yorkers looking to get on the water. I'm sure that even Madame X would approve of this expense.

Onshore Activites: Awesome New Store in Gowanus

2008-03-30T09:42:00.005-04:00

We bring our first blog of the Spring season onshore, specifically at the corner of 3rd and Bond Streets in Brooklyn's Gowanus neighborhood, where a unique new retail store has opened up.

We rode by the PictureBox Departmental Store and immediately noticed that Gary Panter had put his unique signature on the store (we've been huge fans of Panter since the early 80s). Panter, a Brooklyn-based artist, is well known as the creator of the cult comic Jimbo, the iconic Screamers logo and as the Emmy award winning set designer of Pee-Wee's Playhouse. Not only are the windows designed and painted by Panter, but we've been told that Panter also designed the display cases, shelving and painted the interiors.

PictureBox, which describes themselves as a "Grammy Award-winning art, music, photography, and comics publisher," opened its Departmental Store on March 22. The store specializes in artists’ editions, prints, books, zines, comics, prints, and international oddities. Among those, are the the Gary Panter Deluxe anthology, which is published by PictureBox, a Gary Panter skateboard (not a full board, just the deck), shirts and other unique items from around.

While their hours are limited - Friday 3-8, Saturday 12-8, Sunday 12-5, or by appointment - we really hope that people visit and support this place.

Photo of the Day: Brooklyn Bridge

2008-03-30T09:39:00.001-04:00

Red Hook's Roosters

2008-03-16T11:18:00.007-04:00

We took a bicycle tour of the Gowanus Canal and Red Hook yesterday. Our good friend, M.S., who has lived in New York City for over a decade has never explored the area and was intrigued by the industrial beauty and serenity of both areas.

On our tour of bucolic Red Hook, we came across a large lot, which was relatively empty, with the exception of a few large tanks and oil drums. But as we looked closer, we noticed a white and gray rooster alongside a brown rooster.

We don't think they are guard roosters, because we didn't see any signs reading, "Warning, Attack Rooster." Not only were there a few roosters in the lot, but we also saw a pigeon coop.

A Meal at Per Se or a Sunfish Sailboat, Which Costs More?

2008-03-07T19:30:00.005-05:00

A friend of mine, we'll call him M.A., recently took his girlfriend to celebrate his recent promotion, raise, bonus and Valentine's Day by indulging themselves with a meal at Per Se, one of only two restaurants in NYC to receive Three Stars in the Michelin Guide. M.A. told me it was the best meal of his life, and well worth the $987 (which included service charges). In fact, he was so appreciative and tipped an additional $150, bringing the total bill to $1,137.

For less than the cost of M.A.'s meal for two with drinks, you could purchase a Sunfish sailboat on Craig's list for $800 (or two for $1500). If you desire a dinghy that is a bit bigger and faster, there's AMF Zuma for $1,300 which is only $163 more than my friend paid for the meal of a lifetime.

Any reasonable person would agree that $1,137 for a meal for two people is outrageously expensive. But you could make the case that having the ability to sail your own boat for less than $1,000 is in fact reasonable, even downright cheap, compared to what some may spend on indulging themselves.

So what type of meal do you get for $987, including service? Here is what he had:

caviar
polenta with black truffles shaved on them (M.A. noted the truffles were removed from a lock box and shaved onto the dish at the table)
lobster tail
big eye tuna
quail
beef prime cap
cheese
sorbet, peanut butter and chocolate desert and chocolates

They drank a bottle of rose champagne, a half-bottle Montrachet white wine, which he said was ridiculous, and a half-bottle of Martinelli 2005 Blue Slide Ridge pinot noir.

The kind staff at Per Se provided M.A. and his lady friend a a tour of the kitchen and all the different stations. He said "the workspaces are immaculate" and added that they have a "state of the art water system from Norway that creates perfect still and sparkling water and saves the environment."

Learn To Sail

2008-03-05T19:05:00.002-05:00

Are you one of those people who's always been interested in sailing, but never stepped aboard a boat. If that's you, now is your chance to take some action by enrolling in Miramar Yacht Club's introductory sailing classes. The classes will cover the basics of sailing, including: basic safety, nomenclature, points of sail, sail trim , tacking, jibing, leaving and returning to a mooring, heaving to, anchoring, rules of the road, how to tie basic knots, weather, tides, and chart reading.

The three onshore classes and one lesson on a boat, are a perfect opportunity to test the waters. Classes start Friday, March 28th at 7:30, p.m. and run the same time on April 4 and April 11th. The classes cost $50 per person, $75 for families. Refreshments and materials are included.

For more information, call Miramar Yacht Club at 718-743-5823.

1000 Days at Sea...More like 307

2008-02-24T15:43:00.005-05:00

On April 24, when Reid Stowe, 55, decided to sail for 1,000 consecutive days with his significantly younger girlfriend, Soanya Ahmad, 23, who, at the time said it was her first time sailing, except for a few trips up and down the Hudson River, we knew this was a bad idea. Just a few days into Reid and Soanya's love voyage, Ms. Ahmad had gotten seasick quite a few times. At that time, Sail Brooklyn wondered how Soanya would react to the Southern Ocean, which is arguably the world's most dangerous water.

While we're not claiming to be soothsayers, but the Southern Ocean did get the best of Soanya and at day 307, she climbed off the Schooner Anne and headed to terra ferma -- Perth, Australia, to be exact. According to the 1000 Days at Sea Website, Sonya decided to call it quits "due to Sonya's seasickness over the past few months, brought on by their entry into the Southern Ocean." Reid writes,"since entering the Roaring 40s in late November, Soanya has suffered from recurring and disabling seasickness, resulting in a loss of appetite, weight loss,
and apathy."

Sonya was picked up by the good folks at the Royal Perth Yacht Club. I'm sure a little R&R adn a good time with the Aussies will cure her apathy. Frankly, we didn't think she's make it this long. Particularly because just 15 days into the voyage, they collided with a freighter.

Reid Stowe is continuing his voyage and according to him, has or is planning to break the following records:

Longest man and woman sea voyage
Longest consecutive time at sea for a woman
Longest time out of sight of land
Longest non-stop American sea voyage.
Longest space analogous experiment on the ocean

We're not sure which is more of an entertaining train wreck, 1000 Days at Sea or Britney Spears. Regardless, we'll continue to gawk.

Godspeed Reid!

What Do The Readers Want?

2008-02-13T19:15:00.000-05:00

I'm very grateful that anyone takes time to read this blog and I appreciate all of the readers who take time to visit the site.

I really would like to create a site with passionate readers, more interactivity and feedback. So I'm turning to you, my readers to see what you want to read

Are there particular areas that yo would like me to cover?
Are there stories you would like to read about during the winter months?
Are there areas that you think we should be covering?

Please let me know. I really want to hear from you.

Sailing In Floyd Bennett Field

2008-02-07T20:56:00.000-05:00

In our efforts to show the diversity of sailors in the County of Kings, we move on shore, to Floyd Bennett Field where a group thrill seekers gathers for some land-based sailing. Blokart sailing (or cart sailing), uses a single sail to propel a compact, lightweight cart that propels along the ground. Blokarts have been recorded at speeds as high as 57 MPH and we're told they are fairly simple to sail -- even for novices.

At Floyd Bennet field, Blokarting is championed by the New York State Blokart Sailing Club. They are a friendly group -- we say that because a few summers back, we were asked a member about the Blokart and he offered to let us take her for a ride. Like morons, we declined.

This is a great alternative for those who have the sailing but, but perhaps can't swim or get seasick very easily.

Waterfront Living in Brooklyn

2008-02-04T20:45:00.000-05:00

Like most Brooklynites we know, we are obsessed with real estate and frequently check out Brownstoner's real estate porn (aka its house, condo or co-op of the day). Unfortunately, the prices are out of reach for the average stiff.

However, there is a way to obtain the American dream, which is also a viable alternative to the overpriced condos in Williamsburg, South Brooklyn and Park Slope. And, it's waterfront property.

For a mere $139,000, you can be the proud owner of a 52-foot houseboat. This floating palace is approximately 1450 square feet, has three bedrooms, two bathrooms (or heads as we say), a woodburning fireplace, washer/dryer, lots of closet space and plenty of outdoor space. This property floats in Mill Basin, which is a bit of a hike from Manhattan, but where else are you going to get a waterfront palace for this price.

For those not willing to take the plunge, it is a fantastic alternative to a Hamptons share.

Christie's Maritime Art Auction on Jan 30

2008-01-28T21:45:00.000-05:00

On January 30, Christie's will hold its first maritime auction of the 2008 season. Over 350 works are on the auction block ranging from folk art and scrimshaw to paintings by Montague Dawson and James Edward Buttersworth. Our personal favorites are the models, which range from navy ships and modern cargo carriers to a half-hull of America, yes the ship that is the namesake for the Auld Mug.

While some of the pieces have estimates into six figures, some lots have estimates as low as $1,000. (Which is still a bit too rich for us)

Viewing started on January 25 and runs through January 29 with bidding starting at 10:00 a.m on January 30th. For those who wish to bid online, you need to pre-register with the auction house.

Wind-Powered Freighter Crossing the Atlantic

2008-01-27T12:09:00.001-05:00

Admittedly, we are a bit late to this story, but better late than never.

Beluga Group equiped a shipping freighter with a sail, specifically a SkySail, a parachute-shaped sail that is the size of a football field. The Ship, MS Beluga SkySails, departed on its first trans-Atlantic voyage earlier in the week. According to Beluga and SkySail, a ship‘s fuel costs can be reduced by 10- 35% on annual average, depending on wind conditions. Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can temporarily be reduced by up to 50%.

During the fuel crisis of the 1970s, the idea of adding sails to fuel-powered freighters to reduce costs was floated around, but the technology wasn't available to make it work. Even earlier, in 1966, the DynaRig, a modern version of a square-rig, was conceived in Germany as a means to add sails to freighters, but it was never tested because the technology wasn't available to make the masts. Fast forward 35 years and this is a viable option. In addition to the SkySail, the DynaRig is the powerplant behind Tom Perkins' 288-foot Maltese Falcon.

The fact that the SkySail technology can be easily adapted to most cargo ships leads us to believe that we'll start to see more creative wind-powered solutions to help the world's shipping fleets reduce costs.

Made in Brooklyn: Bags From Recycled Sails

2008-01-21T21:30:00.000-05:00

Reiter8 is a Brooklyn-based company that we love. The owner/designer, Katherine Rasmussen, makes very stylish and durable bags and pillows out of recycled sails, each with its own unique stripe, logo, mark or number. The pricing is reasonable with a large messenger bag costing $125, tote bags $65-$75, pillows $48 and mini wallets for $8.

Reiter8 is available at various domestic retail outlets and online through Etsy. And for you sailboat owners with old, unused and unloved sails in storage: donate them to Reiter8 and get a custom bag made from your sail.

Photo of the Day

2008-01-17T07:00:00.000-05:00

Winter in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Its amazing how many boats are still in the water.

Major National Sailing Championship Coming to NYC

2008-01-14T22:38:00.000-05:00

A major U.S. sailing championship will take place this spring in Staten Island. On May 15 through May 18, the Richmond County Yacht Club (RCYC) will host the 2008 J/24 National Championship.

The J/24 Class Association expects anywhere from 50 to 70 boats and crews, coming from across the country, to participate. On May 15th, boats weighed and measured at RCYC. Over the next three days in Lower New York Harbor and Raritan Bay, the boats will fight it out to determine who will be the National Champion .

The Staten Island Advance reported spoke with Doug Olsen, an RCYC officer and resident of The Rock, who said, "We're absolutely excited to be holding it. We hosted the J24 Northeast Regionals in 2005, but this is the first time Staten Island has had the Nationals ... and since there's a 20-year rotation of where the Nationals go, this could be the only time Staten Islanders get a chance to see it."

The J/24 is the world's most popular one-design keelboat, with more than 5,000 sailing in fleets around the world. While the racing is purely amateur, and more about bragging rights than anything else, to win this regatta is very prestigious among the sailboat racing cognescetti. Eight to 10 windward/leeward (upwind/downwind) races, consisting of five 1-1 1/2 mile legs, are planned each day. All boats are involved in every race, which can make for a very long starting line, and tight competition at each rounding mark. Local sailors know that the strong currents and tides, combined with pretty consistent breezes will be a factor in determining the winner.

Photo of the Day

2008-01-12T10:59:00.001-05:00

A wooden double-ender docked in Sheepshead Bay.

Designed in Brooklyn: Sail Magazine's Best Boat of 2007

2008-01-10T21:15:00.000-05:00

We know they used to make sails in Brooklyn, but did you know that modern sailboats -- ones that you can buy and sail today -- are designed in County of Kings? Neither did I.

A number of boat manufactures have recently introduced classically styled daysailors with modern performance. One notable model among this new fleet is the e33, designed by Brooklyn-based Wurmfeld Design. The e33 conceived by America's Cup veteran and sailmaker Robbie Doyle, who collaborated with Jeremy Wurmfeld to create one of Sail Magazine's Best Boats of 2007 .

The boat very thoughtfully designed: it has a huge, 16 foot cockpit, with a nice space to comfortably spread out behind the rudderpost. We've read that the seats are designed with proper lumbar support. Below deck, the cabin is nicely equipped for a weekend or overnight, with an enclosed head, opposed settees and a little v-berth. But where this boat really excels at is sailing. The sailplan is designed to give the e33 a lot of horsepower, especially with the asymmetrical spinnaker hoisted. Its also designed to be easy to sail. All controls leading to the cockpit and the sails can be trimmed without the need for winches, which make for an easy boat to sail singlehanded. All of that, plus the fact that it can be easily launched using a typical yacht club crane, using its built-in lifting points. It really does seem ideal.

We'd love to take it out for a sail. So Jeremy, if you're reading this, keep us in mind.

Sailing as Fashion: Martha Stewart Gives Props to North Fork Sailmaker

2008-01-07T07:00:00.000-05:00

Greenport, Long Island's, Wm. J. Mills & Co. has crafted sails and canvas products since 1880. A Scottish immigrant, Mills moved from Northport on the Long Island Sound to Patchogue, on the South Shore, and then to Greenport, a very busy port at the time, which fed New York City's demand for fish and catered to a larger shipping business.

Today, the company still creates a small number of sails, but it's core business comes from custom canvas awnings and other canvas products, which it sells mainly to local customers. However, Wm. J. Mills & Co. has an international reputation for its Boston Whaler canvas accessories. The company is also a growing reputation among the countries diva's of design for its canvas bags.

In the December issue of Blueprint, which is published by Martha Stewart Omnimedia,(and has ceased publication as of this post) it lists the Wm. J. Mills flight bags in the holiday gift guide. The bags, which are made of the weather-resistant marine canvas, used in their awnings, come with a lifetime warranty. Perhaps its both the quality and style the has Martha Hooked.

New York Boat Show This Weekend

2008-01-04T17:05:00.000-05:00

While you may be freezing your butt off, its never too early to think about summer. This weekend at the Jacob Javits Convention Center, the New York National Boat Show comes to town. While its mainly for powerboaters (aka stinkboaters), the may have one or two sailcraft in the house.

Adult tickets are $15 and you can order online.

Winter Swans in Sheepshead Bay

2008-01-03T20:12:00.002-05:00

A family, or a few families, of swans live in Sheeepshead Bay throughout the year, even in the Winter. (The picture above was taken on December 29.) The swans are deceptively large, maybe 25 or more pounds, and the whitest, white I've ever seen. They also make a mess, so people try to keep them off their land, docks and boats. The swans are generally passive and don't bother people, they are not afraid to protect or their turf. You don't want one of these things to charge at you. Trust me!

The October 24, 2004 issue of the New York Times writes about Sheepshead Bay's swans noting they are mostly feral mute swans native to Europe. And for many years wildlife workers have been controlling the Jamaica Bay swan population to keep the swans from proliferating, crowding out native wildlife and fouling freshwater ponds. The swans are good relocators and have made their way to Sheepshead Bay where they've most likely grown used to being fed.

On the Hard: Winter on the Water

2007-12-30T10:55:00.000-05:00

It has been six months since my last posting. I appreciate anyone who will come back and read the blog. The summer has been eventful, we added Baby Salt to our crew and we've been slowly adjusting.

Being in the Northeast, most sailors I know pull their boats out of the water and store them on land (on the hard) in cradle or on jackstands for the Winter months. This is to protect the hull from ice damage. We pulled our boat out of the water in September and a week later we covered her up to protect it from filling with water, and, most importantly, to keep the cats out of the cockpit and cabin. If the cats get in there, your boat is going to stink and you'll have a mess to clean up in the fall. We also take the winter to prepare a list of projects we plan to tackle in the Spring and off season. It is also a great time to purchase new sails (which are discounted off season) and other equipment that may be out of stock when you need it.

However, there are a few die hard sailors (and a few I know of in Sheepshead Bay), that keep their boats in the water all year (Brooklyn Salt is not one of them). The good is that these sailors are ready to go out on those freakishly warm winter days. It also means that these sailors are very prepared to take the annual Polar Bear Sail on New Years Day. Just as the Coney Island Polar Bears head into the water for their New Years Day ritual, a group of sailors from Miramar Yacht Club, head offshore for a short sail to see the action off of Coney Island Beach. We will do our best to report the events.

Stay tuned.

Sidetracked for a Bit

2007-06-11T13:51:00.001-04:00

We're sorry for the lack of recent posts. Mrs. Salt and I have been extremely preoccupied on a project that we started in September: project Baby Salt.

The Baby Salt entered this world last week. We expect in about 20 years, he'll be in the afterguard of one of the America's Cup Syndicates.

We will try to resume regular posts shortly.

Sail Brooklyn Celebrates its First Year Anniversary

2007-05-29T10:02:00.000-04:00

On May 21, we celebrated our first year anniversary. Since our inception, we've had approximately 6,555 visitiors, viewing more than 12,400 pages on our blog. We crafted 80 posts over the past year.

We are thankful and grateful for the response and the positive feedback and hope to continue to keep our readers informed.

Mr. Launch Driver

2007-05-24T06:15:00.000-04:00

Perhaps one of the best summer jobs out there is driving a launch (also known as a tender) for a private boat club. The launch driver's primary function is to take club members from their main dock to boats on moorings. Without the launch driver, boat owners would have to row a dinghy out to their boat (which could be an issue if you plan to bring six or seven guests).

In addition to driving people to their boats, the launch driver acts as the "knowledge command center" for a club: he (or she) will know weather conditions; facilitates visiting boats onto guest moorings; and most importantly keeps track of who's come and gone (this is important, if a boat has been gone for an unusually long time). The launch driver your editor is familiar with also can procure large bags of ice cheaply.

In Brooklyn, launch drivers must be licensed by the Coast Guard and pass a series of tests (the license is the same one needs to drive a NYC Water Taxi). The shot above shows Frank, who drives a launch for Sheepshead Bay YC and Miramar YC at work driving the SBYC tender. He's a college student and inherited this job from his brother, who drove a launch while he was in school.

We think the positives - working on the water, in the spring and summer, driving a boat, tips and regularly hourly pay - outweigh the negatives - outside, on the water, in the rain, sometimes dealing with difficult people.

Red Hook Community Sailing: Get Involved

2007-05-10T06:26:00.000-04:00

In Red Hook, there is a good organization called PortSide New York that is dedicated to making connections between Red Hook's land lubbers and its storied waterfront. In addition to to saving and preserving the tanker Mary Whalen, which acts as their home base, the group has a job board and and plenty of maritime information relevant to Red Hook and the greater waterfront community.

We were particularly excited to hear that PortSide New York is working to start a community sailing program in Red Hook. We've been told they have a "classic plastic" Morgan 24 sailboat donated to this effort and will be holding a meeting on Wednesday, May 16 for anyone who is interested in helping. The meeting takes place at:

Community Board 6 Parks Committee
Red Hook Recreation Center
155 Bay Street (@ Henry Street)

We love the idea of community sailing and applaud PortSide New York for their efforts.

1000 Days at Sea: It took only 15 Days for a Major Disaster

2007-05-07T22:14:00.000-04:00

On April 24, we wrote about Reid Stowe and Soanya Ahmad venturing off for their 1,000 days at sea venture. The Combination of Reid's gung-ho attitude and Soanya's complete lack of sailing experience, particularly any blue water experience, led us, and many others to believe that this is a disaster in the making. Unfortunately, for the crew of the schooner Anne, their dream voyage turned south two days ago, during their 15th day, the Morning of May 6, Anne had a collision with a freighter.

Stowe writes, " I was on watch in the pilothouse looking for lights of ships every 15 minutes to a half hour. I heard a loud bang and some scraping. When I opened the hatch, I saw the stern of a freighter passing by. We were not hit hard." They lost the bowsprit, the bow pulpit, and the headstay that keeps the foreword mast attached to the boat. Instead of calling it quits or getting rescued by the freighter that hit them, and perhaps returning after 15 days to make some needed repairs and re-start 1,000 days at sea, Stowe is pressing on. He adds, "its imperative that we get part of the job done before we hit any heavy weather." And Soanya adds, "...we could make it work. The 1000 days voyage is still in full swing."

Huh?

What we can't figure out is who's crazier, Reid or Soanya? Reid is 55, was married and is, according to what we can gather, a very experienced sailor. Soanya is 23 and has no experience at all. Why would he take someone so inexperienced with him? And is he some sort of Svengali who convinced Soanya, against general common sense, to take a chance and head off to sea for three years? And why would Soanya agree to go on a voyage like this? Hadn't she ever seen Gilligan's Island? (and that tour was only three hours). We can assume that she really didn't know what she was getting into, but didn't she know how badly this can become.

As one blogger put it as they departed, "this could go very badly" and we also wrote "there are often closes that foreshadow the story." We'll continue to follow this tragic love story.

We wish them well and hope they come to their senses.

From the Bahamas to Brooklyn in Search of a Laundromat

2007-05-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

A large, blue visitor came stopped by over the weekend, her name is Pasha.

Pasha, we discovered, is a custom, 55.2-foot aluminum cutter-rigged boat. She was built in 1998 and was designed by Mr. William C. Frank. We went out to the boat to pick up the owner and also saw it had beautiful beautiful teak decks and a teak cabin house. In plain English, Pasha is a very large, expensive boat.

Typically, boats of her caliber would moor in the Upper New York Harbor, most likely in the North Cove Marina, by the World Trade Center. Thankfully, these smart sailors decided to spend some time in Brooklyn.

While the boat is registered in Nova Scotia, Canada (that's why the large Canadian Flag is flying off the stern), the owner is British and lives in the Bahamas. He, along with two crew members, is delivering Pasha to her summer home in Nova Scotia. When we went to meet him, he was heading onshore to find a local laundromat. Unfortunately we couldn't help him.

First Sail of the Season

2007-05-05T21:51:00.000-04:00

The Pearson Ensign Wanderer, one of the boats from Ensign Class Fleet 21, out of Sheepshead Bay, takes a "shake out" sail using only the mainsail on a beautiful early May afternoon.

Boat in NYC or Hamptons Share: You do the Math

2007-05-02T07:00:00.000-04:00

When Mrs. Salt and I tell people we are Brooklyn residents who keep our own sailboat in New York City, people often come to the conclusion that we are rich. While we're not starving, we are hardly rich. We don't have trust funds, and neither of us work in investment banking. In other words, we need to work for a living. However, we are thrifty, and perhaps we are even crafty. This enables us to enjoy our summers at a fraction at the regular NYC price of a beach house share. We also like the fact that we can enjoy a beautiful summer day, on the water, in the privacy of our own vessel with guests of our choosing. We can also get to the boat from our house in less than 30 minutes and sleep in our own bed during the evening. This seems ideal compared to sharing a house, hours away from your primary residence, that may not be that close to the water.

A two bedroom cottage in East Hampton will cost $7,000 for the month of July, or $8,000 for August. We've seen another house that gets someone "seven prime weekends" for $1,000. And a three bedroom rental in Fire Island during Father's Day weekend is being advertised for $1,100. Any way we look at it, perhaps with the exception of the "seven prime weekends" house, its seems rather expensive.

For $3,500, you can get a classic 28-foot Columbia Sloop. We know she needs a bit of work, so throw in another $1,000 and you could be in the water. If your budget is a bit larger, $6,900 will get you a very well maintained and well equipped 27-foot Catalina sailboat. Its a bit of a deposit, but its about the same price as a month in the Hamptons. But you now own a sailboat.

Now that you have your boat, you'll need to keep it somewhere. At Gateway Marina in Brooklyn, for as high as $84 per-foot (or slip size whichever is larger) for a private slip; $74 per-foot for a semi-private slip. For arguments sake, we'll take semi-private slip for our 28-foot Columbia, which will set us back $2,072 (plus NYC sales tax, of course). At Gateway, the seasonal contract runs from April 15 through October 14.

A few other considerations to think about: winter storage and maintenance. Winter storage for a boat that size can run in excess of $1,000, perhaps even as high as $1,500. This would include pulling the boat out of the water, a power was on the bottom and blocking it up to sit "on the hard" during the winter months. And while owning a boat is fun, they do need to be regularly maintained, particularly if it's in saltwater. Figure on another $1,500 annually for maintenance (which includes bottom paint, engine, and any other systems). And if something really breaks, it will cost you more money. One reason that Mrs. Salt and I downgraded from a 29-foot hand-me down we generously received from Papa Salt was the maintenance. The boat was decent, but it was over 20-years old (which isn't a big deal) and had been raced very hard in her lifetime. By the time we got her, a lot of her systems were starting to fail, and we were spending more time maintaining the boat instead of sailing her. Instead, we sold her for a song, and downgraded to a bulletproof daysailor, which doesn't have an engine or any internal systems like a head, thru-hulls or water systems.

We almost forgot, if you are dying to go to the Hamptons, you can always take your new boat and sail there.

Photo of the Day: Sheepshead Bay in April

2007-04-30T21:46:00.000-04:00

Here's a shot of Sheepshead Bay in late April. From here, you can notice one of the new condo developments along Emmons Avenue. The building in the left of the picture, called La Mer Villas (very classy), is an example of what is now springing up along Emmons Ave replacing some old clubs, bungalows, and marinas.

La Mer Villas, consists of 15 townhouses and "four classic style apartments." Indoor parking and some boat slips are available. We've noticed that they are selling them in not only in US dollars but Russian Rubels as well.

Spring Cleaning

2007-04-29T17:46:00.000-04:00

The departure of winter means that spring rituals are about to commence: for some, it indicates that it's time to plant bulbs and tend to the garden; in parts of Ohio, it signifies time to hunt wild turkeys (not the liquid type) or scour the ground for edible wild mushrooms; for boaters, springtime means that boating season is upon us and lots of work needs to be completed (subsequently lots of money is spent) before a boat is launched into the water.

In Brooklyn, the strange weather and the cold early spring delayed many of Kings County's swabbies, including your editor, in the annual maritime ritual of sanding, scraping, cleaning, masking, buffing, and painting. However, this weekend, we did get to the coast and discovered that Barnacle Bill of Brooklyn had taken advantage of the nice weather to get some work done.

For those of you readers who are landlubbers, the job of prepping a boat is very, very dirty and potentially toxic. For the sake of brevity, we are assuming that the boat doesn't need any engine work, work on any internal systems (heads, pump-outs, water systems, etc), nor does the boat need any structural repairs to fix any leaks. We're just giving you the basics here. This typically includes: sanding and scraping any loose paint off of the bottom of the boat in order to prep the boat for a new coat of bottom paint, which protects the hull from becoming a nest of barnacles and other sea organisms. What makes the paint work, is also what makes it expensive and toxic: copper and copper copolymer, which provides a controlled releases of biocide to kill off any sea creatures. The paint is also, very expensive: for example a gallon of Micron CSC costs around $150. That will, if you are lucky, be enough to cover the bottom of a 30-foot sailboat. Because a boat is awkwardly shaped, its not that easy to paint the bottom. A lot of bending and stretching is involved and most sailors will tell you, they'd rather paint a flat wall, than a boat's bottom. Additionally, if the boat has wood above the water line, that will typically need to be sanded, cleaned and oiled (for teak) or varnished to protect it from the sun and salt.

When the bottom paint is finished, granted there are no hiccups in the plan, the boat needs to be washed and dried and then waxed. Like a car, the wax protects the boat's hull from dirt and pollutants For your editor, the washing ritual wasn't so much fun this year. The bay was particularly dirty last year, and we had some oil stains and funky green stains just above the waterline that didn't come out using the powerwash. We needed a magic elixer to remove the stain. Using a brush, we applied Y-10 fiberglass stain remover , let it set for about 10 minutes, but didn't let it dry) and then scrubbed the heck out of it with a Scotchbrite pad. That did the trick for us.

Once all of this is done, your local yard can help you put your boat in the water and step the mast.

Crazy Eddie Ain't the Only One Who's Insane: 1,000 Days at Sea

2007-04-24T18:46:00.000-04:00

This weekend, 55 year-old Reid Stowe and Soanya Ahmad, Reid's 23-year old girlfriend departed from Manhattan on a voyage to sail continuously for 1,000 days at sea: by sailing continuously, they mean no stops for provisions, repairs or food. Nothing.

Reid Stowe has been planning this trip for some time now and had a 70-foot schooner - which he christened Anne, after his mother - crafted specifically for this challenge. Stowe and Ahmad plan to sail around the world three times without stopping. We're not holding our breath, because, like a good thriller, there are often clues that foreshadow the story. The Associated Press reports Ahmad saying, "this will be my first time sailing ever — except for up and down the Hudson River." She also writes on the 1,000 days at sea blog, "The boat is moving at 7 knots and it feels really fast compared to the 3 knots it was doing yesterday. Now that we’re going faster and the boat is leaning, it’s harder to move around, with one leg feeling shorter than the other and the longer one doing a lot of work. When I walk from one place to another, it’s more like I’m tumbling from one place to another. I guess I haven’t gotten my sea legs yet. So I decided that I would try to move as sparingly as possible."

Oh brother!

According to their press release and reports, the couple has a three year supply of food, which will be augmented by rainwater and by the fish they catch at sea. They also have a reverse osmosis water maker -- thank goodness. In addition, the lovebirds plan to grow spouts and have a small garden on deck, which is "mainly for greenery," according to Ahmad. We're curious what type of greenery grows in seawater and about their plans for 1,000 days of garbage.

While Reid Stowe seems to have extensive blue water experience, we are curious why he chose someone so inexperienced to join him on such a voyage. We wish them luck and can't wait to see Soanya's posts when she hits the Southern Ocean.

The cognescetti on Sailing Anarchy's message boards don't give these folks much of a chance and are polling members to guess how long before they throw in the towel.

In any case, we are entertained and will follow their progress.

Godspeed to the crew of Anne. We think you'll need it

Person Shot in Boerum Hill

2007-03-31T17:47:00.000-04:00

Today, around 3:30 p.m. at the corner of Bond Street and Atlantic Avenue, someone was shot. According to a third-party non-witness, the person was shot at close range, and the shooter then took off on foot.

We believe we heard the shot, which didn't sound like the usual gunfire we hear around these parts. It was much louder. We did witness more than 10 police cars flying up Bond Street to get to the scene.

We'd love to get more information if anyone has some.

Land Ho!

2007-03-29T21:11:00.000-04:00

Earlier this year, we read on Curbed about how the Aqua condo development had a boat sitting on its scaffolding. We thought that was strange, perhaps as strange as what we saw today in Boerum Hill.

While we were walking along Dean Street, between Bond and Nevins Streets, the block made famous by Jonathan Letham's Fortress of Solitude, we discovered a large-scale model sailboat in the front yard of a brownstone.

We know that the nautical theme has been inspiring inspiring designers for the past few years, but this takes it to another level. We were impressed with the craftsmanship. A neighbor told us that he thought "it was built for a party," but we couldn't uncover any specifics. Anyone know what the story is?

Sail Makers Makin' Sails

2007-03-22T18:27:00.000-04:00

In the mid-to-late 1800s, when New York's ports were the world's busiest, a number shipbuilders, sail makers and other nautical tradesman in Manhattan and Brooklyn thrived. There is physical evidence of the nautical trade at 164-168 Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, where Two Trees Realty restored the facade of an old sail loft, while converting it to luxury apartments. While those days are long gone, it doesn't mean that you still can't find a skilled pro who knows how to craft a sail in New York City.

In City Island, the sail making tradition is alive and kicking at Doyle Ploch Sails. In fact they make some of the "fastest" and most advanced sails around. And the lofts Owner, Mark Ploch, is not only known for his ability to craft a fine piece of canvas (or Kevlar or cuben fiber), but he's also one of the country's best sailors, and one who recently dominated the Beneteau 36.7 class. We recently took a trip out to Doyle Ploch City Island to see that the old business of sail making is still alive and well. From the look of all of the bags of sails around the loft, it looked as Mr. Ploch's business is thriving.

For those of you who've never been in a sail loft, its very similar to any factory where sewn goods are made, with one major difference: the finished goods are huge and must be sewn differently in order to accommodate for the size. How Doyle Ploch does this is they have a hole, or a pit, cut into the floor of the loft that accommodates one industrial sewing machine and its operator. This is done to keep the sail cloth flat and make it easier to sew (you can see the sewing pit in the photo below).
Not only do sail makers craft sails, sail covers an other canvas goods, a good sail maker will also go out with a boat owner to help tune his rig and establish sail trim guidelines, which allows a racing crew to concentrate on tactics and speed. Some, like Doyle Ploch also sell accessories, such as attire, gloves and shoes.

We've put some photos of the loft below. More shots can be seen at Sail Brooklyn's Flickr Page

Gung Hay Fat Choy: Year of the Golden Pig

2007-02-19T10:30:00.000-05:00

Yesterday marked the start of the new year according to the Chinese zodiac calendar. The Year of the Dog concluded and and yesterday we celebrated the Year of the Golden Pig, which occurs every 60 or 600 years (depending on who you ask). Apparently, the pig is celebrated in China and some people believe that children born this year will be blessed with good luck and wealth. This fact, hasn't gone unnoticed in China, where they expect a 10 percent boom in births during the Year of the Golden Pig.

From a sailor's perspective, perhaps the Year of the Golden Pig will bring good fortune to the Chinese America's Cup Syndicate, who's CHN 95 has the coolest paint scheme of all the syndicates, but face a tough battle in the Louis Vuitton Cup to challenge the right to challenge the America's Cup winner to battle.

Yesterday, we decided to get in the spirit of Gung Hay Fat Choy and headed to New York City's Chinatown to join in the festivities. We loved the bands, the lucky red lanterns and, of course, the many dragons.

More photos are available at Sail Brooklyn's Flickr Page.

Iceboating in the Bronx

2007-02-18T07:17:00.000-05:00

Last month, we were celebrating global warming while we sailed off the shores of Coney Island in 72-degree weather. Today, up in the Bronx, ice boating would have been more appropriate.

While Shackleton may not have found the conditions daunting, the frozen water and biting winds off City Island made for a less than hospitable environment, particularly for the few boats that are stored in the water during the winter months. Ice wreaks havoc on a boat: it can burst pipes and cause structural cracks in the hull. For that reason, most boaters in the Northeast store their boats out of the water during the winter months.

While the weather was nasty, City Island was eerily beautiful in her winter desolation and well worth the visit.

More images are available at the Sail Brooklyn Flickr Page.

Spring Sailing Classes in Brooklyn: Only $50

2007-02-17T18:04:00.001-05:00

For much less than the cost of lunch for two at Union Square Cafe, you could learn to sail.

Beginning Friday, March 16 at 7:30 Miramar Yacht Club will begin its annual sailing class. This four-part class teaches the basics: from knots and sail trim to basic rules of the road. Instructed by MYC sailors with decades of sailing experience (and patience), these classes take place on Friday evenings, from 7:30 to 9:00 p.m. Informative and informal, this class has and have given many of Kings County's sailors their first on the water experience.

The entire course costs $50 per-person or $75 per-couple (for non MYC members). All class participants will also be invited to Miramar's Seek & Sail to get some additional time on the water. Classes take place on March 16, 23, 30 and April 16.

To register or for further information, contact: sail@miramaryc.com or (718) 743-5823.
Space is limited.

The Positive Side of Global Warming: Kiteboarding & Sailing in NYC on January 6

2007-01-06T17:00:00.000-05:00

Typically, when you're sailing in the Northeast or Midwest in early January you're "frostbiting." In 2007, thanks to El Nino or global warming, we didn't need to put on the long johns, wool caps and drysuits to have a fun time on the water.

We were invited to sail aboard a Freedom 21 sailboat today. Its an unusual boat because it does not have any standing rigging to support its fiberglass mast. Its also a cat rigged boat, meaning it has a single mast that sit very far forward in the boat. By the time we went out, the wind was blowing from 10 to 20 knots, enough that we only hoisted a mainsail. We also weren't the only sailors departing from Sheepshead Bay today. We saw three other sailboats leave the Bay before we headed out. And once we were out in the Rockaway Inlet, we saw four or five sailboats, one policeboat, a barge and a fishing boat.

What surprised us most, besides the spring-like weather, was the strong showing of kiteboarders making the scene off of Coney Island Beach. Four kiteboarders were out on the water. While it was warm, the water was cold, so we assume they had drysuits and one really strong desire to be out. One kiteboarder in particular was really ripping it up and catching some nice air (see photos). We also came across a windsurfer who looked like he was loving life as he flew across the Rockaway Inlet propelled by the gusty January breeze.

Magnificent Marzipan: A Century's Old Holiday Tradition

2006-12-17T17:08:00.000-05:00

Enjoying marzipan during Christmas is a tradition that Europeans have enjoyed for hundreds of years. Fortunato Brothers, a traditional Italian paticceria at the corner of Devoe St. and Manhattan Avenue in Williamsburg, continues this holiday custom with a Brooklyn spin.

Marzipan is a candy made from almonds, eggs and sugar. Its unique because it can be sculpted into amazing shapes. Its assumed marzipan originated in the Orient or Middle East during the middle ages and it is well documented that this delightful convection has been enjoyed since the renaissance.

Fortunato Brothers has been making Marzipan in their corner of Brooklyn for 30 years, and it shows. There were baskets filled with cherries, apples, pears, peaches, watermelon, tomatoes, peppers, oranges and other fruits and vegetables. We were drawn to the marzipan seafood platter of steamers, mussels, clams, starfish, lemons, limes and garlic. Fortunato also pays homage to some traditional New York foods, by offering whimsically sculpted hotdogs, pizza and pickles.

They produce only two batches of marzipan a year, one during Christmas the second for Easter, so supply is limited. And for $18 a-pound, we think its a relatively inexpensive way to purchase a beautiful handcrafted gift, made in Brooklyn, that also tastes so good.

Fortunato Brothers is located at:
289 Manhattan Ave
Brooklyn, NY 11211-3723
(718) 387-2281

Yacht Clubs of Brooklyn: Detroit Tigers Win Division Series Edition

2006-10-08T11:34:00.000-04:00

In honor of the Detroit Tigers spanking the Yankees to win the 2006 AL Division Series, we're taking today's Yacht Clubs of Brooklyn on the road to Detroit, Michigan to visit one of the country's most prominent sailboat racing clubs, Bayview Yacht Club.

Founded in 1915, Bayview Yacht Club is a club strictly for sailors. It sits on eight acres of land with more than 575 feet along the Detroit River. The club has more than 100 slips to accommodate sailboats ranging from under 20 feet to 70 footers. It also has a few gin poles and hoists to accommodate those who drysail their boats.

Bayview's bar, a beautiful old oak bar, surrounded by half-hull models and trophies, is a legendary spot where Midwestern sailors have been telling tales of the sea for years. Its also where the Kahuua-based cocktail, "The Hummer" was created by Bayview's famous bartender Jerome.

While the club is known for its parties, bar and great restaurant, BYC's reputation is built on its sailboat racing heritage. The club founded and hosts the annual Bayview Mackinac Race, one of the sports largest freshwater regattas, which sees more than 130 boats go more than 200 miles up Lake Huron. The club also is strongly involved in Canada's Cup racing and has hosted a number of national and international championships throughout the years. Moreover, its currently home to a few hot boats, including the TransPac 52 Trader, the Melges 24s Fu and Rumblur, as well as some older 50 to 70 footers. They have a number of one-design fleets, including: a local Ultimate 20 fleet that the club owns; Melges 24s, C&C 35s, J-105s; J-120s; North-American 40s and some GL 50s and GL70s. the We've seen the Max Z 86 Windquest at a few BYC-sponsored regattas as well.

The Motor City may be best known for 8-Mile, cars, hockey, unemployment, the occasional win against the Yankees and as the murder capital of the United States, but Detroiters can boast of their maritime heritage while drinking a Hummer at the BYC Bar.

For more photos, go to the SailBrooklyn Flickr Page.

What the %$@^

2006-09-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

We've seen a lot of stupid boat names in our years on the water. Big power boats with names like Blue Chip and Mai Tai. There are the obvious double entendre boat names like Liquor Box, Sea-Deuce (we've seen Sea Deucer) and yes, even Wet Dream. But there is one boat that deserves dubious distinction: The Tartan 10 Tar Baby.

You gotta draw a line somewhere, and maybe that line is in the vicinity of naming a boat Tar Baby.

Coda: 207 Wyckoff

2006-09-21T19:03:00.000-04:00

An unexpected trip out of town kept us from the action at 207 Wyckoff for a couple of days. When we left Monday evening, the work crew was disconnecting the water line that once connected to the property at 207 Wyckoff and continuing to remove debris from the lot. They had yet to fully remove the eastern or western walls of the building.

A lot changed in two days.

As of today, the building is fully dismantled, the lot is cleaned and the basement is filled with dirt. The adjacent parking lot is empty of bricks and equipment and heavy machinery. A chain link fence has been erected around the property and there are a few punch-list items to finish. While they were able to disconnect the water line, they were not able to find and disconnect the sewer line, so the boys will be back to finish off that job in the next few days. The broken bluestone sidewalk will be removed (a shame that the crumbling tower crushed the old bluestone in front of the building) and put a fresh layer of concrete will replace it (we hear that some neighbors on Wyckoff Street have dibs on the bluestone).

Wyckoff Street bookmakers are laying down odds on how long 207 Wyckoff will remain vacant; what, if any, action the City will take against the owner (neighboring buildings have not heard from Yassky's office since his initial call a few days after the buiding came down); and the pending litigation.

Salvaging in Sheepshead Bay or Cleaning Up Ernesto's Mess

2006-09-18T06:07:00.000-04:00

This weekend's perfect weather not only drew boaters out to enjoy the last weekend of the summer, but also brought more repair and recovery activities to the waterfront. In addition to the damage Ernesto brought to Sheepshead Bay, we've discovered the greater extent of his damage in ports very close to our local waters. In Atlantic Highlands, a favorite overnight spot of Brooklyn sailors, 28 vessels that broke free of their moorings , 18 broke free in Keyport, 18 broke free in Perth Amboy and 25 broke free in Great Kills Harbor. None of the Raritan Bay mooring fields were spared. Not all of these boats sank but they were all severely damaged.

An example of what some local boaters must be experiencing took place at Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club this weekend. A half-dozen men gathered at the main dock along Sheepshead Bay , joined by an FDNY rescue boat and and a diver. They were there to bring a small fishing boat that was docked in a slip at the club up from the bottom of the Bay. To bring her up, they At first they tied air filled bags to the hull, which started to raise her off the bottom. In order to get the deck and transom above the water line, the men tied the sunken boat to two neighboring boats and began to pull her up to a point where the FDNY used an automatic pump to expedite the bailing process.

Summer Weekend Finale on the Brooklyn Waterfront

2006-09-17T21:00:00.000-04:00

This was the last weekend of summer. Autumn begins on September 23rd.

2006 Atlantic Antic

2006-09-17T18:51:00.001-04:00

Our land-based crew headed over to the Atlantic Antic to soak in the local flavor. The 2006 Atlantic Antic was hot and crowded but Brooklynites seemed to take it in stride and enjoyed the local talent, missionaires, djs, food, beer, wine and the merchandise.

We were not surprised to see some representatives who are lobbying strongly against Bruce Ratner's Atlantic Yards plan. Representatives from Develop don't Destroy and the Council of Brooklyn Neighborhoods were there to inform the public about the the current plan for the Atlantic Yards site, alternative plans and ways to make your voice heard for people opposed to the current plan of action for the Atlantic Yards site.

We really enjoyed the many local entertainers. We were particularly fond of a singing banjo player Hank's as well as the special SixPoint brew that was produced in limited quantities especially for the Antic. And what's the point of going if you're not going to try some of the local cuisine. We laughed our way over to the Jerk Center for some amazing jerk chicken and pork accompanied with a side of mac & cheese.

We say laughed our way over because one of our favorite Seinfeld episodes, entitled "The Comeback" where George , during a company lunch, is stuffing his mouth with shrimp, and a coworker says "George, the ocean called and they said they're running out of shrimp." Everyone laughs and George gets pissed off.

The rest of the episode is spent with George planning to use his best comeback on the guy "The jerk store called, and they're running out of you." At the end, after traveling hours to meet the guy, the guy replies to the comeback by saying "Why would they call me? You're their all time best seller."

Lastly, we loved the ability for a diverse crowd to get along and enjoy themselves. Perhaps there's a lesson to be learned .

Following are some shots from the 06 antic. More shots can be seen at the Sail Brooklyn Flickr Page.

Third Week of Demo at 207 Wyckoff

2006-09-17T18:40:00.000-04:00

Today marks the start of the third week of demolition at 207 Wyckoff St. in Boerum Hill, Brookyn.

As of this posting, the good folks at A. Russo Wrecking, have brought the front and rear walls fully down. The majority of the wall that is adjacent to the parking lot has been removed and about one story of the wall that abuts 209 Wyckoff has to come down (we're curious how they are going to bring that wall down). On Friday, Russo brought in the heavy machinery (I think its a materials handler), which resembles a man-made, yellow dinosaur, to start hauling out the 10-foot pile of debris out of the site. The crew has been hauling truckloads as they move to empty out the lot so they can fill in the foundation.

Ernesto Rocks Sheepshead Bay (Update)

2006-09-14T07:09:00.000-04:00

Earlier in the week, we reported on the havoc Ernesto created as he came roaring through Sheepshead Bay.

We scoured internets and have some updates of Ernesto in action in the Bay. In the top photo, you can see a little boat that has almost capsized because of the wind and the choppy waves. You can also see some of the new condo development that has sprouted recently on Emmons Avenue.

The blue boat in the second shot has broken free of her mooring as some people on Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club's tender try to capture her, preventing any further damage. Additionally, all of the finger docks shown in this shot were eventually destroyed by the storm. Today, while there's still evidence of storm damage, most of the major damage has been cleaned up and repaired.

Continuing Our Land-Based Feed from 207 Wyckoff St.

2006-09-13T07:00:00.000-04:00

We're continuing to our stint of land-based reporting with continuing coverage on activities at 207 Wyckoff St. in Boerum Hill (we expect to return to sea shortly).

As of this posting, the building is very close to coming all the way down, with what appears to be tremendous progress being made in the past two days. Yesterday (picture left), there was still a significant amount of the side and rear walls standing. Today, more than 3/4 of the front and western walls are gone. And it appears as the entire rear wall has gone as well. One interesting fact about 207 Wyckoff is that even though its been empty for more than 30 years, there were still pots and pans hanging from the wall of the top floor kitchen.

Today we observed the Eastern European crew demolishing the western wall not brick-by-brick as we've seen previously, but using the crane --- specifically the bucket of the crane -- as a tool to push down the wall. We saw two guys in the bucket, as the operator moved it next to the wall. The operator then forced the bucket into the wall and voila, about a seven-foot section collapsed into the building. This also helped verify our assumptions that the demo crew is not carting away any of the material right now, but rather creating a pile in the center of the building -- a massive two story pile of debris. We can only assume that when they finally finish tearing this sucker down, that another crew will bring some new Tonka-like machines to the site and start carting all of the bricks, wood and garbage away.

Overall, residents on Wyckoff Street are happy the building is coming down. Even in this demolished state, residents have commented that the block looks better with a nearly demolished building compared to the single piece of abandoned blight on the bloc. Of course, some buildings have better light, and now, from the corner of Wyckoff and Bond Streets, residents can see the top of the Williamsburg Savings Bank, which has not been visible.

The Western wall at 209 Wyckoff seems to be in tact and other than the roof. We're curious when the last time, if ever, that wall of 209 Wyckoff has seen the light of day. While we're on the subject of 209 Wyckoff, we managed to get a hold of the previous owner, who sold the building just about a year ago. The ex-owner told us when he first found out that 207 Wyckoff had partially collapsed he "was furious" because after years of lobbying local officials at the DoB, Yassky's office, the Borough President's Office nothing was accomplished and the building fell and added "Yassky hasn't done shit for Boerum Hill."

Starting the Second Week of Demo at 207 Wyckoff

2006-09-11T19:26:00.000-04:00

Its been one week since 207 Wyckoff St. in Boerum Hill began falling onto itself and its neighbors. Since then, the demolition crew has made some amazing progress bringing almost one-half of the front facade down. They are bringing it down brick-by-brick, to prevent any further accidents.

Moreover, Sail Brooklyn has heard from David Yassky's office regarding this building which has been a menace to Mr. Yassky's constituents for years. According to Yassky's office, the buildings department said that if the owner of 207 Wyckoff did surface and went to court to stop the demolition, given the amount and frequency of violations at 207 Wyckoff, they estimate that the most time they could see the judge giving the owner was 30 days. Our contact at Mr. Yassky's office said they believed if this was the case, a judge would most likely ask that the building come down in two weeks and if the owner did not comply, the judge would reinstate the demolition order for the city to do the work. We're also pleased to year that Mr. Yassky has personally gotten involved in the issue of 207 Wyckoff. He is sending a letter to the DoB Commissioner recounting the story fo 207 Wyckoff and citing the failure of the DoB to act and calling for the DoB to press charges against the owner independent of the fines.

Bringing Down 207 Wyckoff

2006-09-07T07:17:00.000-04:00

As of this morning, one-half of the top floor of the remaining structure of 207 Wyckoff has been removed. Additionally, the DoB has declared it unsafe and illegal to enter into the adjoining parking lot (this was not the case a few days ago).

As we stated in earlier posts, the DoB has ordered 207 Wyckoff to be fully demolished through an immediate emergency declaration. We hear that the entire process will take approximately two weeks, followed by backfilling the foundation, removal of the protective (and ghetto fabulous) blue sheds and constructing a plywood fence around the perimiter of 207 Wyckoff.

Additionally, we've been informed that City Councilman David Yassky's office has contacted local residents and is working to ensure that the building comes down quickly and safely to enable the displaced residents to move home quickly. We're also told that once DoB decides to bring the building down, the owner has little recourse in halting the process. Moreover, the city will bill the owner of 207 Wyckoff a very, very hefty fee to bring it down -- we're told it could be as hight as five times the cost if the absentee owner were to bring it down himself. We were also told that there will be no penalty or criminal action taken against the owner of the crumbling tenement other than a fine.

Ernesto Creates Havoc in Sheepshead Bay

2006-09-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

Winds gusting to 70, 15-foot tidal surges, destroyed docks and sunken boats is what Ernesto brought to Sheepshead Bay this weekend.

The wind came into the Sheepshead Bay from the East, which is the only unprotected side and the one that leads into the Rockaway Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean. High tide came in around 2:30 p.m., because of the winds the tides were higher then usual and there were four foot, square choppy waves in Sheepshead Bay. The floating docks rippled like a xylophone in a Tom and Jerry cartoon. The strength of the easterly winds prevented the tide from flowing out, keeping the waters high in Sheepshead Bay. This is when the mayhem started.

From 4:30 p.m. on Saturday until 3:00 a.m. Sunday morning, the winds blew steady at 48 knots and were gusting to 70. The easterly winds were so strong that they prevented the tide to flow out of the Sheepshead Bay, causing a storm surge more than 10 feet as high tide came in at 1:30 a.m. The storm caused 7 boats to come off their moorings, destroying two of them and we hear one of the Sheepshead Bay fishing fleet was sunk by mighty Ernesto (we're not sure which one). One of the local clubs had 3 main docks and around a dozen finger docks destroyed (we're not sure of the total damage in the bay) The old-timers who've sailed out of Sheepshead Bay for more that 50 years, say this is one of the worst storms on record. The rebuilding has already started.

A very calm Sheepshead Bay (we don't have any images of the storm damage yet)

Continuing Saga at 207 Wyckoff St

2006-09-06T06:59:00.000-04:00

We are continuing to follow the activities at 207 Wyckoff Street in Boerum Hill.

As of this posting, the demo crew has taken the facade off the top floor of the crumbling tenement. They are demolishing the building brick-by-brick in order to prevent any further damage to any of the surrounding buildings. We're told that the demolition will take 10 days.

The townhouse at 209 Wyckoff, which abuts the tenement, has been declared unsafe and illegal to enter. We're not sure where the owner is residing, but we know that the renters (a recently engaged couple) of the top-floor apartment have found temporary shelter in the neighborhood.

Insurance companies have been called and we're told that the two cars that were destroyed by a partial wall collapse of 207 Wyckoff have been declared totaled.

We'd also like to note that numerous calls and e-mail messages have been made to City Council Member David Yassky, who has not returned one. We're assuming that he's too busy trying to move up the political ladder to take care of his constituents.

Wyckoff Street's Tumbling Tenement (update 2)

2006-09-04T18:01:00.001-04:00

We've moved onshore this holiday weekend and have been covering the partial collapse of 207 Wyckoff Street in Boreum Hill.

As of this posting, the Department of Buildings has moved to tear down 207 Wyckoff Street after the eastern and western walls of the building partially collapsed onto neighboring properties. We heard that the foreman of the demolition crew made a very persuasive argument to the Department of Buildings Engineer, who returned to the site today to re-assess the building. Yesterday, the engineer was hesitant to tear the whole structure down, but ordered that the top floor must come down and a protective "shed" be built around the property. Late this afternoon, upon further inspection, he deemed the property unsafe and moved to have it torn down.

Over the next 10 days, demolition crews will work to assemble scaffolding around 207 Wyckoff Street and then carefully dismantle the old brick structure. Right now, protective scaffolding is being erected around the building. We are not aware of any specific fines that have been levied nor are we aware of any other actions that have been taken against the absentee landlord of the property.

Tumbling Tower on Wyckoff Street (Update)

2006-09-04T13:03:00.000-04:00

While we we anticipated writing about our Brooklyn waterfront yesterday, we were distracted by some local onshore activities on Wyckoff Street, specifically, that part of the wall of 207 Wyckoff Street had collapsed onto two cars in an adjacent parking lot.

In less than 24-hours since then, lots has changed. Around 3:00 p.m. yesterday, a large section of the Western wall on 207 Wyckoff fell onto the roof of 209 Wyckoff Street. Thankfully no one was injured, but 209 Wyckoff did sustain some significant damage to its roof. At present, the owners and one rental apartment are finding other shelter until they can get their roof cleaned and repaired. The collapse onto 209 Wyckoff Street happened approximately 12 hours after the fire department and department of buildings came to the parking lot at 205 Wyckoff Street roped part of the lot off. The second collapse caused a number of "officials" to come onto the site to make some quick assessments and recommendations. Around 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3, about six fire trucks, a few police cars, an EMT vehicle and firetruck with a crane came onto the scene to check on the situation. Officials from OEM and the Department of Buildings also were on the scene. After more than two hours of deliberation we are told that an official from the Department of Buildings made a decision to demolish the top floor of 207 Wyckoff Street. They also ordered all of the vehicles out of the parking lot at 205 Wyckoff Street and roped off a rather large area around 207 Wyckoff Street.

Around 9:00 this morning, a team of men from A. Russo demolition showed up on the scene. We were told that they were hired by the city to take down the top floor of 207 Wyckoff Street. Upon arriving at the scene, A. Russo had recommended to the city that "the whole building come down." From their point of view, the entire building is unstable and should come down. A. Russo told us that there is no roof left on the building and what is left has collapsed onto itself.

We were told that the engineer on the scene on Sunday that ordered only the top floor to come down was a representative from Queens, so he was not authorized to make the decision to order the entire building down. We were also told that on Tuesday, Sept. 5, a Department of Buildings official from Brooklyn would come onto the scene and determine how much of of the building should come down, and how to secure what is left. We understand that the only work orders from the City have been to remove the top floor and to construct a protective fence around the building.

As of this posting, the good men of A. Russo have removed all of the debris that fell onto the townhouse at 209 Wyckoff Street and are currently working from a crane to remove any loose debris. They plan to build a protective shed around the building today and, if they have time, start to demolish the top floor of 207 Wyckoff. This could all change tomorrow when more "officials" come to Wyckoff Street to evaluate what should happen with the building.

Bricks Sail off Boerum Hill Eyesore

2006-09-03T12:13:00.000-04:00

Sorry we haven't posted in a while. We'll try to get back to a regular(ish) schedule.

At 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 3rd, a loud bang rang out from 207 Wyckoff Street in Boerum Hill, a former tenement that has been sitting abandoned for approximately 20 years. The noise resulted from a section of brick falling off the top of the West-facing wall of the building. The bricks fell into a parking lot abutting 207 Wyckoff and apparently destroyed two cars (a Mazda Myata and a Chrysler PT Cruiser). The fire department came shortly afterward and sealed off part of the parking lot because there is still a lot of loose debris that can fall from the building. Because it happened so late (or early), the parking lot was empty and thankfully nobody was injured.

The back story on this building is interesting. For as long as we've been around these parts (which is over 12 years), there has been a U.S. Realty sign on the side of the building, obviously advertising that 207 Wyckoff is for sale. However, if you call the number (516-829-1001), nobody will answer. So its a mystery as to whether or not the owner wants to sell. Sources on the block tell us that the owner of 207 Wyckoff Street is very delinquent in his taxes on the property. When the city threatens to foreclose on the property, the owner makes arrangements with the city to pay a small portion of the delinquent taxes so he doesn't have to relinquish his prized property to the city. In the meantime, this property has sat delinquent and falling apart for years.

Checking the NYC Department of Buildings Web Page you can see the property, which is visibly in very, very poor shape, has a few violations, and many many complaints. Neighbors on both sides of the building have called the DOB numerous times to complain about falling debris. Unfortunately, the DOB dismissed the complaints saying there is no evidence of falling debris or a failure to maintain the property. Does this qualify as evidence? In addition, the neighbors have been in contact with David Yassky's office (the local City Council Rep) to try to resolve this matter. Unfortunately, after more than four years of letters, site visits and phone calls, nothing has happened.

We asked the locals about what will happen next. Apparently the Fire Department closed off half of the parking lot and they have contacted the DOB, who has issued a summons to repair the building by Oct. 20th. If the building is not repaired by then, a $5,000 fine will be issued. That fine doubles each week until the work is deemed acceptable by the DOB. The unlucky owner of the Myata and PT Cruiser (its the same person), has filed claims with his insurance company and is pondering litigation against the owner of 207 Wyckoff and perhaps some other sources as well.

Haulin' Land Over Water

2006-08-08T19:34:00.000-04:00

Part of Brooklyn's offshore appeal for recreational boaters is the fact that in certain areas there is very little commercial activity. That doesn't mean that commercial traffic is non existent. Recently, we saw this very large barge hauling, what appeared to be a massive mound of earth off of Breezy Point heading toward Jamaica Bay.

These large vessels are surprisingly fast and quiet. This particular barge approached us in a fairly narrow channel and signaled us with two short blasts of the horn. That indicated to us, the barge intended to alter her course to port. We tacked starboard to give her ample room. As the barge crossed, we were overwhelmed by the sheer size of the barge and its cargo. Its like a large floating steel warehouse, at least a block long. Truly a modern marvel when you think abut it.

We had no idea where it was going. Our hypothesis, based on nothing but a pure guess, is that excavated land (from somewhere in Brooklyn or Queens) was headed to JFK Airport.

Heat Wave Special: Open Hydrant Relief

2006-08-03T19:08:00.000-04:00

As long as fire hydrants have existed, Brooklynites have sought out these urban oases on hot summer days. New York Times writer Michael Cooper aptly described the open hydrant as a "one of the defining symbols of summer in New York City." In the Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing, there is a terrific scene developed around a group of neighborhood kids seeking relief and having fun at an open hydrant. In light of tradition and because of the current heat wave, City Hall is urging residents not to open fire hydrants and to report open hydrants by calling 311. One illegally opened hydrant wastes up to 1,000 gallons of water per minute. While it may be illegal to fully open up a water hydrant, New Yorkers can legally open a hydrant with a spray cap. That only puts out around 25 gallons per minute. Spray caps can be obtained by an adult 18 or over, free of charge, at local firehouses.

Stupid Stinkboaters

2006-08-02T05:00:00.000-04:00

Boaters are divided into two categories: sailors and power boaters (we believe fisherman are a separate category). And in Brooklyn, like everywhere else in the world, the two mix about as well as oil and water.

In order to operate a powerboat, all one needs is enough money to rent, buy or own a boat; enough money to fill the tank; and the ability to turn a key and push the throttle forward. Operating any vessel under power skillfully is another story. Sailing is is a never-ending learning experience of controlling a boat through water using the wind and tides in conjunction with the sail trim, boat angle which creates lift (like an airplane wing) to move the boat. Unlike a car or powerboat, you can't just point a sailboat and expect that it will move in the direction you want it to move. In many cases, the wind, or perhaps shallow water, will prevent a sailboat from being able to move in a particular direction. Sailboats also can't turn on a dime or quickly stop and move into reverse.

This weekend, in our local waters, we experienced some classic boneheadedness by a number of stinkboaters. One fishing boat (seen in the picture above, and better seen if its enlarged), was motoring along from some unknown point West to the Gateway Marina. As it is cutting through the Rockaway Inlet, we could notice that this boat was emitting a cloud of yellow-brown smoke from its transom. Upon closer inspection we could see a long cloud of smoke trailing for hundreds of yards from the boat.

We're also fairly convinced that a good number of the stinkboaters in our local waters have no idea that there are "rules of the road." These rules, known as the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea, dictate which vessels shall stay clear of the other in various situations. Our most common beef is with the local fleet of Rodneys is they ignore the basic rule that power gives way to sail. The reasoning behind this rule is that boats with unrestricted maneuverabilty need to give way to those boats with restricted maneuverability for obvious reasons.

Sailboats under sail have restricted maneuverability. For that reason, a powerboater, like the knuckleheaded guy in the 25-foot boat with a 300 horsepower engine, who also happens to be towing his 8-year old kid behind the boat in a tube should not head right in the direction of a slowly moving sailboat and expect the boat to quickly move out of the way (yes, that did happen over the weekend).

There are also New York State and Coast Guard laws governing boat speed in the vicinity of docks and noise limitations, which we interpret as: the illegal boat will be forced to dock and not leave until sound suppressing equipment is installed and operable. We're guessing that the powerboater, driving the obnoxiously loud Scarab that sounded as loud as five top-fuel dragsters, with a driver who yells"yo, we got the right of way," as he plows in front of a sailboat approaching a mooring field had his mufflers on order and was shaking out the engine briefly before installation.

The US Coast Guard Navigation Rules are free and and available right now. (We put the link there to make it easy.)

Photo of the Day: Silhouette of Coney Island

2006-08-01T21:45:00.000-04:00

We love this shot of Coney Island in silhouette, with the Parachute Jump and Astro Tower clearly in view. When its blown up, you can make out Cyclone and the masses on the beach.

Red Hook Yacht Club?

2006-07-31T07:01:00.000-04:00

During a recent visit to the Fairway Market in Red Hook, we noticed a sailboat docked adjacent to the parking lot, or right next to the Red Hook Waterfront Museum and Showboat Barge.

According to our sources in The Hook, this is property private owned by Greg O'Connell, who's been reported to be the largest property owner in Red Hook. And while there may be a few boats rafted or moored in this area, it is, unfortunately, not a burgeoning boating scene or nascent yacht club.

Locals in the know about this spot, particularly the owners keeping their boats in the lee of Fairway, are very hush-hush when asked how they obtained these coveted moorings, particularly in light of the fact that there is a battle for the future of Red Hook where private developers are planning to displace the local shipping industry and a part of Brooklyn's storied waterfront history.

Our sources tell us that part of the silence around theses coveted boat slips is the fact that these Red Hook-based boat owners know they are on borrowed time. Its inevitable that this spot will be re-developed for different use, perhaps public use like a marina (we would champion that idea).

Regardless, we're still giving props to these renegade sailors, who are continuing more than 300 years Red Hook maritime tradition.

Weekend on the Water

2006-07-27T19:29:00.000-04:00

Following is a list of weekend activities on or around the Brooklyn waterfront:

Or hit one of the many fine beaches in Kings County.

2006 Around Long Island Regatta: Starts in Brooklyn on Thursday

2006-07-26T06:33:00.000-04:00

On Thursday afternoon, more than 50 sailboats, ranging in size from 27 to 50 feet, will gather off of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn to race more than 200 miles around the perimeter of Long Island. The regatta takes the fleet past Breezy Point around Montauk and finishes off Glen Cove, New York.

Since 1977, sailors have been coming to Brooklyn to race in the Around Long Island Regatta, sponsored by the Sea Cliff Yacht Club. Whether they come for the party at the Sheepshead Bay Yacht Club or come for the racing, for close to 30 years they've shown up to put their boats and crews to the test. This regatta is also one of the races that counts (or scores) for the prestigious Northern Ocean Racing Trophy.

This year's race starts on Thursday, July 27th with the first gun going off around 1:00 p.m.,, with starts continuing until 3:00 p.m. There is also a starting line ceremonies taking place in Sheepshead Bay prior to the start. For those who want to watch the race, there are many viewing spots around Long Island where land-locked spectators can view the action. Based on past results, the regatta should wrap-up by Saturday afternoon.

Photo of the Day

2006-07-25T23:10:00.000-04:00

Plumb Beach, Brooklyn
July 2006

Kiteboarding in Brooklyn

2006-07-25T06:00:00.000-04:00

The sport of kiteboarding is more closely associated with Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, but we're glad to report that the sport is alive and well in the Borough of Kings, specifically at Plumb Beach.

Over the weekend, there were a few kiteboarders, and many more windsurfers taking advantage of the 10-to-12 knot winds off Plumb Beach. When the wind is between 15 and 25 knots, more kiteboarders emerge from the shores of Plumb Beach.

The kiteboarders we spoke with said they lived in Manhattan and head to Plumb Beach in Brooklyn "because its close." One of the guys owned a car. They also told us they prefer to go kiteboarding if the winds are in excess of 15 knots. "Its much more fun," a kiteboarder told Sail Brooklyn. "If there is less wind, you need a bigger kite," he added.

As far as how much experience one needs to start kiteboarding, one kiteboarder told us he had never windsurfed and only wakeboarded before he started kiteboarding. He added that it was a lot less hassle and less expensive than campaigning a J/120 sailboat.

If you want to try it out, there are many spots in Long Island to rent gear and take lessons. Two places on the East End are Hamptons Windsurfing: (631) 283-9463 and Main Beach: 516-647-0678. Hampton's Windsufing and Main Beach both have kite gear for sale and kite lessons available. There is also a local kitesurfing instructor, Skatoor, who supplies gear with all his lessons: 203-984-1097.

Free Sailboat in Brooklyn!

2006-07-24T07:31:00.000-04:00

Just off Plumb Beach in Brooklyn, there is a sailboat waiting for a new home. Best of all, its free. The catch is, the dismasted 20-something footer is aground and she looks to be in pretty bad shape.

Maritime "law of finds" states that if find a wreck, you're welcome to salvage it.

Who's boat is it? How did it get there? Why didn't the owner try to salvage it? How long has it been there? These questions and the story of the boat remain a mystery.

Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute!

2006-07-24T07:30:00.000-04:00

In the 1970s, public service announcements featuring Woodsy the Owl and the Crying Indian made us think twice about polluting. Perhaps its time to bring those PSAs back.

Today we were at Plumb Beach and after taking a short walk on the garbage strewn beach, we felt like the Crying Indian. There was a line of garbage in the sand that ran about a mile along the beach, caused by polluters and the ebbing of the tides. We can only assume that the trash was a combination of stuff left on the beach and garbage thrown into the water (whether intentionally off a boat, or unintentionally blew into the sea).

The trash didn't prevent about a dozen windsurfers, a couple of kiteboarders and a group of beachcombers from heading to plumb beach. It was just sad to see such a beautiful beach polluted. On the flip side, it doesn't seem like it would take much effort to turn this place around.

Brooklyn Sails the Great Lakes: 2006 Bayview Mackinac Race Wrap-Up

2006-07-20T21:35:00.000-04:00

We have returned to Brooklyn from the 2006 Bayview Mackinac Race in Michigan. While we didn't place well (6th of 7 boats in our class), the experience is one that we'll never forget.

For those of you who've never sailed on the Great Lakes, its vastly different than sailing in Brooklyn. First, there is no smell of brine or salt-air -- there is practically no smell. Second, there are no tides or rolling waves as we have in the ocean. A lack of tides makes some tactical decision easier because there isn't a need to factor in what the tide (ebbing or flowing) will do to your course. However, the waves on the Great Lakes can be down right difficult to navigate and predict. In the ocean, waves build over thousands of miles, which cause ocean surf or the rolling waves we get off of Brooklyn. Even in a storm or strong blow, the ocean waves are predictable -- even though you may ride up and down a 40-foot wave. In the Great Lakes, the water may be smooth, but if the wind starts to build, the water gets very nasty. Instead of long, rolling waves, the lake gets filled with short, square waves that knock the boat around. Particularly, when the wind is at your beam or back, steering is difficult, because the waves push the boat around. Lastly, the aesthetics are much different. Sailing in Brooklyn is truly urban, with views of the NYC skyline, Coney Island, Staten Island and New Jersey. Sailing in Lake Huron you feel as though you are in an open sea, with small ports offshore. There is also much more greenery on the shoreline compared to the BK. Its also a lot cooler, with temperatures dropping into the 60s during the evening.

The race can be described a few ways: two large parties with a boat race in the middle; a large regatta with parties before and after the race; a test of endurance. (Our pals at Sailing Anarchy had a nice write up of the race.) We like to view it as a race, with some tradition thrown in. Upon leaving, there is a parade of boats that go up the Black River out into Lake Huron. When riding up the River, the boats are cheered on by an enthusiastic audience, some of which put up numbers, like Olympic judges, to rate the different boats (we got a 10), and sent off properly by a bagpipe and drum corps. Very cool stuff.

The start is also amazing. As our start was a bit later, we got to watch hundreds of boats and thousands of sailors head up the lake. We were joined by tens of thousands of people who viewed the start from Canada, Michigan and from hundreds of boats on the water. Following the start, the crews which are running on adrenaline, start to settle down and get into a flow. The race is a challenge of endurance, tactics and teamwork. Without all three, its guaranteed that your boat will not finish well. We faced challenges of digging ourselves out of holes with no air, multiple sail changes (we'd put up a spinnaker, only to bring it down and put up a genoa 10 minutes later when the wind shifted) and staying focused. We had a great finish, where the winds increased to more than 20 knots. It was thrilling to have 8 guys on the rail as we rode into the finish.

Once you reach Mackinac Island, the party starts. We arrived at 8:30 a.m. on Monday morning, and there were many, many crews uncorking champagne and cracking cans of Labatts Blue (which is known locally as Blue Milk). The official "awards party" takes place on Tuesday. The party starts at noon and runs until bottles of Bacardi rum (the sponsor) are emptied. Crew members, owners, and their families tend to get a bit saused at the party, which continues at some local bars and on the boats until the wee hours of the morning. They know how to party in the Midwest.

More photos are on the Sail Brooklyn Flickr Page.

Brooklyn Sails The Mac

2006-07-12T05:00:00.000-04:00

Mackinac (pronounced Mack-in-aw) Island is a very small island that sits in the Mackinac Straits between the Upper and Lower Peninsulas of Michigan and between Lake Huron and Lake Michigan. The island doesn't allow cars, so transportation is limited to horse and buggy, bicycle or walking. Mackinac Island is also the finish line to two of the largest, most challenging regattas in the world -- the Mac Races (or more formally known as the "Race to Mackinac" sponsored by the Chicago Yacht Club and the Bayview Mackinac (or Port Huron to Mackinac) Race sponsored by Bayview Yacht Club of Detroit.) The Mac races are also the largest fresh water regattas in the world.

On Saturday, July 15, Sail Brooklyn will be taking a little hiatus to participate in the 82nd running of the Bayview Mackinac race. More than 300 boats, ranging from the 86-foot Windquest to 27-feet (there are two that size), comprising 20 classes in two divisions will race the distance of Lake Huron to Mackinac Island. And while sailing cogniscenti may not recognize the Midwest as one of the most active sailing scenes in the country, the proof is in the data: more than 20-percent of the fleet are sailing in one-design classes, including eight GL-70s; seven J-105s; eight NA-40s; nine J-120s; 12 J35s; and 17 C&C 35s (Mk-I), warhorses from early 1970s.
We'll be racing on Bananas, a 1978 North American-40 (NA-40). The NA-40, designed by Dick Carter, was commissioned by Detroit sailors in the late 70s who wanted their own one-design racer. Our fleet of eight NA-40s is racing on the Shore Course (aka the Ladies Tees), which is 204 nautical miles up Lake Huron. (The other course, the Southampton Course, is 253nm and is named for the Southampton light you round before heading north). The NA-40 class, while small, and somewhat disrespected by the local Detroit fleet, is very competitive. Two years ago in the Bayview Mackinac Race, after more than 200 miles from Port Huron, it came down to a tacking duel between three boats for second place. The winning NA-40 of that year, Majic Star, beat the class by a good margin and was first overall (corrected time) among the Shore Course fleet.

The majority of participants are Midwestern, but it also draws sailors from across the country and around the world to compete in the challenging conditions of the Great Lakes, where sometimes the breezes are fickle and 30-minutes later, a storm, out of nowhere, builds to incredible strength. Last year's race, the fastest race on record, had a Sunday night squall producing winds over 30-knots dismasting one boat and tearing countless sails.

In addition to unpredictable conditions, the Mac is known for its parties. The first is Boat Night, which is the party the Friday before the race. Thousands from metro Detroit head to Port Huron to see the fleet rafted up on the Black River and to have a good time. The second race is the Awards Party, taking place on the Tuesday. The party is on a beautiful piece of land, off Mission Point on Mackinac Island, which overlooks the majestic Staits. Typically a somewhat raucous, but very fun event has a mix of drunken sailors, in various states of drunkenness, their drunken wives, some kids and a mix of others. When the official party ends, the party continues at the Pink Pony Bar until the wee hours of the evening.

A 6-Year Old Driving in Force 4 Winds Off Coney Island

2006-07-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

"Start 'em young."

That's what the so-called experts will tell you about any child you'd like to transform into a sports prodigy. We're no experts on creating the next Tiger Woods or Martina Hingis, we do think its pretty cool to take a 6-year old on his first sailing voyage, notably, when he lives in Tennessee -- not exactly a sailing Mecca.

Over the weekend, we were honored to accompany him and his father out for their first "father-son sailing experience" in the Rockaway Inlet.

Our objectives were to be safe and have a lot of fun. If he learned anything, that would be a bonus. We attempted to keep the young lad informed about the parts of the boat, what we were doing and what may or may not happen on the boat. We figured, keep him engaged -- and speak to him as though he's an adult -- and he'd be into it and safe. That's what happened. While the winds started out around 10 knots, they built to a force 5 wind, before we headed back to the mooring. Winds like that can make an novice adult sailor nervous, but our young cadet took it all in stride and even drove for a little while (he drove very nicely we may add).

After the sail, the whippersnapper was sound asleep two minutes after we loaded the car and headed home.

High and Dry off Plumb Beach

2006-07-10T19:10:00.000-04:00

We haven't met a sailor who hasn't run aground or hit rocks at one time in their sailing career, but what we saw on Sunday just off Plumb Beach in Brooklyn was insane.

Upon heading out of the Sheepshead Bay Channel (which, we'd like to add, needs a harbor master or something to slow these stinkboats down), we noticed that a sailboat, appearing to be about 30-feet, was stranded high and dry just off Plumb Beach at low tide. Anyone who sails the area knows that you don't cut the marks, particularly by Plumb Beach (unless you're in a centerboarder that draws less than a foot). While our picture does not do the site justice, if you blow it up, you can see the boat lying on her side a few hours after low tide.

We took it as a reminder to bone up on our charts. You can never have too much local knowledge.

Weekend on the Water

2006-07-06T18:26:00.000-04:00

On Friday, July 6th, at 9:00 p.m., in historic Coney Island, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will illuminate the historic, but now dormant, Parachute Jump. A fireworks show will follow the ceremonies. The Parachute Jump will be illuminated from dusk until midnight through October. The event takes place on the Boardwalk and West 15th St.

For those looking for more adult-oriented entertainment, you can stay at Coney Island for their weekly Burlesque at the Beach which takes place at 10:00 p.m. This weeks show is called "Starshine Burlesque."

On Saturday, July 7th, Miramar Yacht Club will host, weather permitting, a make-up of the previously washed-out Sherman Leonard Regatta. The sailing will consist of both PHRF handicap racing and one-design racing for the fleet of Pearson Ensign sailboats. MYC members are encouraged to race, non MYC boats are also welcome. Skippers meeting is at 11:00 a.m. followed by the starting gun at 1:00 For further information or to register, contact Miramar Yacht Club.

Later that evening, Coney Island , as part of its Saturday Night Film Series , is presenting Scorsese's Taxi Driver, starring Robert DeNiro. The movie takes place at the Coney Island Museum 1208 Surf Ave. between Stillwell Ave. and West 12th Street. Tickets are $5.00. Free Popcorn! Shows start at 8:30pm, doors open 8pm.

Wounded Soldiers Learn to Sail, Scuba and Water Ski July 6-9

2006-07-05T20:00:00.000-04:00

Members of the Armed Forces who were severely wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan will have the opportunity to learn adapted water skiing, scuba and other water sports as guests at the 2006 Adaptive Water Sports Festival, from July 6 though 9 in Rockaway Point. Presented by Disabled Sports USA, the Wounded Warrior Project, Graybeards, and the Fire Department of New York City (FDNY), the Adaptive Water Sports Festival has specially trained volunteers from the FDNY, including Firefighter Tom Westman, winner of the CBS 2005 Survivor series, to teach the Wounded Warriors. According to Disabled Sports USA, they expect at least 35 members of the Armed Forces and their families to participate as special guests.

This is the second annual Adaptive Water Sports Festival and part of Disabled Sports USA's nationwide Wounded Warrior Disabled Sports Project.

We think this is a great way to give back to those who really sacrificed for their country.

For further information contact Disabled Sports USA.

Happy Independence Day

2006-07-04T10:40:00.000-04:00

On July 4 in 1776, a few rogue British Colonies in North America declared their independence from England, forming the United States of America. Please, please don't call it the "4th of July Holiday," because the holiday is "Independence Day", celebrating the fact that pioneering and gutsy forefathers had enough of England's King George III and his "long train of abuses and usurpations," including:

Keeping standing armies in the colonies without consent of the colonial legislature
Obstructing the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers
Obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither
Affecting to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power

These are just a few of the gripes listed in the Declaration of Independence against King George.

While we will be out in force celebrating the birth of this nation, we think its important to take a look back at how we got here.

Plumb Beach: Brooklyn's Windsurfing & Kiteboarding Paradise

2006-06-27T19:23:00.000-04:00

Plumb Beach is to Brooklyn what Essaouira is to Morocco: an internationally recognized windsurfing spot. But let's not forget that we're in Brooklyn, where our beloved Plumb Beach has been referred to as "that parking lot on the Belt Parkway, just east of Exit 9 Knapp Street."

Once you cross the other side of that parking lot, you'll find a small, , clean khaki-color sand beach with grasses and flowers peaking through the sand. Plumb Beach is part of the Gateway National Recreation Area. Its also ground zero for an armada of windsurfers and kiteboarders, who take advantage of the strong breezes in the Rockaway Inlet, not to mention the easy launch access (easily accessible off the Belt Pkway, parking, short walk to the beach). When winds are between 11 and 16 knots, experienced windsurfers and kiteboarders fly on the waters at incredible speed. We don't windsurf of kiteboard, but we love watching them, particularly the kiteboarders.

And because we figure you want to know, "Is it really clean to go in those waters?" We've never heard of anyone getting sick from swimming, sailing, diving, windsurfing -- you get the picture -- from being in the water.

Plum Beach, wasn't always Plumb Beach. It was Plumb Island -- an island where people lived in bungalows. That all changed in 1940 when Robert Moses filled in the island to connect it to the rest of Brooklyn in order to build the Belt Parkway (Moses really loved highways). Today Gateway National Recreation Area manages the beach area but the parking lot is still owned by New York City. In addition to being a great spot to launch a windsurfer or kayak, Plumb Beach is great for sunbathing, running and checking out the Herons, Egrets, horseshoe crabs and other wildlife. It also has an amazing view of the Rockaway Inlet and Breezy Point.

The New York Times recently published a story about Plumb Beach (they spelled it Plum. Who is corrrect?) being transformed into a "performance art-bar." Clever idea, considering seamen's affinity for rum.

Thank You for our First Successful Month!

2006-06-27T18:47:00.000-04:00

We have hoisted "L" signal flag up today, which means: you should stop, I have something important to communicate.

We've been on-line for just over a month, and from the initial reaction and traffic, we believe Sail Brooklyn is off to a successful start. And we have you to thank for that fact.

Our little corner of the Information Superhighway has attracted readers as far as Hawaii, Peru, Chile, Hong Kong and Italy, just to name a few places that are not within the continental United States. We're also pleased as can be that we're attracting attention from across the U.S.

Closer to home, Wall Street has been coming to Brooklyn. We've been visited by Bear Sterns, J.P. Morgan and Goldman Sachs. We're also attracting some attention from Madison Avenue, with some regular visits from Foote, Cone & Belding. And of course, we're getting regular visits from our Kings County-based readers.

We'll keep posting, if you keep reading.

Leilani: The Prettiest Girl at the Dance

2006-06-26T06:25:00.000-04:00

Among Brooklyn's sailing set, its well known the prettiest girl at the dance is Leilani, a 50-foot Lawley yawl, built in 1903. She is owned by Brian and Florence Kearney and hails out of Miramar Yacht Club in Brooklyn.

Established in Massachusetts in 1866, George Lawley & Son was known as one of the finest yacht builders in the country and rivaled famed Herreshoff as the preeminent boat builder of the day. Lawley produced more than 1,100 yachts and 1,890 tenders (this doesn't include military contracts) until it closed operations in 1945. Among Lawley's boats were the America's Cup contenders: Mayflower, Puritan, Jubilee, Vanite, Yankee and Whirlwind.

Originally named Janet, Leilani was purchased in 1939 by the Frank family, who owned her for 50 years. In 1989, the Kearney's acquired her and spent more than 18 months repairing and restoring her hull. Today, Leilani stands out on her mooring in Sheepshead Bay among the many fiberglass boats. A real throwback to the days when the Lipton's and Vanderbilt's raced their custom sailboats around the marks. On the water, her graceful lines, make her a true delight to watch. And she does move. Leilani has taken home some silver in her day, including the Mayor's Cup, which is takes place off Manhattan. We love the grace, craftsmanship and powerful sail plan of classic racing yachts. Leilani has all three and some other indescribable mystique that attracts you to her.

As we went by to take some photos of Brooklyn's treasured yacht (we are sorry, our photos do not do Leilani justice), we couldn't help notice the "for sale" hanging from her mizzen mast. If we had the money, we'd make an offer and happily be the next caretaker of this amazing vessel. Until that day happens, we'll continue to admire her for the floating treasure she is.

Rain. What Rain?

2006-06-25T21:54:00.000-04:00

Its nice to see that this weekend's rain and gloomy weather didn't keep everyone onshore this weekend. (We took the opportunity to watch two Brooklyn-centric movies: The Squid and the Whale and Dave Chappelle's Block Party. Both of which we highly recommend.)

This sailor took this weekend as an opportunity to rig up his little dinghy and take it out for sea trials in the waters of Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn.

What is not obvious from the shot is how easily and inexpensively a person can sail in New York City.

Weekend Activities in Brooklyn

2006-06-22T06:25:00.000-04:00

A sampling of weekend activities accessible to land-lubbers and swabbies alike.

Saturday, June 24th:
Onshore: This weekend is the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. We're assuming this is a sufficient amount of information on the topic.

Offshore: Miramar Yacht Club hosts its annual "Coney Island Run." A parade of boats sail off the shore of Coney Island Beach and past the fishing pier. Contact MYC for more information.

Sunday, June 24th:
Onshore: While hip-hop may have originated in the Bronx, its certainly acquired a lot of flavor from Brooklyn. Celebrating BK's contribution to this American art form, the 2nd Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival, presented by Brooklyn Bodega, is a free, all-day concert at the Tobacco Warehouse in Empire-Fulton Ferry Park in DUMBO. The featured artist is one of our favorites: the "original, Asiatic, acrobatic," Big Daddy Kane.

Offshore: The 15th Annual Blessing of the Fleet. Originating hundreds of years ago in predominantly Catholic fishing villages in southern Europe, the Blessing of the Fleet was conducted to ensure a safe and prosperous season for each boat. In Brooklyn, the annual Blessing of the Fleet takes place in Sheepshead Bay. Boats from all the area yacht clubs parade though Sheepshead Bay and get blessed by the various clergy for a safe sailing season. This year's Blessing of the Fleet is hosted by Excelsior Yacht Club, on Shore Parkway in Brooklyn. For further information, contact the EYC.

Brooklyn Lighthouse to Open for Tours

2006-06-21T23:31:00.000-04:00

The Daily News broke the story that the 116-year old Norton's Point Lighthouse, located in Brooklyn's Seagate neighborhood, may open up for tours. Let's hope this really happens.

Top-Siders Hit the Runways. Seriously.

2006-06-20T22:10:00.000-04:00

Sperry Top-Siders, introduced in 1935 by Paul Sperry - and what we wore 25 years ago because they were the only boat shoes around - have resurfaced, oddly enough as a fashion trend.

The July issue of Details say that the boat shoe is the latest trend among urban hipsters. Trendy, expensive and not very nautically-minded brands like Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors, join re-worked versions of the classic leather Top-Sider mocs in green, navy and yellow. Sperry is also offering plaid versions of the classic Stripper Slip-On, and at $40, we can see why the young, trendy and broke love them.

One of the most unique takes on the nautical trend is by California-Based design house Modern Amusement. The company has incorporated its signature crow into their "Original Top-Sider," which is manufactured by Sperry. As you know, style don't come cheap. A pair will set you back $130.