Logged on June 15 @ Under Pressure Coffee, Astoria, NY
Shenzhan/申展
Boats at Pier 66, Chelsea, NY on June 13, 2025
By Shenzhan Liao
Location: Pier 66, Chelsea, NY
Departure: 1:00 PM
Return: 4:00 PM
Previous Tide: 10:27 AM (Low)
Next Tide: 4:28 PM (High)
Temperature: 73°F
Wind: NW shifting to S, ~10 mph
Course: North to South
One perk of taking a weekday off is that it’s easy to find a sail. Today I joined Bill (William Grassie) on his J80 at 1 PM.
After handling some morning work, I packed up my sailing gear—a waterproof Upwind backpack, sailing gloves, sunscreen, and a water bottle—and was on my bike to Pier 66 by noon. I wore my favorite sailing shoes (from Kamakura), a UV-protective long-sleeved top, and 7” shorts. My commute was routine: bike from Crescent Street to the 7 train at Queensboro Bridge, hop off at 34th Street–Hudson Yards, then pedal to the boathouse. The whole trip took around 45 minutes. Just in time.
As I entered the boathouse from the rear, I ran into Bill. A seasoned skipper, probably in his mid-60s, retired, easygoing. I remembered sailing with him last season but had forgotten his name—to my surprise, he greeted me by name, only hesitating slightly on the pronunciation. I figured he had gotten it from the sign-up list.
The rest of the crew showed up shortly after: Sandra L., a middle-aged woman, probably with German roots, and Owen, a Delta pilot in his early 40s. These details, of course, came up through casual chat during the three-hour sail. That's how it goes on the sails at HRCS—people talk, and you start getting to know everyone a bit more.
Sandra took us out of the mooring field with ease. This was her second season at HRCS, though she had prior experience sailing years ago. I hesitated to mention that I’m in my fourth season. I am certainly an experienced crew…or maybe too experienced?
The wind was strong from the north at first—perfect sailing conditions. We tacked our way upriver, past Hudson Yards, the Intrepid, and beyond. By the time I took the helm, however, the wind had died. We attempted to continue north on a run, but with little breeze and the sun beating down, it was slow going and a bit too hot.
Bill made the call, “Let’s turn around and get out of this misery.”
We turned south, and the wind suddenly shifted 180 degrees. A lovely breeze picked up from the south, and with the ebbing current, we picked up speed. The sails were full again. Bill also gently coached me through the adjustments:
“Turn into the wind until the jib luffs—then fall off by five degrees. That’s your close haul.”
The boat heeled nicely, slicing through the river like a knife through cheesecake. The breeze—about 8 or 9 knots—was strong enough to stir excitement, yet steady enough for control. There's something deeply satisfying about harnessing nature’s power without relying on an engine.
Bill, clearly relaxed, even clipped a waterproof speaker to the boom and played “sailing songs.” Sandra chatted about an upcoming week-long charter in Croatia this August and asked if anyone was interested in joining. It was tempting.
With wind and current in our favor, we cruised past Little Island in no time. Getting back north to the mooring field took more effort, though—we were now working against the current despite the southerly breeze, and were eager to return to the mooring field on time by 4 PM.
We docked a little after 4 PM. The weather was still ideal. I could’ve gone out again, but decided not to push it.
Back on land, I checked Slack, the HRCS members' message board. Q, another skipper, had messaged me about the upcoming Navigation Cup—an annual long-distance sail to the Verrazzano Bridge. I looked up at the sign-up platform immediately. A couple of J80s were full, and other open sails haven’t got a skipper yet. Hopefully, I’ll be able to join work towards this season’s goal: to sail somewhere other than the Hudson River.
Astoria, New York