URI sailing club offers students hands-on experience, barbeque
Vickie Goff
Issue date: 9/26/06 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
9/26/06 - The University of Rhode Island Sailing Club brought students sailing on Saturday as part of its open house event.
"It was excellent, despite getting soaked," Derek Brockman, a new club member, said. "It was thrilling to get out in the water."
About a dozen potential new members came to the barbecue event at the Sailing Center, on Salt Pond Road in South Kingstown. Mike Smith, president of the Sailing Club, said that the turnout was lower than other years because of the dreary weather, but the club was still able to give students hands-on sailing experience.
"It was pretty hardcore," Melissa Rounds, club secretary, said. "There were fairly big swells and strong winds."
Sailing Club is a university student organization, which has access to 60 boats - including Lasers and Flying Junior sloops - at the center for members to use for recreational sailing. The club is different from the competitive sailing team, which also uses the facility and races other schools.
"We're more about getting people interested and excited about sailing," Smith said.
Members can use boats, free of charge at the center, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Recreational hours are from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and all day Saturday through Sunday. Boats are also available during the week, depending on availability because of the sailing classes offered by URI.
The two one-credit sailing classes, beginner and intermediate sailing, are each offered two days a week for about three hours.
"We try to push the classes, but it's not a requirement to join the club," said Smith, who started his sailing experience by taking the beginner's class four years ago when he was a freshman.
For the first time, the club will have races for members to compete in, beginning at 2 p.m. this Sunday. The races are open to members of all experience, from those who are inexperienced to sailors who don't have time to race with the sailing team, Smith said.
"It will add to the group morale," Rounds said. "We can do more things together."
The club is also planning a one-day sailing trip to Beavertail in Jamestown during Columbus Day weekend. Students can still sign up, Smith said.
Club meetings are at 6 p.m. every Wednesday in Room 308 in the Memorial Union. Sailing Club can also be contacted at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/URISAIL.
"It was excellent, despite getting soaked," Derek Brockman, a new club member, said. "It was thrilling to get out in the water."
About a dozen potential new members came to the barbecue event at the Sailing Center, on Salt Pond Road in South Kingstown. Mike Smith, president of the Sailing Club, said that the turnout was lower than other years because of the dreary weather, but the club was still able to give students hands-on sailing experience.
"It was pretty hardcore," Melissa Rounds, club secretary, said. "There were fairly big swells and strong winds."
Sailing Club is a university student organization, which has access to 60 boats - including Lasers and Flying Junior sloops - at the center for members to use for recreational sailing. The club is different from the competitive sailing team, which also uses the facility and races other schools.
"We're more about getting people interested and excited about sailing," Smith said.
Members can use boats, free of charge at the center, which is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Recreational hours are from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and all day Saturday through Sunday. Boats are also available during the week, depending on availability because of the sailing classes offered by URI.
The two one-credit sailing classes, beginner and intermediate sailing, are each offered two days a week for about three hours.
"We try to push the classes, but it's not a requirement to join the club," said Smith, who started his sailing experience by taking the beginner's class four years ago when he was a freshman.
For the first time, the club will have races for members to compete in, beginning at 2 p.m. this Sunday. The races are open to members of all experience, from those who are inexperienced to sailors who don't have time to race with the sailing team, Smith said.
"It will add to the group morale," Rounds said. "We can do more things together."
The club is also planning a one-day sailing trip to Beavertail in Jamestown during Columbus Day weekend. Students can still sign up, Smith said.
Club meetings are at 6 p.m. every Wednesday in Room 308 in the Memorial Union. Sailing Club can also be contacted at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/URISAIL.
