The Coaster

By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI

The sailing program at the Belmar Marina, run by the Friends of Belmar Harbor since 2000, has grown into a thriving and respected club.

During the summer months, about 400 youngsters learn the basics of sailing, while 150 families, as club members, use the sailboats for family outings.

Neptune City Mayor Thomas Arnone supports the program, which includes youngsters from his borough.

Its a great organization and towns like Neptune City and Neptune have never utilized the resources (the Shark River) as they (FOBH) do, he said.

Coaster Photo Friends of Belmar Harbor President Dave Calnan at the proposed site of a new sailing center at the Belmar Marina.

For the past three years Neptune City has sent eight youngsters to sailing camp on scholarships funded by the board of recreation and local businesses.

Sailors are chosen on a first come, first served basis, he said.

We are definitely getting more each year, Arnone said.

The FOBH started a capitol campaign, Sail Dont Fail, in July, hoping to raise funds to build the Shark River Bay Sailing Center on the site where the boats are now kept in the Belmar Marina. The group hopes to raise $1.6 million.

Boats not at other storage facilities are kept in an open air fenced in area.

David Calnan, of Avon, is president of FOBH and is managing the campaign, which so far has raised about $10,000.

To increase donations, Calnan said, the group is starting a competitive fund raising effort among the five towns which every year participate in the Mayors Cup, including Avon, Belmar, Neptune, Neptune City and Wall.

It will be a chance for residents of those towns to win a cup of their own, Calnan said.

A sketch of the proposed building shows two stories with the second floor holding a sailing loft, large enough to contain a boat that can be used for indoor instruction, or a meeting room.

Plans for the first floor include storage room for the organizations more than 80 boats along with a concession stand, which will be operated by the town of Belmar.

It will also include workshop areas, office space and bathroom facilities with shower stalls.

Right now there is no concession here, and we dont allow the kids to cross Route 35, Calnan said.

The FOBH is run exclusively by volunteers, with only the sailing instructors and boat repairmen being paid.

Youngsters can join the junior sailing program at about 8 years old, but must be able to swim 25 yards.

We do a swimming test, Calnan said.

The new facility will also include office space.

Currently the group is using a small trailer provided by the borough of Belmar.

An administrator has been hired recently and will be in the trailer from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday to accept donations or provide registration forms for campers or family memberships.

The sailing camps are not restricted to area residents.

They are open to everyone, Calnan said.

Calnan said sailors from the FOBH compete in regattas up and down the shoreline and over the past few years have done very well.

At one of last years events all five of those competing from FOBH came home with trophies.

Cost of a three-week sailing camp is $160 with a $50 boat usage fee.

Also a Parent of the Day deposit of $50 is taken. Every parent is required to spend one day chaperoning and assisting at the camp. If they dont put in a day, their check is cashed.

FOBH also implemented a City Sailors program allowing young people in urban areas in North Jersey to come to Belmar and learn to sail.

There is also a scholarship program for area youth who can not afford the tuition but want to learn how to sail.

Donors can participate in the campaign in numerous ways including gifts of over $10,000 which can be paid over two years, corporate gifts, donations from social clubs or professional organizations or private donations.

FOBH is a 501©(3) nonprofit corporations and all donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 454, Belmar, NJ 07719.

For additional information log on to www.fobhnj.org.

The organization has also received grants from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres program and the IBOATNJ program.

This entry was posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 4:12 pm and is filed under Avon, Neptune, Neptune City. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.