Where do you sail?

We practice out of Huguenot Yacht Club about a 30 minute van-ride from campus. Our team competes in MAISA, the Mid-Atlantic district of ICSA. In addition to MAISA regattas, we travel to NEISA and SAISA for events, and compete with the best teams in college sailing.

Who can join?

The sailing team is open to any student at Columbia University, including Barnard, GS, CC, and SEAS. The team is primarily for undergraduates because only undergraduates can compete in ICSA regattas. Graduate students are always welcome at practice but cannot compete.

Can I join the team if I've never sailed before?

Prior experience certainly helps, however, some of our top sailors joined with little or no experience. Anyone interested in learning and willing to dedicate the time and work to sailing is welcome at practice. 

What is the schedule and time commitment?

Fall practice begins in September and go through mid November. In the spring, practice begins in late February/early March. Practices are held Monday-Thursday from 3 - 7:40 pm and Friday 1:00-6:00, including travel time. We recommend you commit to attending practice 1-3 times a week. These practices are racing practices geared towards sailors competing at collegiate regattas. Off the water, we hold a team meeting every Monday from 8:00- 9:00 pm where sailors can hear about special events we’re hosting as well as learn about sailing through chalk talks. We also have team workouts in the winter to stay in shape. Sailors are also encouraged to take part in running the team by joining the officer board.

What boats do you sail?

College sailing is mainly double handed dinghies, although there are a few singlehanded regattas sailed in Lasers. We practice in a fleet of FJs, and compete in FJs and 420s. We also do joint practices with other teams in 420s.

Beyond practice and regattas, what else do you do?

The team hosts several social and alumni events each year. We have a formal to celebrate the close of the fall season and several social events throughout the year. Team members also often eat dinner together in the dining hall after practice. In the fall, we host the Alumni Regatta, where alumni compete for the coveted Hapgood Trophy. Additionally, we host the Annual, formerly known as the Winter Fundraiser, to celebrate our alumni and team.

What does it mean to be a club team?

As a club team we are student run, although we have support from our coach, alumni organization and club sports office. In the ICSA regattas have a mix club and varsity teams, so we are all able to compete against the best teams in the nation. As a club team we have many opportunities to get involved in leadership and to compete as an underclassman. Additionally, the time commitment is more flexible and everyone is welcome. We are not able offer admissions support for prospective students, but we are happy to answer any questions you have about Columbia, so please do email us if you are interested. We do have team dues, but financial aid is available, and dues are all inclusive meaning you won’t need to spend additional money to travel to a regatta.