Free community sailing brings local residents to the waterfront

On Saturday, July 11, participants attended Blue Horizon Sailing’s free Community Sailing Day to try sailing and learn the basics. The program aims to make sailing and waterfront access available to everyone, regardless of prior experience or financial barriers.

Although New York City is surrounded by water, many Sunset Park residents have few opportunities to access the waterfront firsthand, according to Blue Horizon Sailing board secretary Nelson Garcez. The event was created to connect Sunset Park residents with their waterfront while introducing participants to sailing on New York Harbor.

Garcez and his team brought the program to Sunset Park after realizing that the neighborhood’s waterfront remains largely inaccessible.

“This is one of the most beautiful waterfronts of New York. But unfortunately, it’s a waterfront that’s not accessible to the community,” Garcez said.

Blue Horizon Sailing hosts community sailing events throughout the season to give people an opportunity to get on the water and learn the basics of sailing. Making the waterfront accessible to everyone is one of the organization’s main goals.

“One of our pillars is to bring people to the water at no cost,” Garcez said.

For many participants, the event was their first time sailing on New York Harbor. Among them were Meng and his family, who learned about the event on social media. Although light rain fell during the event, the weather did not dampen their enjoyment.

“During the experience, we forgot the rain,” Meng said.

Meng said his favorite part was steering the sailboat with guidance from the crew. Learning about the boat’s different parts and how to handle it, he said, made the outing more enjoyable.

“We can also take control of the boat ourselves,” Meng said.

Blue Horizon Sailing hopes to expand its community programs beyond sailing events. Garcez said the organization plans to expand its after-school offerings through programs that combine sailing with STEM lessons, including physics, navigation and the ways water and wind affect a boat. The organization also hopes to make more boats available for community use and continue creating opportunities for people to connect with the waterfront.

As more people experience sailing for the first time, Blue Horizon Sailing hopes the program will help make Sunset Park’s waterfront feel more accessible and connected to the community.

Blue Horizon Sailing’s next free Community Sailing Day is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 9, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the 19th Street Dock, 2 19th St., in Brooklyn. The event welcomes all skill levels, though space is limited. Registration and event details are available through Blue Horizon Sailing.