Testimonials From Our Sailors
My husband, Jeff, and I wholeheartedly support and appreciate this program and the community it creates. We both have maritime heritage/experience and Jeff is a native of MDI so the opportunity the sailing center gives to local kids to sail and keep their maritime heritage alive is important to us. I have been part of the women's group since 2019 and the joy it gives me is priceless. Keep up all the good work you do here at MDI Community Sailing!
— Jean Richards
I grew up here in Southwest Harbor, and I’ve been going out on the water for as long as I can remember. I learned to sail here at MDICSC at age twelve, but before that, I would go out lobster fishing with my dad. I’ve always had a deep love of the ocean, and the Sailing Center has given me a place to get out on the water. But over my life, MDICSC has come to be much more than just a place to me.
As a kid, the Sailing Center gave me confidence in my actions. In sailing, you can fine-tune every little thing in your boat, but you’re still at the mercy of the ocean. My time as a camper at the Sailing Center taught me to take control of what I could change, and to accept what I could not. This mentality has stuck with me to this day, both in and out of the boat.
In high school, I joined the school sailing team. Here, I deepened my knowledge and my appreciation for the mechanics of sailing, and I developed a truly familial bond with my teammates at the center. Most importantly, at this time, the Sailing Center became my primary place to keep going out on the water. The Sailing Center became a sort of second home to me then, and I don’t know where I would be today without the community here.
Now, as an instructor, I have the chance to reflect on what has made my time at MDICSC so valuable, not just for myself, but also for the next generation of sailors that I get to teach. The Sailing Center is where I can pass on my knowledge of sailing skills, but also my beliefs in the importance of self-responsibility, camaraderie, and a deep appreciation for nature and science. The Sailing Center has meant a lot to me over the years, and I hope that it will continue to impact the lives of many future sailors.
— Sylvester Mays
Hi, my name is Ryan Brown and I am one of several new members to the Board of Directors at The MDI Community Sailing Center. I am thrilled to be able to give back to an organization that I strongly admire and believe has such a positive impact on Southwest Harbor and the surrounding communities. My history with the sailing center goes back to when I was a member of the MDI High School Sailing Team from 1996-1999. At that time MDICSC was first based at the Great Harbor Marina, then the lower town dock parking lot before moving to its current location in Southwest Harbor. The boats we sailed were old and tired but the memories of those days stick with me as I watch my 3 young children eager to understand all the boats we drive past each day. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to sail and race in high school as it opened up my future to racing in college and at a professional level. All of this helpedguide me to my career as a private yacht captain here in Southwest Harbor.
Returning to MDI to raise my family was always our goal, and I am so impressed with how far MDISC has come since my early sailing days in high school. The quality of the boats, equipment and especially the instructors keep improving and helping today’s kids learn at the highest level.
This past summer my six year old daughter started her first year at the MDICSC. At first she wasn’t sure she would like it but after just one day it became her favorite summer camp and she can’t wait to go back next year for the entire summer. The Sailing Center was always an important place for me and I am so thankful it has come full circle in my life. Being able to watch my children create memories on the water and having the MDISC being a big part of that always makes giving back that much easier.
Please join me and make a donation to our year end appeal. Your support will help the center continue to connect our island community to the water that surrounds us and boats on which to enjoy it. Thank you