Thanks to these great Fleet Captains who are listed in approximate order of the number of Fleet Captain sails they have done this year. These are GREAT members who help others get sailing. Whenever you go on a Fleet Captain sail with one of these great members, please bring them a small gift like some cookies, beers, bottle of wine or something they will like. As you get to know each Fleet Captain, you will learn what makes them happy.
Rob Goldstein (109 sails in 2024)
The G.O.A.T. Rob Goldstein who in 2024 completed his 1,000th Fleet Captain Sail at the Manhattan Yacht Club!
I started sailing when I was in college, but didn’t sail for 35 years before discovering Manhattan Yacht Club in 2016. After taking the Basic Sailing course (ASA 101) to refamiliarize myself, I started sailing regularly, first as crew on Fleet Captain sails, then as a skipper, and finally as a Fleet Captain. Sailing with the club has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life! There is no better outdoor activity than sailing on the Hudson, and the caliber of people I’ve met over the years is second to none. Each year I look forward to meeting and sailing with many more new members and old friends.
Scott Crow (43 sails in 2024)
A member since 2021, Scott averages 75 sails a year across Cruising, Fleet Captain and the Mentor program. For 2024, he is most proud of the number of new members that started the season on Fleet Captain and became skilled sailors – with quite a few gaining their Skipper qualification ending the season on their own sails. In the offseason he intends to complete his USCG Master license and spend more time offshore.
Yvette Avenhall (37 sails in 2024)
Born and raised at the Baltic Sea, in the tiny town of Charles Harbor. My sailing career officially began in an Opti where I won my first race by mistake, I was clueless, it was a cold October day, I was eight years old and declared my sailing career over. Papa refused the facts and bought a Snipe for us to sail together. I later moved on to sail the traditional local wood boats and performed windsurfing. I first joined MYC in the summer of 2011, when the Club was located at North Cove. I am a skipper and Fleet Captain,and have been an active Club member over the years, sailing and racing in NY Harbor, Long Island Sound and Newport on the J24s, IODs and the 12 Meter yachts, America II US42 and US46. Also, I’ve sailed on Arabella, raced in Monaco’s Classic Week, as well as the Club’s BVI Caribbean regatta, skippering a 52-foot monohull a few years ago. I am a syndicate member of the 12 Meter program since 2011, and have sailed the 12 Meters, US42 and US46 more than 300 times. ‘ve sailed in our Grand Tours of 2017 and 2018, competed in the World Championships of 2019, and competed in MYC’s 12 Meter Heritage Regatta. Great fun and great memories! As a Fleet Captain, I have had so many great times. I love meeting new members, sailing with you, helping to further advance your sailing skills, and am thrilled when you decide to become a Club skipper. The Fleet Captain program is so important, and I hope that I can share my love of sailing with you!
Dave Simson (37 sails in 2024)
I’ve been sailing since age 11 and with the club for about 15 years. I’m retired so I mostly sail midweek mornings. There are a dozen or so regulars who sail with me and several of my crew have gone on to become skippers and fleet captains. All are welcome!
Hooman Mehran (37 sails in 2024)
Frank Sinks (23 sails in 2024)
Peter Abelman (21 sails in 2024)
Christopher Gizzi (13 sails in 2024)
Edward Newman (13 sails in 2024)
After a quick refresher for basic sailing in 2000, I have been a club skipper since 2001. J24 racing with the club led to longer distance racing in Long Island Sound, including Block Island Race, the Vineyard Race, the Around Long Island, and many shorter distance races. Gained experience on a variety of boats, including J/44, C&C, J/109, X-Boats, Dufours, various classic boats. I participated in the 2018 season for the club’s 12M yachts, match racing the US-42 against US-47. I gained offshore sailing experience preparing for, but sadly not racing, the 2019 Newport-Bermuda race. I have been a Fleet Captain for most of my membership, and really enjoy the mix of characters, backgrounds and sailing skills that come out to sail. Fun fact: I met my wife on the inaugural 2001 De Caribbean Regatta with the club.
Erik Van Nispen (12 sails in 2024)
Sailing is my favorite thing to do. I’ve been privileged to be a member of the Manhattan Yacht Club since 2016, when I reconnected with sailing after many years when family, kids and work had made it impossible. I’ve enjoyed both sailing and racing, both as crew and as a skipper, and truly appreciate the willingness of so many club members to make this great sporting activity possible for so many people by dedicating their time and effort to mentoring others. I look forward to sailing with you in the future!
Brett Webster (10 sails in 2024)
I grew up racing dinghies and crewing aboard J-24s in Tampa Bay. We spent our summers cruising the Bahamas, Virgins, Mexico and etc. Thanks to the generosity of our talented Fleet Captains and Mentors, I was able to get up to speed this summer and get my skipper privileges. It’s rewarding to provide a safe and fun opportunity for our new members to get necessary time on the tiller.
Bertrand Saliba (9 sails in 2024)
I was born in France and grew up in Brazil where I began sailing with my father when I was about 10 years old. I have been a Fleet Captain at the Club since 2012. Occasionally I race and charter boat and I am also a Certified Celestial Navigator. When currents and winds are favorable I like to pay a visit to the Verrazano Bridge with other members and fly my Spinnaker on the way back to make sure we are not late for the after sail Happy Hour at the Club!
Patty Bryan (8 sails in 2024)
Patty Bryan has been a member of the club for over twenty years and has been active on multiple levels. Along with being a Fleet Captain, she is a Mentor and served as head of the Mentor Program for many years, she is a certifier for the Skipper Challenge, and has co-chaired the Lady Liberty Regattas. When she had more time, she was active in the club’s racing program. Her enthusiasm born at MYC for racing has led her to off-shore racing, having sailed the Newport to Bermuda race twice and as well as the Chicago Mackinac race.
Justin Huntington (7 sails in 2024)
Jeff Nash (7 sails in 2024)
Zoltan Farkas (5 sails in 2024)
Sarah Raymond (5 sails in 2024)
Sasha Ban (5 sails in 2024)
I joined MYC in 2016 after falling in love with sailing during the ASA 101 course, and I consider myself a product of the Fleet Captain program – it’s where I learned to sail! I gained so much from sailing with – and learning from – so many skilled sailors, and it’s gratifying to be able to give back to the program as a skipper. Furthermore, as a former high school teacher I relish the chance to help others build their skills, and appreciate how the program facilitates getting to meet more club members and build connections. In addition to J24 cruising and racing, I’ve done a bunch of charters in the BVIs, Croatia, and New England, and sail a Sunfish in MYC’s Frostbite program. I’m looking forward to seeing you out on the water or back at the docks!
Boris Brownstein (5 sails in 2024)
Boris has been navigating the waters around NYC and Long Island since 2017, drawn to the beauty and challenge of sailing these iconic waterways. As a fleet captain at MYC, he finds great fulfillment in sharing his passion for the sport with others – whether it’s taking new members out for their first sail, providing patient instruction to those eager to learn, or simply swapping stories of adventures on the sea. With an eye always on the horizon, Boris cherishes the camaraderie that comes with being part of the tight-knit MYC community and delights in the opportunity to help others discover the unique joys and thrills of sailing. For Boris, every voyage is a chance to learn something new, forge lasting friendships, and create unforgettable memories on the open water.
Evan Spielberg (2 sails in 2024)
After joining the club in 2021 I quickly discovered my love of cruising sails. Having chartered in New England, I now enjoy skippering on the Caribbean Regatta. Sailing on the Hudson is a great opportunity to hone your skills. I enjoy meeting and sailing with all the new members.
Kevin Haus (2 sails in 2024)
I learned to sail working a number of seasons on an 87-foot staysail schooner named Edna in Boston Harbor. After moving to New York City, my sailing time became limited with only the very occasional time crewing on the schooner Shearwater. I joined the Manhattan Yacht Club in July 2023. Since then I been racing most Tuesdays, some Wednesdays, and in the Friday “Lucky Dog” races. I also sail a Sunfish in the frostbite program.I got my skipper privileges in August 2024 and get out on the water as frequently as possible.
| MYC VOLUNTEER FLEET CAPTAINS | |||||||
| FLEET CAPTAIN | FINAL | FINAL | FINAL | FINAL | FINAL | FINAL | FINAL |
| 2024 | TOTAL | May | June | July | August | September | October |
| Goldstein, Rob | 109 | 20 | 17 | 19 | 21 | 21 | 11 |
| Crow, Scott | 43 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 1 |
| Avenhall, Yvette | 37 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 8 | ||
| Simson, Dave | 37 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 1 |
| Mehran, Hooman | 37 | 5 | 10 | 8 | 7 | 3 | 4 |
| Sinks, Frank | 23 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 5 | ||
| Abelman, Peter | 21 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 3 | |
| Gizzi, Christopher | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | |||
| Newman, Edward | 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 2 | |
| vanNispen, Erik | 11 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| Webster, Brett | 10 | 8 | 2 | ||||
| Saliba, Bertrand | 9 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 1 | |
| Bryan, Patty | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |
| Huntington, Justin | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
| Nash, Jeff | 7 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Farkas, Zoltan | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Raymond, Sarah | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||
| Brownstein, Boris | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| Ban, Sasha | 5 | 4 | 1 | ||||
| Marcoz, Barbara | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Yoshioka, Kenichi | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Mears, Paul | 4 | 3 | 1 | ||||
| Frisch, Stacey | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |||
| Jan, Tom | 4 | 4 | |||||
| Mesommonta, Sonya | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| Kostalas, Ioannis | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Sanzone, Donna | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||||
| Lawson, Toby | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Spielberg, Evan | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Zangle, Andy | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Startsev, Ilya | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| Haus, Kevin | 2 | 2 | |||||
| Abajos, Deiane | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Parekh, Jay | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Lofton, Brian | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Carlson, John | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Rosenzweig, Sarah | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Willis, Mark | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Rheel, Jeffrey | 1 | 1 | |||||
| Total Fleet Captain Sails | 450 | 70 | 96 | 85 | 84 | 87 | 28 |
| FLEET CAPTAIN | RUNNING | FINAL | Thru June 5 | ||||
| 2023 | TOTAL | May | June | July | August | September | October |
| Goldstein, Rob | 62 | 18 | 20 | 24 | |||
| Avenhall, Yvette | 20 | 5 | 8 | 7 | |||
| Mehran, Hooman | 14 | 5 | 2 | 7 | |||
| Gizzi, Christopher | 16 | 2 | 7 | 7 | |||
| Saliba, Bertrand | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||
| Sinks, Frank | 21 | 2 | 10 | 9 | |||
| Parekh, Jay | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Crow, Scott | 14 | 2 | 3 | 9 | |||
| Jones, Tre | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Simson, Dave | 14 | 1 | 7 | 6 | |||
| Lofton, Brian | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Farkas, Zoltan | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Frisch, Stacey | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Lawson, Toby | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||
| Michelangeli, Fabian | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Sanzone, Donna | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | |||
| True, Mac | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Abelman, Peter | 13 | 5 | 8 | ||||
| Sinclair, James | 0 | ||||||
| Nash, Jeff | 0 | ||||||
| Tago, Kinya | 0 | ||||||
| Krochmal, Gabriel | 0 | ||||||
| Jones, Simon | 0 | ||||||
| Cumali, Emre | 0 | ||||||
| Leigh, Tuvia | 0 | ||||||
| Sikula, Arthur | 0 | ||||||
| Bryan, Patty | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Burke, Sara | 0 | ||||||
| Laszlo, Joe | 0 | ||||||
| Newman, Edward | 3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | |||
| Quinn, Ray | 0 | ||||||
| Raymond, Sarah | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||
| Total Fleet Captain Sails | 216 |