By Shenzhan/申展
J24-2 at Chelsea, New York, August 9, 2025
Photo credit: Shenzhan/申展
Location: Pier 66, Chelsea, NY
Depart: 4:30 PM
Return: 6:30 PM
Previous Tide: TBA
Next Tide: TBA
Temperature: 82 °F
Wind: South, 3 – 6 mph
Course: South → North
Crew: Dimitri (skipper), Summer, Marco, and me
My first sail after returning from China was originally planned as a calm Inwood outing with Dimitri, his girlfriend Summer, and Marco. I’ve known Dimitri for two years, meeting him through HRCS shortly after I started dating Marco. Last season, when I was practicing my COB (Crew Over Board) for the skipper exit exam (which I eventually failed), Dimitri—a J24 skipper—helped me train.
We all live in Astoria and see each other outside of HRCS. Marco and I once hosted Dimitri and Summer for hotpot in my studio; they later treated us to dinner at Agnanti, a Greek restaurant near Astoria Park. Dimitri is Greek, Summer is Chinese like me, and Marco is Italian— we are a true international bunch in NYC.
We booked Dimitri as skipper for 3:30 PM. Marco and I drove to Inwood early to allow time for parking. The Inwood HRCS location sits at the end of Dyckman Street, with a long deck fully covered by seagulls dropping and stretching into usually calm water. Sailing here feels serene: fewer boats, no ferries or dinner cruises, no mid-river barges to dodge.
Parking was easy, and we walked to the sunbaked boathouse. A small sandy beach fronted the open waiting area where an instructor was explaining current charts to a small group, all looking very serious as if they were going on a battleship. The water looked glassy; I worried we’d just float in hot soup for 3 hours instead.
We donned life jackets and waited for Dimitri and Summer. Minutes before 3:30, Dimitri texted that they’d be a few minutes late. “No worries,” I replied. We could continue to chill for a few minutes, except that we soon learned they had arrived at Pier 66 in Chelsea, the other HRCS boathouse, not Inwood.
We scrambled into the car and sped down the West Side Highway. By some miracle, we found street parking right on 26th Street, right across from the Chelsea boathouse. As we rushed in, Conner, the LD of the day, radioed for the launch to take us to J24-2. Dimitri and Summer were already on board, rigging.
The conditions here were wildly different—strong wind from the south and peak ebb created choppy waves. I preferred the challenge; Marco, still new to sailing, seemed not to be bothered at all. Summer, however, was pale and felt sick. So she had to return to shore shortly.
Dimitri, Marco, and I sailed off the mooring. Chelsea now had three stationary barges complicating the channel, another reason Dimitri had suggested Inwood. Still, the wind was perfect. We raised the main and jib south of the barges, crossed to the New Jersey side, and headed north. Even on a broad reach, the wind had bite, pushing us quickly past Midtown.
At one point, a flashy motorboat roared up from behind and passed us far too close, its wake slamming our hull. Dimitri yelled, but the driver probably never noticed—there are some very careless boaters out there.
The rest of the sail was smooth. Turning south and pointing into the wind, the boat heeled sharply. Most of the time, Marco helmed under Dimitri’s guidance while I managed jib sheets.
By 6:30 PM, we were back at the boathouse. Summer was feeling better, and we wrapped up the day with beers at Frying Pan.
Pier 66 from Frying Pan, August 9, 2025
Photo credit: Shenzhan/申展
August 13, 2025
Astoria, New York