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The Oakcliff Sailing Center

Raising the Level of Sailors and Sailing in the U.S.
By Jay Picotte | Photos courtesy of Oakcliff Sailing Center

he recently established Oakcliff Sailing Center in Oyster Bay, New York, came about as many successful nonprofits doas the direct result of one individuals passion and vision. In this case that visionary is Hunt Lawrence, a New York businessman and lifelong sailor whose love for sailing and beautiful sailboats led to an ever-growing fleet. He and his family decided to start a foundation to share the fleet with other individuals who were as passionate about sailing as he was. After careful research, they learned that sailors were lacking in training, and there was a gap in the growth path of sailors. There were very good programs for teaching youth sailing, great high

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school and college racing programs, and excellent schools such as IYRS for boat building. But there was no place dedicated to training racing sailors, race-boat owners, and their teams on a very high level in all different areas of racing, maintaining, and campaigning boats. The family saw a unique opportunity and set a goal to raise the level of sailors and sailing in the United States. Oakcliff does that in a number of ways. On the water they do a lot of match racing, for in match racing you are either winning or losing: there is direct feedback, and no better way to raise the level of your game. The Center is located 35 minutes from New York City in downtown Oyster Bay, on the north shore of Long Island on a small campus about a block from the harbor (and within walking distance to the commuter train). There are facilities for boat and sail storage, and workshops where the fleet is maintained. Dawn Riley, a well-known and respected name among racing sailors, came on board to serve as executive director. She has valuable experience in racing and training, having not only sailed in three Americas Cups and two Whitbread Round the
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ABOVE The

boat shop in downtown Oyster Bay. safety training the storm trysail. racing.

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The Oakcliff Sailing Center

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World races, but also having managed entire Americas Cup syndicatesand being the first woman to do so. As Dawn explained to me, Oakcliff is not someplace someone would come for sailing lessons. There are other places that do that very well. Shes quick to point out that, Oakcliff is for those who are sailors already, who are looking for advanced training. When asked if there is a certain level of experience required to take part in Oakcliff programming, she said, No, but its not uncommon to get someone whos sailed for 20 or 25 years, and watch them realize how little they really knew about how to sail a boat well. The Center is a training and coaching facility that serves all sailors who want advanced training. This can be done in a number of different ways, including taking part in match races or local races with coaches. The Center also offers customizable programs and private coaching for racing teams, corporate teams, or individuals. Boat owners looking for captains or training for captains will also find what they need through Oakcliff. Longer-term programs fall under the Acorn Program, which is open to anyone who has shown potential as a racing sailor and is willing to be immersed in the world of competitive sailing. These tuition-based programs are summer-long or full-year programs, and scholarships are granted to those between the ages of 18 and 30. Like IYRS, the Acorn Program is intensive and students are well prepared for jobs in their field. Trainees learn about sponsorship and the business side of sailing, high-level match and offshore racing skills, proper wet sanding, team management, and the basics in budgeting, accounting, and business ethics. Graduates are expected to be able to manage race boats or sail in the Americas Cup. Riley sees the Acorns as the people who will carry the Centers mission forward, representing Oakcliff, its supporters, and America in the world of competitive sailing. Riley would not be surprised to see these individuals sailing in the Volvo Ocean
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Its not uncommon to get someone whos sailed for 20 or 25 years, and watch them realize how little they really knew about how to sail a boat well.
Dawn Riley executive DiRectoR, oakcliff

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Even the classics get in on the competition. Waiting for the wind to fill in. coaching onboard a Melges 24.

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Race or the Americas Cup. There is also the Oakcliff All-American Offshore Team, which is made up of supporters who compete in long-distance offshore races such as the Bermuda Race, the Vineyard Race, and the Annapolis to Newport Race. The most impressive thing about Oakcliff is the remarkably varied and extensive fleet of boats that includes: six Swedish Match 40s, six Shields class sloops, six Melges 24s, two Farr 40s, and three IRC racing boats (one Ker 50 and two Ker 38s). There is also a classic element to the fleet: Nautilus, a Herreshoff NY30 (1905), Dolphin, a Herreshoff Newport 29 (1914), and Annie Caie, a Crocker cutter (1935). Dolphin and Nautilus were designed and built to race while Annie Caie, originally a beloved family cruising boat, didnt do much racing until she became part of the Oakcliff fleet; but she does surprisingly well, taking many firsts in local classic racing events. The boats are raced and sailed nearly every day during the season; in fact, all of the boats in the Oakcliff fleet are used on a regular basis for Tuesdaynight match-racing drills and Saturday match-racing regattas, as well as clinics and local, national, and international regattas. To be eligible to take part in the training and racing at Oakcliff, supporters join as members at levels that range from $500 to $5,000. All supporters are also expected to work two days in the yard, repairing and maintaining boats under the supervision of the staff. The commitment also includes being able to sail on Oakcliff boats on the frequent, regular scheduled race days. Currently, according to Hunt Lawrence, We have between 200 and 250 active sailors involved at Oakcliff. In five years wed like to see 500 to 600. The broader the base of supporters the Center attracts, the bigger the difference Oakcliff can make in the sport of sailing. Its hard to believe that such incredible facilities, boats, and world-class training are accessible for such a small commitment. Theres no doubt that Hunt Lawrence and his crew at Oakcliff will meet their goal.G
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