Historic vessels • Teaching fleet • Oyster Bay Harbor
Meet Our Fleet
From historic working vessels to youth dinghies and adult keelboats, every boat at The WaterFront Center helps connect people to the water through education and recreation.
Choose a vessel
Oyster Bay's maritime story
Historic Vessels
CHRISTEEN and IDA MAY are floating classrooms, gathering places and living links to Oyster Bay's working-waterfront history. Both vessels are operated by licensed captains and experienced crew.
CHRISTEEN
CHRISTEEN is a 38-foot, gaff-rigged oyster sloop and the oldest oyster sloop in America. Built in Glenwood Landing for Captain William Smith, she harvested oysters in Oyster Bay and Cold Spring Harbor and later carried cargo throughout the region.
After surviving hurricanes, two sinkings and years of neglect, CHRISTEEN returned home to Oyster Bay in 1992. A dedicated volunteer-led restoration brought her back to the water in 1999. Today, she sails as The WaterFront Center's flagship and a floating classroom for maritime history, marine science, coastal ecology, aquaculture and the story of Long Island's oyster industry.
- Vessel crew
- U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain and experienced crew
- Specs
- 38-foot gaff-rigged oyster sloop with a 3-foot draft; built in 1883
- Guest capacity
- Up to 24 guests
- Experience range
- No sailing experience required; all vessel operations are managed by the captain and crew
- WFC programs
- Public harbor and sunset sails, marine ecology and education programs, and private charters
- Historic significance
- America's oldest oyster sloop and a National Historic Landmark
What to expect aboard: Seating is limited. Fold-down benches are available once the vessel is safely under sail, and some additional seating may be available on the deck structures. Seating is not available while sails are being raised or lowered.
Plan your time aboard
CHRISTEEN Deck Layout
Use this illustration to become familiar with the working foredeck, mast and rigging, deck structures, seating areas, open deck space and captain's area.
Illustrative deck layout—not to scale. Seating arrangements may vary based on conditions and vessel operations.
IDA MAY
IDA MAY is a faithful replica of the original 1925 engine-powered oyster dredge that worked Oyster Bay Harbor for more than 75 years. The original vessel—known as the “Queen of the Fleet”—was built by Frank M. Flower and Sons and named for Frank Flower's wife.
When the original vessel could no longer be restored, her historic lines were preserved. More than 70 volunteers, professional shipwrights and marine engineers worked for 12 years to create today's IDA MAY, combining traditional wooden-boat craftsmanship with modern U.S. Coast Guard safety requirements.
Her broad, open deck makes IDA MAY an inviting platform for public cruises, private charters, fishing, birding and hands-on marine education focused on harbor ecology, shellfish heritage and environmental stewardship.
- Vessel crew
- U.S. Coast Guard-licensed captain and experienced crew
- Specs
- 50 feet long and 17 feet wide; faithful replica of a 1925 engine-powered oyster dredge
- Guest capacity
- Up to 40 guests
- Experience range
- No boating experience required; all vessel operations are managed by the captain and crew
- WFC programs
- Public harbor cruises, marine education, birding, fishing and private charters
- Historic significance
- Re-creates the original IDA MAY—the first engine-powered oyster dredge to work Oyster Bay Harbor
What to expect aboard: IDA MAY offers bench seating, center-hatch seating and open deck space. The exact arrangement may change depending on the activity and vessel operations.
Plan your time aboard
IDA MAY Deck Layout
The spacious deck includes fixed bench seating, center-hatch seating, open deck areas and the wheelhouse.
Illustrative deck layout—not to scale. Seating arrangements may vary based on the activity and vessel operations.
Learn • Practice • Race • Explore
Our Sailing & Teaching Fleet
Our small-boat fleet gives sailors a clear progression—from a first experience at the tiller to teamwork, racing, spinnaker handling and independent keelboat sailing.
Double-handed youth dinghy
RS Feva
The RS Feva is a durable, lively two-person dinghy designed to bridge the gap between beginner boats and higher-performance youth racing. Its simple asymmetric spinnaker system helps sailors add speed and advanced teamwork without using a trapeze.
- Crew
- Two people—skipper and crew
- Specs
- 12-foot dinghy with a 4-foot 8-inch beam; rigged with main, jib and asymmetric spinnaker; no trapeze
- Ideal combined crew weight
- Approximately 220–265 lbs for competitive racing; local JSA racing requires a minimum of 180 lbs fully dressed
- Skill range
- Beginner to advanced
- Race level
- Learn-to-sail and club racing through international one-design competition
- Develops
- Communication, teamwork, sail trim and spinnaker handling
Stable recreational catamaran
Hobie Wave
The Hobie Wave is a simple, stable catamaran with a wide trampoline and forgiving design. It gives new sailors a comfortable introduction to catamaran sailing while still delivering plenty of speed and fun as skills grow.
- Crew
- One or two sailors; standard racing crew is one
- Specs
- 13-foot catamaran with a 7-foot beam and a 95-square-foot, boomless mainsail
- Capacity
- Up to 442 lbs
- Skill range
- Beginner to intermediate
- Race level
- Recreational sailing and one-design club through national racing
- WFC use
- Beginner Sailing and Adventure Sailing
Larger recreational catamaran
Hobie Getaway
The Hobie Getaway offers more room, a jib and both forward and aft trampoline space. It is stable enough for learning and group adventures while giving sailors the excitement and responsiveness of a larger catamaran.
- Crew
- One to six sailors
- Specs
- Approximately 17 feet long with a 7-foot 8-inch beam; rigged with a boomless main and roller-furling jib
- Capacity
- Up to 1,000 lbs
- Skill range
- Beginner to advanced recreational sailors
- Race level
- Primarily recreation, instruction and group adventure rather than scholastic racing
- Develops
- Crew coordination, jib trim and multihull handling
High-performance youth dinghy
C420
The C420 is the most commonly used boat in high school and college sailing. The WaterFront Center maintains a fleet of eighteen C420s for its High School Sailing program.
- Crew
- Two people—skipper and crew
- Specs
- 13-foot 9-inch sloop, rigged with jib and main. Spinnakers are not used in scholastic racing.
- Ideal combined crew weight
- 220–300 lbs
- Skill range
- Beginner to advanced
- Race level
- Club to national
- WFC fleet
- 18 C420s supporting High School Sailing and youth development
Single-handed youth dinghy
Optimist — “Opti”
The Opti is the classic first solo sailboat for young sailors. Its small size, stability and simple rig let participants learn at their own pace while taking responsibility for steering, sail trim and decisions aboard their own boat.
- Crew
- One sailor
- Specs
- Approximately 7-foot 7-inch one-design pram dinghy with a single 35-square-foot sprit-rigged sail
- Ideal sailor weight
- Generally up to 110–120 lbs for competitive performance; this is racing guidance, not a program enrollment limit
- Skill range
- Beginner to advanced
- Race level
- Club to international youth competition
- WFC use
- Opti Sailing, Opti Race Team, Sound Swash and First Mates
23-foot adult teaching keelboat
Sonar
The Sonar combines a stable keel with a large, open cockpit and responsive sailing performance. It is roomy enough for an instructor and small crew, making it the center of our adult instruction, community sailing and rental programs.
- Crew
- Three, four or five sailors for class racing; WFC instructional crew size varies by program
- Specs
- 23-foot keelboat with a 7-foot 10-inch beam, 3-foot 11-inch draft, 900-lb keel, main, jib and optional spinnaker
- Ideal combined race crew weight
- Approximately 750 lbs
- Skill range
- Beginner to advanced
- Race level
- Club to international one-design racing; also widely used for instruction and recreation
- WFC use
- Lessons, Basic Keelboat, Community Open Sail, Women on the Water and qualified rentals
Find your way onto the water
Which Vessel Is Right for You?
Historic Sails & Cruises
Join a public harbor experience or reserve CHRISTEEN or IDA MAY for a private group, celebration or educational program.
Explore public harbor experiencesYouth Sailing
Young sailors progress from introductory programs to independent sailing, teamwork and racing aboard age- and skill-appropriate boats.
Explore youth sailingAdult Sailing & Rentals
Learn aboard a stable Sonar keelboat, build confidence through group or private instruction, or qualify to rent and sail independently.
Explore adult sailingReady to Get on the Water?
Choose a public sail, youth or adult sailing program, private charter or rental—and experience Oyster Bay Harbor aboard The WaterFront Center fleet.