By Ronnie Ross

Ready to get out on the water? We’ve got Skippers looking for crew!

Need crew? We’ve got Crew looking for a boat to sail and hoping to hone their sailing skills!

If you are single and fit into either of these categories, you need to check out Singles Under Sail! Based in Western Connecticut, SUS is a great club for sailing opportunities, and it’s getting better every year. We are an active group of over-40s who love the water. Our members range from novice to licensed captains. Some have been in the club for 30 years, others are “brand new.” What we have in common is a desire to sail, to meet new friends, and to be actively involved in learning and participating (as well as having fun!).

Singles Under Sail rafting up in Oyster Bay last summer

During boating season, our activities involve twilight (after work) sails, day sails, weekend overnight sails, and a club cruise which takes us to beautiful and interesting further-off ports which have ranged from Brooklyn to Martha’s Vineyard and Maine. In addition to sailing, our events calendar keeps us connected throughout the year. We have six “educational meetings” in the off-season with great speakers on pertinent topics, we have social gatherings (in restaurants and yacht clubs or on the docks, depending on the season), after-working-on-boat parties, as well as our gala “Cast Off Party” in the spring and a dinner dance at Holiday time.

We’ve implemented a great interactive “Let’s Go Sailing” feature on our website, through which crew and skippers can connect directly for sailing opportunities. The website is full of information about the club as well as an up-to-the-minute calendar of our activities.

One of the requirements of SUS that sets us apart from other sailing clubs is that everyone must obtain a Safe Boating Certificate within the first two years of membership in order to remain a member. This ensures the club remains focused on its number one goal of bringing people together for sailing. When winter comes along, many members plan sailing trips with their SUS friends to the Caribbean, or travel to other non-sailing destinations. Some of us take day trips together to interesting shoreside places (the City, Arthur Avenue, ski slopes…wherever we want to get together).

If you’re a boat owner who has been challenged to find crew during the summer, SUS is a fantastic way to meet experienced crew who (by the way) are eager to help get your vessel ready for the season! If you’re without a boat but love to sail or have always wanted to learn, there are many opportunities to meet our Skippers and get out on the water. We’d love to have you join us!

For more information, visit singlesundersail.org or visit our Meetup site, meetup.com/SinglesUnderSail. ■

Ronnie Ross is Singles Under Sail’s Public Relations Director.