What better way is there to embrace the culture of our coastal university than by joining the Monmouth University Sailing Team?
Learn a skill that lasts a lifetime, travel up and down the east coast competing against other colleges and universities, and make new friends in the process!
The MU Sailing Team has been a part of our university’s history for many years and is continuing to grow and evolve. The team consists of both beginners and lifelong sailors, which creates an environment that you cannot find on other collegiate teams.
Our team is open to sailors of all experience levels. There is both a co-ed and a women’s sailing team. Monmouth University owns a fleet of 18 Flying Junior (FJ) sailboats which were purchased through the support of generous alumni, benefactors, and local businesses. Having a large fleet of boats allows our school to host regattas in the fall and spring semesters and to host practices with other local colleges and high school teams.
We are a club team at Monmouth, and we aim to practice 3-4 times per week during the fall and spring seasons. Practices will resume around March. Dry suits are provided for the spring season. Practices are very dependent on weather (too much wind, not enough wind, rain) but usually run about 2 hours. Members are encouraged to come to as many practices as they can.
Beginner sailors will start off on the recreational team which means other team members will teach them the basics. Our goal is to eventually have recreational members traveling, competing in regattas and serving important roles as board members. We compete in 4-6 regattas per semester, primarily at other schools in our region. The Monmouth Sailing Team is different than most athletic teams as it is not affiliated with the NCAA.
We are a member of the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) and part of the Middle Atlantic conference. Our team is fortunate enough to practice only 10 minutes away at the Shrewsbury Sailing and Yacht Club (SSYC). The Yacht Club is generous enough to lend us the use of their facilities, including the club house, motor boats, and equipment to run thorough practices. SSYC club members also donate their time and experience to assist in running regattas in the fall and spring.
For the competitive team travel expenses are paid for through dues and by Monmouth. This includes hotel, food, and transportation. Please email Captain Katie Foley at s1064847@monmouth.edu. Members will not be required to purchase sailing gear or pay dues until they are certain they want to be part of the team.
PHOTO COURTESY of Veronica Lane
