Sailing Archives - Mr. Local History Project

Windsurfing On the Columbia River Gorge in the 80s

New Jersey History Project — Tue, 04 Aug 2026 13:21:19 +0000

Views: 884 Before kiteboarding, before wing foiling, and before extreme sports filled television screens, there was windsurfing, and nowhere captured its spirit quite like the Columbia River Gorge. Throughout the 1980s, this remarkable corridor between Oregon and Washington became the epicenter of the sport, where legendary sailors, iconic beaches, and legendary locations like the Wind… Read More »Windsurfing On the Columbia River Gorge in the 80s

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Remembering the Columbia River Gorge’s Wind Ranch in the 80s

Brooks Betz — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 14:29:37 +0000

Views: 1,838 Ah, who remembers the Wind Ranch in Bingen, Washington? Just across the bridge from Hood River was a place, no, an iconic place, that remains now only in my memory. This post is more of a community plea to help us who traveled from all over the world to windsurf on the Columbia… Read More »Remembering the Columbia River Gorge’s Wind Ranch in the 80s

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Historic Ice Yacht Gifted to Lake Hopatcong Club- It’s “Ours”

Brooks Betz — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 14:08:35 +0000

Views: 347 On February 9, 2026, Brian Haumersen and Mike D Achille returned the historic ice yacht OURS to the ice of the Navesink River at the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat and Yacht Club for the first time in approximately two decades, marking a notable moment for the region’s ice boating community. The Navesink, also… Read More »Historic Ice Yacht Gifted to Lake Hopatcong Club- It’s “Ours”

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Documenting the Ridge High School Sailing Program

Brooks Betz — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:19:29 +0000

Views: 465 This post is part of a series in which the Mr. Local History Project will document what we believe are the early stages of a new varsity sport across the state. We plan to meet with the New Jersey clubs, coaches, administrators, parent advisors, along with their ties to the Basking Ridge High… Read More »Documenting the Ridge High School Sailing Program

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High School Sailing Teams in New Jersey …Who Knew

Brooks Betz — Sat, 30 May 2026 14:52:38 +0000

Views: 1,063 Long before football stadium lights, marching bands, and Friday night rivalries, a quieter competition was taking shape along New Jersey’s bays, rivers, and coastlines. Students were racing sailboats. Today, high school sailing is an established part of the athletic landscape for a growing number of New Jersey schools. Teams from Monmouth County to… Read More »High School Sailing Teams in New Jersey …Who Knew

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The Flagship American Eagle & America’s Sail 250 NYC & Jersey Flair

New Jersey History Project — Fri, 01 May 2026 12:18:13 +0000

Views: 17,328 UPDATE: July 3, 2026 6:30amThey’re gathering in Sandy Hook Bay on July 3 and getting ready for July 4th. That’s Eagle in there, 2nd in from the right. New Jersey residents can expect to be right in the middle of one of the largest maritime celebrations in modern American history as the 2026… Read More »The Flagship American Eagle & America’s Sail 250 NYC & Jersey Flair

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Jersey Sports History from the Mr. Local History Archives

New Jersey History Project — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:06:34 +0000

Views: 828 There is something different about sports in New Jersey. It is not just about scores or championships. It is about place, people, and the stories that quietly shape communities over time. At Mr. Local History, we did not set out to build a collection around sporting history. But as the stories grew, a… Read More »Jersey Sports History from the Mr. Local History Archives

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New Jersey Ice Boating History Series

New Jersey History Project — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:31:44 +0000

Views: 1,882 Starting in 2026, Mr. Local History will partner with the New Jersey Historic Project to document the history of ice boats and ice yachts in New Jersey, from the 1850s through recent history. We love the sport so much that we even added a little New York in the mix. If you have… Read More »New Jersey Ice Boating History Series

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Production Ice Boats & Contraptions – Getting Started on Ice the Easy Way

Brooks Betz — Sat, 21 Feb 2026 15:14:08 +0000

Views: 1,809 “I want to try this ice boating. But I Need THREE EASIES: Easy to Set Up. Easy to Sail. Easy to Put Away.“ Ice boating has always lived in that wonderful space between ingenuity and obsession. For generations, the typical iceboat was not something you bought in a showroom. It was something you… Read More »Production Ice Boats & Contraptions – Getting Started on Ice the Easy Way

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Profiles in New Jersey Iceboating – 1889 – History of Ice Boating in Red Bank

New Jersey History Project — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 22:56:25 +0000

Views: 665 Yachtsmen Preparing for The Winter (1889) New York Times Mr. Local History Jersey Ice Boat Time Machine SeriesJoin us as we look back at stories written about great ice yachts and those who made them iconic names in the sport. This December 8, 1889 article describes the development of ice boating in the… Read More »Profiles in New Jersey Iceboating – 1889 – History of Ice Boating in Red Bank

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Profiles in New Jersey Iceboating History – 1830 First Ice Yacht in New Jersey

New Jersey History Project — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:49:30 +0000

Views: 615 A Look Back to 1840 – ICE YACHTING NOW IN SEVENTY FIFTH YEAR (1915) Mr. Local History Jersey Ice Boat Time Machine SeriesDecember 9, 1915 article recounts how Captain George D. Allaire built and sailed the first ice yacht in New Jersey in the 1830s, sparking local interest that led to early boat… Read More »Profiles in New Jersey Iceboating History – 1830 First Ice Yacht in New Jersey

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Profiles in New Jersey Iceboating History – 1894 – Shrewsbury Ice Yachts

New Jersey History Project — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:17:17 +0000

Views: 497 SHREWSBURY ICE YACHTS (1894) – Over forty years since George Allaire built the first ice boat in New Jersey. Mr. Local History Jersey Ice Boat Time Machine SeriesThe article traces the evolution of ice yachting on the Shrewsbury River from primitive 1850s experiments to an organized and competitive late 19th century sport centered… Read More »Profiles in New Jersey Iceboating History – 1894 – Shrewsbury Ice Yachts

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Ice Boating History – Gardiner Van Nostrand

New Jersey History Project — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 22:33:32 +0000

Views: 1,393 Gardiner, sometimes spelled Gardner, Van Nostrand entered the world on November 9, 1852, in Brooklyn, at a time when New York was swelling with energy, trade, and ambition. He was born into an old Dutch family that understood standing and responsibility. His father, John James Van Nostrand, dealt in business and property was… Read More »Ice Boating History – Gardiner Van Nostrand

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Profiles in NJ Ice Yachting History – 1891 Faster Than The Wind

New Jersey History Project — Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:17:18 +0000

Views: 529 Mr. Local History Jersey Ice Boat Time Machine SeriesJoin us as we look back at stories written about great ice yachts and those who made them iconic names in the sport. This January 28, 1891 article highlights the thrilling speed, competitive culture, and growing prestige of ice yachting in the 1880s, detailing major… Read More »Profiles in NJ Ice Yachting History – 1891 Faster Than The Wind

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Ice Yachting’s Greatest Races for the Van Nostrand Cup

New Jersey History Project — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 16:03:13 +0000

Views: 1,016 In the late 19th century, when ice yachting was one of the fastest and most thrilling sports in America, Gardner Van Nostrand set out to establish a true national championship for the sport. Van Nostrand was a devoted ice yachtsman from the Hudson River region and a leading supporter of organized winter sailing.… Read More »Ice Yachting’s Greatest Races for the Van Nostrand Cup

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