Community Corner
Event Spotlight: Learn to Sail and Start a Team in Port Jefferson
Learn more about sailing at the On Water Open House at The Stony Brook School Sailing Center floating docks this Friday and next.
Living on the North Shore provides locals and students with opportunities many won’t have the fortune to experience, and one of those is sailing.
The Stony Brook School hosts an Interscholastic Sailing Program, along with other summer programs for those in the area. The league director, Captain George Linzee, has spent his whole life in the area; growing up in Port Jefferson and teaching in Three Village. He helped start the sailing team at The Stony Brook School, which uses the local sea for the classroom.
"I grew up in the harbor, I know it like the back of my hand,” Linzee said.There is currently a Three Village School District team and a one-person Port Jefferson sailing team as well. Those with kids in 4th through 12th grades interested in competitive sailing, and also those who are interested in learning how to live on the water are encouraged to come to the On Water Open House at The Stony Brook School Sailing Center floating docks at 150 Beach Street in Port Jefferson Station. The open house takes place June 14 and June 21 from 5-8 p.m.
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“We don’t have the size or staff to train everybody, and September season starts Labor Day,” Linzee said. “If someone shows up and doesn’t know how to sail and wants to join sailing team, that’s a problem, but we have this whole fleet available for our sailing programs.”
The team started in 1990 when they got their first boat, an Alberg 30, which they now have three of. They also have three O’Day Day Sailors, 20-plus 420 dinghy racers forming a regatta, and Laser solo sailing boats as well. The team competes with the over 30 schools in the southeast section of New York which have teams, including Cold Spring Harbor, Shelter Island, Mattituck, Bay Shore and more.
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“We’ve been in a growth mode,” Linzee said. “My goal is to solidify the Three Village and Port Jefferson teams with Stony Brook School team. We feel all sailors should be involved in marine and environmental science as well.”
There are multiple summer programs available. Come down to one of the open houses or read more on the programs online here.
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