Daysailing at Horseshoe Harbor
by Ned Benton
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(October 5, 2002) The Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club
is offering a membership program for the rest of
us - the ones who love the idea of sailing on Long
Island, but not the idea of maintaining a sailboat.
The club's daysailing program provides you access
to two sloops without your having to maintain, moor,
store, or otherwise handle the hassles and costs
of ownership |
To check out the club's program, I went for an afternoon
sail in early October with club member Jorge Lange.
We signed up for the Rhodes 19.
(Click here for more about the Rhodes 19.) The Rhodes
19 is a two or three person, 19 foot, one-design sailboat
intended for daysailing and racing. Upon arrival at
the club, we took the launch service to the boat which
was at its mooring. The Rhodes has a fitted cover that
keeps the rain out, so it was tidy and dry when we arrived.
The mainsail was furled so we could raise it in a matter
of minutes. The jib attached in a few more minutes,
with a few clips and snaps. Thus, we were ready to heave-ho
in less than five minutes.
 The
Club maintains one other boat for the adult sailing
program, the Cape Dory Typhoon. (Click
here for more about the Cape Dory Tyhoon.) Both
boats are classic daysailing designs, ideal for sailors
ready to graduate from basic training in a sailing dingy.
Both boats have the stability against capsizing that
comes from a keel, and the protection from sinking that
comes from positive built-in flotation. But experienced
sailors appreciate the refinements built into both designs
based on decades of boating experience -- bench seating
and ample dry storage space under the bow for lunch,
extra clothing and gear, and liquid refreshment.
Of course, the best part of sailing from Horseshoe
Harbor is not the boat, it's the Long Island Sound!
Jorge and I set out on a close reach to the southwest,
past David's Island, across to Long Island, and down
to the Throg's Neck Bridge. We passed Execution
Rock Lighthouse, which is reputed to have gained
its name during the Revolutionary War when the British
were thought to have executed prisoners by chaining
them to the rocks at low tide and waiting for the rising
tide to finish them off. The story is not accompanied
by proof of particular executions by drowning.  The
alternative explanation is based on the number of ships
"executed" by these rocks, especially when
adjacent rocks lurk just under water during high tides.
A famous incident took place in 1920, when the steamer
(not the battleship) Maine wrecked during a snow
storm, with ice, high winds, and a full moon tide covering
rocks adjacent to the lighthouse. Fourteen horses and
all of the passengers survived at the lighthouse for
three days until a rescue vessel could reach them. The
wreck of the Maine is a popular dive
site for experienced scuba divers who can handle
the currents.
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We also passed another historic landmark, Hart
Island, which served as a prisoner-of-war
camp during the Civil War. The island serves today
as New York City's cemetery for indigent persons. Sailors
are sternly warned by a sign that says "Prison
- Keep Off." But where was the sign discouraging
hitch-hiking?
The sailing conditions were perfect, so we quickly
reached Stepping
Stones Lighthouse which marks the end of the Long
Island Sound. The Lighthouse is located adjacent to
the Throgs Neck Bridge. During Colonial times these
treacherous rocks were referred to as the "Devil's
Stepping Stones" which is the origin of the name
of the Lighthouse.
With the wind and the current behind us, it was
an easy reach past Hart Island, City Island, and
Davids Island, back to Horseshoe Harbor. The boat
was responsive, easy to handle, and reasonably
stable during the sudden gusts of wind that are
common on the Sound - perfect for daysailing.
When we returned to our mooring, furling and
packing the sails and replacing the cover took
about five minutes. After a not-so-accidental
fall into the water, we contacted the launch and
returned to shore. |
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Applications for membership in the Horseshoe Harbor
Yacht Club are available at the Club, and you can email
Horseshoe Harbor
Commodore Bob Rivituso for more information. However,
if you are ready to sign up now, Larchmont Gazette has
placed a flyer online at:
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