A Chance to Experience Sailing

By Katie McFadden

The beach is always beautiful, but there’s nothing like being out on the water on Jamaica Bay. Longtime sailor Pete Heinz is now sharing that experience, for free, on Mondays.

On Thursday, August 7, The Rockaway Times and friends of Heinz went for a casual sail around the bay, leaving from the Anabas Boat Club in Broad Channel, and sailing from the A train bridge to the Marine Parkway Bridge, as the near full moon illuminated the night sky after sunset.

Sailor Heinz may sound familiar as The Rockaway Times profiled him in July 2020, as he ramped up his sailing business, Rockaway Sailing, during the peak of Covid, as folks were looking to spend more socially distanced time outdoors. But as Covid died down, so did business, and Heinz sold his boat and took on new projects. In 2022, he took interest in the deteriorating Anabas Boat Club. He joined the club after four years of persuading by a friend, and quickly saw the Anabas was lacking, but had great potential. Heinz was determined to help right the ship and see it restored to its full glory. By November 2022, with the help of a June 2022 Rockaway Times article about that mission to bring the Anabas back to life, that mission was well on its way, as membership had reached the point of having a waiting list, and its new members were pouring their time and sweat into beautifying the club and making it a place where members love to spend time, and host regular parties, between setting sail right off the dock.

Meanwhile, as Heinz’ sailing business started to sink, the ESL schoolteacher from Richmond Hill sold his boat to his buddy Andrew at the Anabas, and took up an opportunity to dive and clean boats on the north shore of Long Island, where he was originally from.

However, as he gets older and he recently ruptured a tendon in his legs, Heinz has shifted his focus back to sailing the seas instead of working under boats. He purchased a new sailboat that can fit about six guests and is now spending some time sharing his ship and his knowledge of sailing with others, at no cost. “I’m an old guy. As long as this gets me out socializing, it’s gonna keep me alive. I like teaching, I like sailing, and I like meeting people. And it’s cool being down here. It’s close to home and I like sailing down here,” Heinz said.

If interested in experiencing sailing, give Pete a ring at 917-488-1171.