Stress-Free Sailing Races Kick Off On Lake Hopatcong

HOPATCONG, NJ — Mark Gruber says that he’s shifted over the years from a competitive sailor, to what he calls a “gentleman sailor.”

Gruber, who grew up on Lake Hopatcong is the Fleet Captain and Rear Commodore of the Garden State Yacht Club, described competitive sailing as a normally “very tense,” atmosphere, with all boats crowded at the starting line and sailors vying for prizes.

In its place, the Yacht Club now offers weekly “stress-free sailing” races, the first one on Saturday at 11 a.m., which are free to enter and open to local sailors throughout the Lake Hopatcong region.

Every race throughout the summer will be held at that time, beginning at the Garden State Yacht Club, which is near Hopatcong State Park and on land, at 33 Point Pleasant Rd.

“This is just the opposite [of competitive sailing],” Gruber said.

It’s these races where the gentleman sailor comes in, Gruber said during an interview with Patch, where rather than being competitive, sailors begin racing toward the finishing buoy and then send in their time.

Many, he said, do like he does and simply enjoy floating with the wind and a cooler packed with sodas.

“I call it ‘stress-free,’ because some don’t even call in their time,” Gruber added.

Those who do send in their time, will simply be able to compare how they did with boats of the same or similar class.

“In general, everyone’s just out for a good time with a competitive spirit,” Gruber said. “It’s like a group sail.”

Sailors who are interested in participating in Saturday’s race, should contact Gruber by email to confirm their attendance at: mg@gruberlaw.biz.

From there, Gruber said he will send an email to everyone interested, by about 9 a.m. the Saturday of every race, to confirm or cancel the race. Races would not take place, Gruber said, on days when conditions are too windy or stormy; or there isn’t adequate wind.

For more information, click here to visit the Garden State Yacht Club’s website.

Questions or comments about this story? Contact me at: jennifer.miller@patch.com.