on Boating

It was 1995 and I was on a date (with the man I married), walking down the west side of New York City, grabbing a burger at the 79th Street Boat Basin. He told me the very romantic stories of when he lived in London and sailed the 'Isles of White' and all his sailing adventures.

As these stories were swimming in my head I fantasized about having a small boat in New York City. How nice it would be to meet after work and sail around Manhattan together, in the sunset…..
We put out names on the WAITLIST at the Department of Parks Basin. We were told it would be many years before the list cleared. These spots are quite precious because they are so few.
Since that date, we were engaged, married and six children later…I still always checked the waitlist before I changed my calendar every year.


We would travel and rent small boats often when we were away and I decided that it would be a good idea to sign up for the US BOATING SQUADRON OPERATORS CAPTAIN LICENSE which was a coarse offered at the local public school two nights a week for six weeks. Not only did I learn safety but also navigation.

When I was pregnant with my fifth child in July of 2003 I purchased a 10 year old, twenty one foot Donzi and rebuilt it every weekend that summer with Sunbrella fabric and a staple gun!
Thanks to the local Marina Strongs, the engine worked just fine! After that summer I donated the boat to the South Hampton College Marine Biology Research Department where it is still used today !


In March of 2006 we got a call that a slip came available and within 48 hours I managed to get a small used boat into that slip!



“THE SKIPPER V1"


Today the boat is back in the water for the season!



Strange, we dont have a Car in New York City but we have a boat. Easy trips across the river to whole foods,or Liberty Island to Gas her up, visit the science center or a circle around the island after school with our friends....dinner at city island, visits to The Long Island Sound or CT shoreline, up the Hudson......


What did you always want to do? Nows the time to do it !