The Northeast will soon start to receive some effects of the wind and rain from tropical storms and hurricanes that are now brewing in the south. Although Long Island does occasionally get hit hard by a hurricane, sailors tend to benefit from the fair amount of wind that is generated during hurricane season. Over the next few months the wind will progressively fill-in and become a sailor's delight. The increased wind will also encourage captains to seek out more crew to handle their boats. If you are interested in crewing on a racing sailboat, then now is the time to give it a try.

The boats that race through Sagamore Yacht Club's fleet racing program are generally 25'-40' in length. The smaller boats are light and require less strength but do require crew with flexibility and quickness since movement happens much faster on a smaller boat. Larger boats have greater power and need crew with more strength in some positions but also have more legroom to allow inexperienced crew to come onboard even if they are only "rail meat." The title "rail meat" pertains to a crew member who may have a few small duties but generally sit along the rail and help balance out the weight on the boat. Such roles are still important and can be filled by less experienced crew.

There is also the role of tactician, who on larger boats tends to do very little physical activity and acts more like a coach. A good tactician knows the rules, is a good communicator, and knows almost every feature of sailing, including how to sail the boat and how weather and geography affects the boat's performance. If a good tactician is not available, then the crew tends to develop niches in one or more of the functions.

In Sagamore's fleet racing program, there are both leisurely and competitive boats one could crew on. There is a place for every personality and also inexperienced newcomers. There are many opportunities to test if you fit in with the racing program and get along with captains and their crews. Some people crew on several boats before they commit to racing on the same boat. This is a good way to figure out what you are getting into before it becomes awkward to pull out.

There can be a lot of adrenaline in fleet racing. Much of the excitement occurs when avoiding collisions before the start or at marks throughout the course. In most of Sagamore's Wednesday night races there are as many as 30 boats swarming around a very small area between Oyster Bay Cove and Centre Island. If there is enough wind (i.e., 10 plus knots) the boats are often sent out to the old lighthouse platform off Lloyd Neck.

Wednesday night races begin at 1830 hours but new crew should be at Sagamore's docks by 1730 hours. Most boats finish by 2030 hours. Then the crew will head back to the clubhouse for some cocktails and dinner. If you are interested in racing call Sagamore at 922-0555 and visit its web page at www.sagamoreyc.com. You should be honest about your experience level and goals to make sure you get introduced to the appropriate captains and crew.

For more information about local boating, environmental issues, and other water-related activities throughout the Oyster Bay area you can email the author at Jaime.VanDyke@gmail.com or reach her at 946-9464.