Hudson River Community Sailing

I had a great experience. Emily Jane was a great teacher snd she had patience with all 4 of the skippers. We had a great time even in the rain. I highly recommend and if you want to actually learn, ask for Emily Jane. She's very wise. I'll be back for another class

The HRCS ‘Intro to Sailing” was a perfect way to experience sailing a small keelboat. Highly recommend for anyone curious about learning to sail but not ready to commit to a full class. Maya was fantastic leading our group, very knowledgeable and a patient instructor.

I took a basic keelboat course here, and recently became a member. HRSC is a friendly, well organized place with an awesome public service mission. Highly recommended!

It's taken me a few years to get around to a review. I was looking into sailing lessons again and happen to come across a review about an instructor that left a bad impression. I have to agree with that review. I had the same instructor on different dates. Learning how to sail around NYC is understandably intimidating with all of the boat traffic in the area. Your experience will absolutely depend on the instructor and it seems I had the same instructor. It was such a bad enough experience that I decided not to pursue further instruction until now and it certainly won't be with Hudson River. The instructor just wasn't great at teaching. Just because you're a good sailor or enthusiast doesn't mean you're a good teacher. This is a good example of that. Instead, he spent a whole lot of time boasting about his own skills and experiences. The screaming and yelling by our instructor and at me in particular at one point was enough to shock all of us into silence for the remainder of our time on the water. I did not pay $600 bucks to get yelled and screamed at. It's one thing if I was putting our team or boat in danger. It was literally just target practice with some floaty. We were tired and in the heat and sun for many hours at that point. So brain fog may have had a part in it but he tried his best to humiliate us just the same. I don't know if he's some kind of recovering alcoholic but he reminded me of one. Just had the worst temper and seemed completely unaware (or worse didn't care) of his impact on the morale on the group. It was so bad I decided not to complete the final exam. Would never trust him to lead anything much less on a sailboat in one of the busiest areas on the east coast.

My 16 year old daughter has done this camp several years in a row. It is always the highlight of her summer. The teaching is remarkable, really hands on, and she learns teamwork and has a wonderful time on the water. Can't recommend it enough.

Winter sailing! (In addition to the other three seasons, of course.) Also, they organize cruising weeks every winter in the Caribbean. This year there's one in Thailand, too.

Really fun sailing, great non profit

My nephews and I, both 18 years old, I had a wonderful time on Sunday afternoon sailing the NY harbor. The instructor was a wonderful and knowledgeable. We had a very relaxing and informative 2 hours on the water. Our boat mates were good company. I will be back for more time on the Hudson!

Another happy camper here! This time, the experience is for my daughter, and she had a blast learning about sailing, wind patterns, knot-tying, and teamwork. Hudson River Community Sailing Camp provided her with not only fun on the water but also a valuable educational experience in navigating and controlling a boat. If any parents are considering whether to bring their kids to this camp during the summer, I highly recommend it. The staff are incredibly kind, patient, and professional, making sure each child feels confident and supported on and off the water. My daughter came home excited each day, proud of her new skills and friendships.

Highly recommend the intro to sailing course. Went out on a sailboat with Andrew and three other beginners. Andrew explained the basics and then we hit the water to practice. Andrew was great at making sure each attendee actively participated in the sail, including steering. I look forward to my next course with HRCS.

We had an amazing sailing experience! The instructor Jay, was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. He was very patient and engaged everyone into the lesson. I highly recommend!

I found HRCS both through their website and by simply walking past... but it comes highly recommended from everyone I've talked to, and I'm glad I decided to go with them for my Basic Keelboat weekend-long class. The class itself was great. It's an *intense* weekend with a lot of learning packed in to it, and I was exhausted when I got home. I feel like I learned a ton, and came away with a "US Sailing Basic Keelboat Certification". This is a VERY low key and casual, no-frills kind of place. Don't go in thinking this is a "khakis and blazer" kind of yacht club. But I love their mission and the work they do with kids, the community, etc. Remember that this is a non-profit organization. I could absolutely imagine HRCS having issues with organization and office management -type things as some other reviews have mentioned -- one of the people in our class didn't get the memo about what kind of clothing to wear, even while she was on the phone with someone booking the class. But I didn't have any issues personally. I would absolutely take more lessons here, and plan to get more involved or consider a membership as well.

Had an amazing family sailing lesson !!! My husband and I took the 2 boys (16,9) out for a family sailing lesson. We all learned about the boat, wind, and water current as well the cityscape along the Hudson River. What a way to see New York !!! Our Captain Jay answered every question we had and taught us New Yorkers a bit more about our city. Thank You for our Amazing Labor Day Adventure ! Can't wait to get out on the water again !

I was looking for a place to learn how to sail. I only had the last weekend in August 09 to do it. I found Hudson River Community Sailing online - and am so glad I did. The organization exists to teach urban teenagers math and leadership by teaching them sailing. In addition, they teach adults to sail, have a club where for very little money, you can sail their boats, and also do sails recreationally or for team building. I loved their class. It was well taught and fun. In two days I went from knowing almost nothing about sailing - to being certified in basic keelboat by US Sailing. The instructor was knowledgeable and funny. We learned hands on and practically on the water. I then became a member of the adult club - and sailed all the time. The organization is very easy to interact with - helping the community get on the water. The founder and staff are also terrific. Bill Bahen, the Executive Director and founder, is the most friendly guy you'd ever meet - and has a huge heart. He's passionate about bringing great sailing access to NYC and to helping kids transform their lives through sailing. So if you want to dive in like me (I know bought my own boat) or if you just want to get out on the water (they do 2 hour "Taste of Sailing" cruises for cheap), head over to Hudson River Community Sailing.

My friend and I bought a Groupon a while back that gave us a 2 hour sailing lesson for $75. HRCS was smart enough to update their website to deal with the onslaught of Groupon reservations efficiently. We recently redeemed our lesson on a lovely Friday afternoon. There was one instructor and another student for a total crew of 4. It was definitely a lesson as advertised and not a leisure boat trip. I learned some skills... I think. The instructor was experienced and made sure everyone had hands-on time. We sailed around the pier towards Hoboken and didn't go as far to GWB. I wish I knew enough to be able to sail on my own - their memberships are enticing. Perhaps one day.

A great keelboat basic weekend course with Andrew and Tom. Andrew was so patient on the boat despite our mistakes. We learned a lot. Sorry sailors: the names of things on the sailboat often make no sense. A "sheet" is not a rope, "beam reach" does not sound anything like 90-degrees, and a "block" is not obviously a pulley. But Andrew kept reminding us of naming, techniques, and safety on the boat and off the boat. We passed the course in flying colors!

Did a Taste of Sailing lesson for 2 hours. It seemed shady at first when I paid Groupon $80 for the lesson only to find it is actually $80 on the website (there was no "deal"). However I let it go when I learn that money is towards keeping HS/ College kids employed over the summer and that they do volunteer programs for underpriveledged kids/ kids who's been through traumatic experiences. 6pm on a Monday evening, Andreas took me and two other girls who apparently had a groupon as well. There were a lot of technical terms I don't really recall besideds "luffing", but it was generally a fun experience overall and I'm actually considering doing the $895/ season for anytime sailing...

Uber friendly staff at this low key, budget-happy sailing company on the West Side! Our group of 5 went on a J24 with Jerry, who was superb with involving us in all the sailing exercises. We could tell he was really passionate about sailing and cared about our comfort levels while out on a particularly rough day. One of us got a bit sea sick and had to turn in early-- all managed with grace and poise. Quite honestly, this may be the most affordable sailing in New York City. Will definitely be back! ** for their taste of sailing, it says you can bring up to 6, excluding the instructor, on a J24 boat. It is a small boat! I would recommend capping it at 5 guests, depending on their sizes ! 3-4 + instructor would be most comfortable!

We had such a god time sailing with Barbara! My wife and I had never been sailing and Barbara was a great instructor and we had a really enjoyable time. Definitely recommend for people looking to try it out.

Great basic keelboat course with excellent and passionate instructors. This place has a solid membership base that allows for an in-depth sailing education and experience. As of this review all boats are J/24s which are very stable and dry-on-deck boats made for racing, daysailing or cruising. Over the next couple of years HRCS will add J/80s. HRCS has PFDs (life jackets), gloves and rain gear available to use.

My wife an I did the sunset cruise. We didn't have much experience sailing but it was fun to participate in the boat maneuvers. Arjun was great at explaining what to do. The view of the city, especially Hudson Yard was great!

Had a great time with our skipper, Jay, on a sunset cruise up to the George Washington bridge and back! This is a great experience if you're interested in learning to sail, or even if you just want something to do on the water that isn't a power boat cruise around the Statue of Liberty. I will definitely be sailing again HRCS!

Amazing day!!! Booked a two hour sail on line and it was super easy and very efficient. James was our instructor who welcomed us and was so informative and helpful from the moment we were introduced until we said good bye. We received the best hands on experience sailing in the Hudson you could imagine. This non profit company is run by kind and hospitable people who want to get their message out and show people how wonderful and exciting sailing can be. Will definitely book (on line) again! It was a perfect experience and we were lucky enough to have wonderful weather although would have liked a little more wind. Highly recommend this company and their services if you are looking to get out on the water for a little fun or learn to sail.

I went here to learn how to sail. Luckily, the weather cooperated and it rained, winds were shifting and gusting and the waves were rolling. It was awesome! We tacked, jibed, heaved to, ran, heeled like mad and tried asserting our rights with the uncooperating ferry captains. They'll prepare you to pass the US Sailing Association's basic keelboat test and you'll have options to continue sailing w/ them when you finish the class. Afterwards, you can head over the Frying Pan and tell tales of your adventures at sea while sporting a new tan (or sunburn). The instructors are enthusiastic and experienced, although not always up to speed on the administrative stuff. But they know how to sail and they know how to teach you how to sail. Plus, the place is a 503(c) organization that teaches sailing and boat building to kids for free, and the fees you pay go to supporting that mission.

What can I say that hasn't already been yelped about HRCS? This place is so great, from the phone conversations to meeting in person they are above 5 stars! It's rare to find yourself in a place where every interaction from any and all employees are consistently amazing! You can really tell they hire people who are passionate about what they do and are great at what they're doing! This was somewhat of a random groupon purchase for me but I think I may actually sign up for classes! LOVED being out on the Hudson River!

I notice on nice days here in Manhattan I want to go sailing. Of course, I usually come home as red as a lobster for some reason after every sailing excursion, though I have to say *nothing* beats being on the water on a nice day. Well, maybe being in the water, but I ain't going in the Hudson. ;P I really have to commend Hudson River Community Sailing for two reasons. First, proceeds go to a worthy cause. Second, the taste of sailing let's you go on any two hour trip whenever you want for an affordable $60/person. And their sailing lessons also seem much more affordable to the hoi polloi than the Manhattan Sailing School down in BPC. Besides an utterly relaxing afternoon and a incredible high afterwards, the only other takeaway I did get from the class was that one should always have a knife on them when on a boat to cut the rope when manning the sails as the wind may take them (and your hand) at any unexpected moment's notice. Aye, matey, that is how they roll on the waters. Otherwise, I just pretended to steer and let the guys in my boat do all the work because that is how I roll. LOL

HRCS finally responded to me after my email complaining about the sail, and they allowed us to come back in for another class. Finally, and hooray! We'll be back soon!

Amazing company! The best non profit I have come across, everything goes directly back to their awesome after school program! Alex is a great scheduler and gets back to you in such a timely fashion-very professional. First time sailing here last year I sailed with Charlotte and it was splendid. So splendid that I decided I would return, immediately. She was great, such a fun sail and learned so much! It was a nice experience and I couldn't wait to return! Second time around I sailed with Kelly. Having thought I knew it all, I was pleasantly surprised to come away knowing so much more! Can't wait to come back!

I signed up for their Basic Keelboat course and absolutely loved it. Is it tiring? Oh, yes! Is it rewarding? Doubly yes! You get a sailboat for 4 people and an instructor. Ours was Andrew and he did a fantastic job - excellent teacher, very experienced sailor, and just a fun person to be around. I learned all sorts of new terminology and got a lot of hands-on experience with everything on the boat from rigging to steering to mooring. It's a great way to spend the weekend and learn something new even if you aren't planning to continue learning afterwards. HRCS is also right next to the Frying Pan so after-sail drinks are literally a minute away!

We did a sunset cruise this past Sunday evening. It was perfect weather and a perfect experience with our guide Andrew. We support the mission of this not-for-profit organization and it lives up to its wonderful reputation. The only reason we did not give it five stars was because of logistical difficulties with our reservations. The organization would be well served by having one or two people dedicated to dealing with management issues. Overall, a terrific experience! Susan and Larry J.

Thanks to Andrew our instructor who was experienced and made sure everyone had hands-on time. Amazing company as you are learning and participating at same time!! The best nonprofit I have come across, everything goes directly back to their after school program!

I can't believe I forgot to write this earlier! All great things to say: my corporate group of 20 participants (all 20 somethings) went here over the summer- I have to say what a pleasure HRCS was to work with from planning to finish. The team made the experience easy- responsive to calls and emails and clear in their rules, contracts, and advice. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and the instructors were great- fun, confident in their instruction, and knowledgeable. We liked them so much that we invited them next door to hang out with us at the Frying Pan afterward! If you're looking to host a corporate event, this was fun and unique. Great group activity.

Friendly staff and members, beautiful views of the city, low stress racing. A great way to keep cool on a hit summer's day!

My date and I took the taste of sailing tour yesturday and had a blast! It was just the two of us on the tour (I think there could be a max of 4 plus the captain/tour guide) and we learned enough to get our feet wet in the sport. We sailed from W. 26th to GWB and back. It cost about $80 a person and well worth it. The company is not for profit and always giving back to the community. We can wait to take their weekend sailing course!

I bought the tickets from a Groupon deal and had no problems whatsoever redeeming it at their website. I did not have to reschedule, so I can't comment on that. When we arrived, we were greeted by a very friendly staff that gave us a run down of what we would be doing. By the way, we went on a very cloudy day (40% chance of thunderstorm) and the staff was very aware of that. They were monitoring the weather at all times, even on the boat (our instructor checked the radar with his phone while on the boat.) Our Groupon included a breakfast, so we were provided with: bagels, cream cheese, coffee, and orange juice. While we ate, the staff got the boat and equipment ready. We boarded the boat after 30-45 mins or so from the time the event was supposed to start. I guess eating breakfast was counted as time towards the event. Anyhow, it was four of us in one boat plus the instructor. The boat we board was about 24ft long and the instructor mentioned that up to 6 people can fit in one boat. About the experience... This was my first time sailing so I had no idea what to expect. The instructor did most of the work. He worked the ropes, the sails, and controlled the direction that the boat. Our group assisted him by keeping the boat going straight, and pulling the sails from one side to the other. It was a very mellow, quiet, and different experience: no noise from the city, you feel the wind against you, and enjoy the view at both sides of the Hudson river. DO NOT expect the experience to be action-packed/straight out of Pirates of the Caribbean because you WILL be disappointed. Rather, slow down from the city rush and relax, breathe - hell - take a nap. In retrospect, we should've taken a baguette and cheese to munch on the boat. I am a very curious person, so I asked my instructor a million questions regarding his experience, the boat, the mechanics of it, etc. (I am an engineer). My instructor was very very very knowledgeable and he was more than glad to share what he knew. This was definitely one of the highlights of the event. To sum it all, if you have never sailed before, this is an excellent place to start and see if sailing is for you. It is definitely an eye opener towards all the things involved into sailing. It made me play around with the idea of owning my own sailing boat to get away from the city, enjoy some peace and quiet time, and relax.

Fantastic experience, on a nice warm day u can't beat it and you are learning and participating at same time! Very nice staff!

I've always wanted to try sailing, and my boyfriend took me here for a birthday celebration. First, Hudson River Comm is a non-profit serving community youths. As a result, they're lesson classes are very competitive and it's always great to help a good cause. We did the "Taste of Sailing" on a summer afternoon, and Harry was our instructor. We sailed for two hours up and down the Hudson and had a great view of Manhattan the entire time. Because it was just my boyfriend and me on the boat, we had a fun chat with Harry, who was a warm and patient instructor. The afternoon was a great success, and I cannot wait to go sailing again. Thank you, Harry!

After doing lots of research about the different sailing school options in manhattan I chose this one because of their great ratings, awesome price, and the worthy cause they support. My boyfriend and I had a great time learning how to sail with Andrew this weekend and would highly recommend this. It was so good that we were inspired to learn more about sailing and maybe one day get a boat.

We did the 2hr Groupon sail on June 5th. First, the process of reserving a spot on a boat was as easy as it gets. They set up an online page to see the available time slots and boats. Everything went smoothly. Our sail went out on a beautiful day. The "captain" was very experienced, allowed us to ask whatever questions we liked and sail around the local area with no agenda except our own and no stress. The J24's, with a crew of 4, are a great boat for learning and getting to experience the water w/o being overwhelmed by the complexity of a bigger boat or being too active like with a Laser. Unfortunately, there was little wind but it was such a nice experience that we signed up for the Keelboat certificate class shortly after sail.

Ask for Charlotte as your skipper. Nuff said.

We had an awesome introductory lesson, even on a rainy day (rain was forecasted to stop but it didn't; they gave us foul weather gear). I brought my 11 year old son, and there was just the right amount of time for him to take the tiller and get a feel for steering the boat and an understanding of the sailboat in relation to the wind. We had a blast!

Really great refresher course for me. Despite the less-than-ideal conditions (rain, little wind, cool temperatures) I learned so much and Kohler's personality made the outing great. It was the simple detail that helped me remember the basics again, but every question I asked was brilliantly explained for me to build my knowledge further. I can't believe how quick it went by and how much fun I had in the rain soaking wet.

My fiancée and I took the weekend-long Basic Keelboat class with Andrew last month at HRCS, and we both loved it! We had a great time on the water, learned a ton, and were happy to be supporting their community work. We're considering joining as members, and we'll definitely be back!

The lack of customer service at HRCS was appalling. My fiancee and I booked and paid for an intro to sailing class 3 months in advance through CourseHorse, HRCS' scheduling partner. We received confirmation from CourseHorse that we were all set, but upon arrival at HRCS they did not have our reservation for that date. They actually had booked us for the following weekend, one which we did not plan for and were scheduled to be out of town. After discussing this with the director, Spencer he said HRCS is aware of this glitch and this happens all the time. I find it interesting for a company to know of a bad business practice and not fix it. They declined to accommodate us since there was no availability and to send them an email to "remind them" of the situation. We were told to leave at that point with no resolution. As a business owner, I wouldn't put the onus of correcting an error on the effected party, it's bad business. The company has yet to respond to our "reminder" and I'd strongly reconsider utilizing HRCS' services as a prospective customer.

I was mad at these guys at first cause i set up an appointment with them on sat afternoon......a fever broke out and i became really really sick, i called them and asked for either a refund or rescheduling. a refund wasn't possible, which not great but i get it, however they will not let me reschedule my lessons when I called the morning of. Then as soon as I went there at 1:30pm, they apologized and rescheduled me for next week.....will update after next week

I took Basic Keelboat certification w Andreas and a group lesson w Alex. Both instructors were awesome: friendly, experienced, patient. Andreas used lots of fun teaching methods to help us remember. Sailing n the Hudson is quite the experience, and I felt safe. The only downside is it's a bit disorganized, and the boats are used by high schoolers for classes, so don't expect efficiency and luxury, I like supporting not-for-profit associations like this. Real people doing good work. I'm planning to become a member!

Hudson River Community Sailing Rocks!!!!!! My husband and I had walked past their little office 1000 times last summer (next to the fabulous Frying Pan Restaurant-barge, just north of Chelsea Piers) and we swore up and down that we were going to join it. Then we forgot. THIS summer however, we did join, and it is FANTASTIC! We have both sailed just a bit as passengers on other people's boats, but had never really learned how to sail ourselves. HRCS not only provides great small class sailing lessons, (in class and on their boat) but they also have inexpensive sailing club memberships that you can buy that allow one to sail with the other members-really nice experienced people (on the Hudson-from 26th street) as often as one would like! You just sign up, like you would for an aerobics class!! It is totally worth it!! Hudson River Park (where the sailing school and club are located) is surrounded by gorgeous landscaped gardens, immaculate outdoor sports environments, and an incredibly refreshing array of river views, people in kayaks, strolling folk, and outdoorsy types. The people who run it are friendly, well trained sailors, and passionate about nature and sailing. Best of all...our membership and sailing school dollars go toward THIS NOT FOR PROFIT ORG's goal of giving free sailing and boating lessons to NY inner city kids who would never have an opportunity to do this kind of team and confidence building otherwise. Great organization all around!!

My girlfriend and I took the 1-day taste of sailing course and found that we were really interested in the full sailing experience. We then signed up for the 3-day basic keelboat course and the experience was fantastic. We had a wonderful June weekend with good winds but nice, calm weather, and a great instructor in Christin. The course was tiring but in the end we walked away with an excellent experience and our certificate! We definitely recommend this for everyone we know who is interested in sailing!

My son joined their summer sailing camps for two weeks and can't wait to return next year. They have great young instructors that make every day a fun learning experience for kids, and also great managers who follow up every detail and answer each e-mail in a helpful and kind manner. My son learned a lot, deposited VitD enough for the whole year, enjoyed the team work, enjoyed his instructors and his fellow campers and know about the effects of wind and weather conditions on sailing now. Kids learned all about the mechanics through fun games such as "tag" with balls to each boat's sails. And "running away" with sails using the wind. Instructors are easy going, great mentors for kids, young but responsible people who are fun to be with.

Purchased this Groupon and had no issues making reservations. Was a little concerned when we got done there and there was not much communication before our instructor showed up. I was nervous since I've never been on a sailboat before. Our instructor, Andrew, was great. He let us be as hands on as we wanted and answered all our questions. I would definitely recommend and would most certainly return for more lessons.

I had such an amazing time with my boyfriend on the 2hr sailing lesson that I purchased through Groupon. We had no issues signing up. We went last weekend. We got there a half hour early and the organizer let us hang out in his office til it was time to sail. He paired us up with Andreas. It was just the instructor and my boyfriend and I- and I loved the small group. He was very skilled and explained a lot of sailing terms. We got to operate the sails for practically the entire time, even though it was our first time sailing ever. The instructor was very easy going which made me feel more relaxed. We had a blast and definitely plan on going back there this summer.