Views from the Porch: With Flying Colours: February 2026
- Feb 14
- 28 min read
Updated: Feb 21
A NOTE FROM THE EDITORS
February 2026
Welcome to the new year and to the sixth edition of Views from the Porch
This occasional newsletter began with the 2023 Commissioning and a vision from our newly appointed Commodore, Josh Klein. That spring, he invited a few of the Horseshoe Harbor creatives to conjure a missive that might capture the spirit of the HHYC community. Thus began Views from the Porch.
Our editors have enjoyed a full and stimulating three years of reporting. Now that anticipation of the 2026 season rekindles, we will help ignite your expectations with this issue. Let us treat you to a warm pause and a pictorial review from 2023 through 2025, presenting some precious moments of coastal camaraderie and the porchside pleasures of those years that Josh has manned the helm. His initiatives have broadened the scope of our activities across the board. He has supported a mission to allow our membership opportunities to enhance their skills and increase the standards of their performance on the water. By strengthening the programming and building on former educational events, he introduced a new educational series, eliciting the skills of the membership itself to guide and share with other members. The growth of these community-building activities and their details will certainly be highlighted in the interview below. In short, it has been a privilege to cover new interactions and follow the lead of our inspired Captain.
Inspired is a word that could be used to describe many who gravitate to Horseshoe Harbor. We have a host of supportive and talented souls who energize and innovate. Among those is Beatrice Weinberger. It was no coincidence that Bea recommended Josh to become involved with Horseshoe. She has had a profound influence on a number of members and has enhanced the culture in our cove in many ways, particularly among our kayakers and paddlers. She and Josh are a dynamic, if understated duo, and for this reason, we are excited by the opportunity to feature them both in the profile of this edition, With Flying Colours.
It is a great opportunity to integrate their unique passions, which pertain to their love of the water and our porch society. Their unique individual contributions are born of the bright, enthusiastic, and skillful abilities that coalesce between them. With a humble and even self-deprecating sense of humor, Josh has a great instinct for reading people, which is a conduit for the sense of community that we feel and the changes that he has inspired. Bea's bright and observant nature, her patience, kayaking skill, and intrepid spirit have motivated a flotilla of paddlers in this harbor, and no doubt along the Eastern Shore.
Their talents are accomplished and perfect for the insights and descriptive language of our guest editor, who will detail their impressions of Horseshoe in his first interview featured in this edition. Kostya comes to us with a professional background that intersects sports journalism, history, and culture; a perfect blend for perspectives from HHYC.
We are so pleased to introduce Kostya through his interview with Josh and Bea in this sixth edition of Views from the Porch. We know that he will be able to elucidate those details that a sports journalist can help us appreciate while honoring Josh and Bea in this profile and hopefully for more to come.
That said, enjoy the following, and please welcome our Guest Editor, Kostya Kennedy.
Editor
Wendy Popp-Simmons
and
Guest Editor
Kostya Kennedy
Photograph by Wendy Popp - Simmons
Kostya views the golden hour reflected on the frozen surface of the cove.
Views from the Porch
ON THE PORCH
WITH...
Commodore
Josh Klein
and Beatrice Weinberger
Interview by
Kostya Kennedy
Wendy Popp - Simmons
Photograph by Christian Rauch with compliments of Michael Engelbert
Photograph from the archives of Josh Klein
Photograph by Wendy Popp - Simmons
Interview by Kostya Kennedy
They’ve been called the Dynamic Duo of Horseshoe Harbor, and through their 20-plus years as members, Beatrice Weinberger and Josh Klein have proven equal to that name. Beatrice is among the club’s most skilled and committed kayakers. Josh, who recently completed a three-year stint as commodore, tends toward a higher berth, skippering his Alerion Express 28. Their long, fruitful marriage—buoyed by three now-adult children, and a parade of occasionally obedient mutts—has been marked by maritime memories that tend to be more Poseidon Adventure than Owl and the Pussycat. In early 2026, Views from the Porch found Josh (land job: insurance broker with Marsh McLennan) and Beatrice (retired nursery-school teacher) at a terrestrial coffee shop, and engaged them between bites of banana bread.
Kostya: You’ve lived in Larchmont since 1994 and joined Horseshoe Harbor about 10 years later. How did that come to be?
Josh: For a couple of years, we were members at Manor Beach, and we would look longingly over to Horseshoe Harbor. At the time, we had a big, tandem Old Town kayak. We’d put it on the roof of our car, take it down to Harbor Island, and pile all the kids in there with us to paddle around. The kids weren’t babies, but they were little. It was fun, and it was also kind of a pain.
Beatrice: That kayak was like an SUV. It weighed 800 pounds.
Kostya: So, joining Horseshoe Harbor was a way to have a family activity.
Josh: Yes, that was a big part of it, and for me, it also traced back. I learned to sail growing up in Port Washington on Long Island. We had a Jigger (small dinghy) that we kept on the racks at the beach, and then later we “upgraded” to a Sunfish. When I got older, I worked as crew on other people’s boats (a Thistle in the warmer months and a Penguin during the frostbiting season). It wasn’t a job, it was for fun…I loved it! When Bea and I were first together and living in Manhattan, I kept a Fireball sailboat out in Port Washington, and we’d take the train there to go sailing.
Beatrice: I grew up in Manhattan. No boating. What I knew about sailing came from Josh. When we joined Horseshoe, we sailed with the kids, but I was the one who really got into kayaking. I started going out with really good kayakers like Jean Kostelich and Alex von Braun. I took classes, and then I started getting smaller, more performance-oriented kayaks. To this day, I absolutely love it.
Kostya: Why, Bea? Why do you love kayaking?
Beatrice: It checks all the boxes. It can be this meditative, peaceful thing. It can be exercise, a workout. It can be a thrill. Depending on the conditions, it can take you on an adventure. You use it in all those different ways. On a given day you can go out from Horseshoe Harbor and say, I'm going to do X amount of distance and really try to exercise. Or you can be much more casual. The conditions help dictate what I do that day, and also whether I'm meeting people
Josh: It’s kind of like that for me, too. I can be out sailing with a steady breeze, on a beautiful sunny day, and just be in the moment, moving along under wind power, all nice. And then there could be a lot of wind and excitement on the water. Whether it's racing or just out for a cruise, you have times where every little adjustment you make is critical to maintaining good control of the boat. The full range of experience is important to me. Also, because I started so young, sailing is a bit like the Rosebud reference in Citizen Kane. It's that memory of my childhood.
Kostya: Favorite inhabitant of Gilligan’s Island?
Beatrice: I like the Professor. Hands down.
Josh: Maryann. But I have no problem with Ginger.
Kostya: Josh, you’ve had a strong, successful run leading the club. Lionel Richie aside, who has been an influential commodore?
Josh: There are a few. I started as secretary for three years, then rear commodore for three years before becoming commodore. Bob Rivituso got me into it at the beginning and helped point the way. I’ve learned from Tony Kroell, John Santalone, and Pam Michels—they’ve all set great examples of what the position could be, and were terrific resources. I’m proud of some things we were able to start doing during my time. There’s the education series with classes led by experts who are members of the club. They may teach about boat maintenance, navigation, or other sailing-related topics. A wide range of people attend so it’s a way to bring people together, which was a goal of mine. In addition, there is a race practice program, which teaches how to execute efficient starts and master mark roundings. We started movie nights and a book club, and we had our first “Yarn”—it’s like The Moth, a storytelling event. Oh, and this newsletter! Views from the Porch, which Wendy Popp and Jacques Steinberg were so instrumental in getting off the ground.
Kostya: You’ve each alluded to times on the water that were exhilarating or challenging. Anything you’d like to elaborate on?
Beatrice: I love kayaking in the Blackburn Challenge in Massachusetts, where you go around the island of Cape Ann. It’s about 20 miles in open water. All different kinds of boats are out there, and it gets pretty rough. You’re out about four hours. Also, last year, I kayaked out of Baja, Mexico, for a week. Beautiful. There’s a lot of power in that water, the Pacific. It’s bouncy with big swells, and the environment’s rocky—they call it rock play.
Kostya: Did it feel dangerous?
Beatrice: At times, yes. But the biggest misadventure I had was last March. I was coming back from meeting a friend in Mamaroneck, and I was getting near Horseshoe Harbor. There was a lot of northwest wind, so it was blowing me further out into the sound. The waves were bad, and all of a sudden, I went in. I was wearing a dry suit, but the water’s quite cold at that time of year. You’re in the water, and you look around, and the conditions are just the same as the conditions that knocked you in. Windy, choppy. I was alone, and there were no other boats around. You basically have one chance to get back in the kayak. I did it.
Kostya: Josh? Something more harrowing?
Josh: I had one not too long ago. While out on my boat, Osceola, with club member Elias Dagher, we were near the breakwater by Larchmont Yacht Club, and this squall came out of nowhere. The wind was so strong, and the rain so intense, blowing across and pelting our faces. You couldn’t see where you were. We didn’t know if we were going to hit the breakwater or the wind would cause a knockdown, and we would fall overboard. We did drop the mainsail and reduced our jib dramatically and somehow stayed out of harm’s way until it subsided. There was another time when my son, Theo, was at the helm. It was about seven years ago. It was gusty…winds blowing 25-plus. Theo inadvertently jibed, and the very violent and rapid swing of the boom resulted in the boat heeling so much that it was practically a 90-degree angle. I fell out of the boat. We had another Horseshoe member with us, Jim Allen, a very skilled sailor who took charge. Fortunately, that boat had lifelines—unlike my current boat—and I was able to hook my arm through one of the lines and stay with the boat until they could pull me back into it.
Kostya: Okaaay. This is why we asked about Gilligan’s Island. But the good news as I understand it, is that when things get dicey, Josh, you’re, well, even-keeled.
Beatrice: He is. Amazingly calm.
Josh: I do get very calm in the moment. I’m a problem solver. I get methodical. Later on, I have thoughts about all the things that might have happened.
Beatrice: Josh really has that patient, calm quality about him. I have a tendency to get a little scared, dramatic, hysterical. I’m not a fearful kayaker, but I’ve been a fearful sailor. Josh helps with that. He has that same patience when we’re working on the boat in the spring, sanding and taping and varnishing. Those are such good bonding times, some of the best times we have. It’s so important, those days and the social times with people at the Club, and of course, having our kids and their families and significant others being part of our sailing life. The camaraderie and community are a big part of what all of this is about.
-xxx-
Views from the Porch tucks into a local coffee shop out of the frigid temps for warm conversation and an interview with Commodore Josh Klein and Beatrice Weinberger, conducted by our Guest Editor, Kostya Kennedy.
A pictorial retrospective of Commodore Josh Klein and Bea Weinberger during an impressive term at HHYC.
Photo essay assembled by Wendy Popp- Simmons
Photograph from the archives of Josh Klein
Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club Commissioning 2025
Photography by Wendy Popp-Simmons
Hats off to a wonderful year!
A serene moment for Bea prior to setting out on the mirrored surface of the cove.
Photographs from the archives of Josh Klein
Photograph from the archives of Josh Klein
Photograph by Wendy Popp-Simmons
Photograph from the archives of Josh Klein
Beatrice navigates the stunning waters of Baja, Mexico, where most may go for tranquil vistas.
Photographs by Wendy Popp- Simmons
Photographs from the archives of Josh Klein
Photographs from the archives of Josh Klein
Photographs from the archives of Josh Klein
Photographs from the archives of Josh Klein
Photograph from the archives of Josh Klein
Photograph from the archives of Josh Klein
Sometimes the porch does feel like a scene from a Wes Anderson set. Similarly, this particular palette and this particular character are playful and unique, characteristic of the personalities and life at HHYC.
Laying Up Dinner 2025
The warm reception to an extended fall season carried over with enthusiasm into the evening of our final celebration in October.
It is the heartwarming tradition for the community in this cove to look wistfully toward the empty mooring field, raise our glasses to toast the culmination of a wonderful season, and each other.
During our Laying Up Dinner, the club was transformed as dusk became the feature on the porch, and the moon rose with our spirits. A nautical theme of music arranged by Susan Oakley enticed the porch-dwellers to step inside the clubhouse, while the fragrant meal preparations wafted just above the woody aroma of the hearth.
The highlights of the year were relayed by our Commodore, and we were delighted to recall the events that engaged us throughout his term. A slideshow was presented, marking the passage of time and all of our endeavors. They are assembled for you here in the following photo essays, to savor in anticipation of the more temperate breezes of April.
Thanks to all who contributed their photographs, which help capture the intimacy and the expanse of the treasures of our cove and our unique community. Thank you for the thoughtful considerations and innovations envisioned under the watch of Commodore Josh Klein and Vice Commodore Marie Cattau. They have engaged this community with fervor. This essay is also prepared in gratitude to our Board of Trustees and the countless members who helped steer their visions to fruition.
Photography by Wendy Popp- Simmons with contributions from Bill Simmons (Double click on each for a large scale)
We all bring something to the table in the Horseshoe Harbor Community.
Laying Up Dinner; Guest Speaker Kim Fendrich
Kim Fendrich (pictured below) shares her passion for geologic history and inspired environmental stewardship. This evening, she took us on a journey, a snapshot of 600 million years. This involved her understanding of the formation of the extraordinary shoreline that encompasses our cove. She explained its geologic origins and how advancing glaciers ground bedrock into the stunning metamorphic gneiss and schist we see today. She commented on the unusual waves of mineral layers created under extraordinary heat and pressure. She explained glacial erratics and what, in fact, enabled the disposition of those huge granite boulders that appear to be such an unlikely novelty and welcome gift to our park and region.
With Ms. Fendrich's tutorial in mind, we will take a moment to appreciate these exceptional features during walks through Manor Park and around Horseshoe Harbor.
(Below is a slideshow. Please click on the black arrow on the middle and right side of the image to the right.)
Behind the scenes of our last event of the year.
Led by Launch Driver Paul Mazzelle, our Vice Commodore Marie Cattau arrives during a stunning golden hour. She ended her very last sail of the season to marshal her team of helpers for the evening's festivities.
Preparations were coalescing into the details of our beautiful evening. Cocktail hour had begun on the porch as the flicker of the fireplace, candles, and the marshmallow-roasting fire-pit welcomed members. Volunteers Yolanda Gorman, Alison Lowey, Bill Simmons, John Cattau, Susan Oakley, Carol Giamario, Wendy Popp, and Pam Michels gather with generous spirits for the early preparation. A huge thanks to those who stayed after to tidy up: Barbara Berger, Polly Beals, Beatrice Weinberger, Marie Venezia (who helped create a new tradition of gathering our loose and abundant flowers for small bouquets as members and helpers departed into the late evening.) Carol Giamario, David Morris, Bill Simmons, Rebecca Charles, Tony Kroell, and the washers of tablecloths, whoever you are.
The Yarn
Photographs by Alison Lowy
An intriguing addition to a remarkable season was the introduction of The Yarn. An evening of storytelling by Horseshoe members to a live and captivated audience. Fourteen people submitted their stories and shared them with our membership. It was an inspired and intimate evening, coordinated with Josh Klein and our Master of Ceremonies, Jack Steinberg. The reviews have been great, so we hope it will become a recurring event in 2026. Pictured above, in answer to the prompt, "Tell us a story about an experience that you've had on the water, or that illustrates your love for the water". Our captain begins by teasing us with his opening hook..."The sea was angry that day, my friends-" (Seinfeld quote) which led to my story of my capsizing on a late autumn afternoon and being saved by Boticelli's Venus!" We encourage you to inquire about the ending when you see him on the porch.
Details on this event will unfold over the course of the next two editions of our newsletter.
(Below, please click on the arrow of the extreme right photo to advance a slideshow of the storytellers.)
Photographs from the archives of Jack Steinberg
Jack Steinberg introduces our nautical showcase of stories told by our HHYC members.
HELLO WINTER
Excursions are organized by HHYC members for our local rendezvous during the winter season, combining camaraderie with the sublime atmosphere of conservation trails and sanctuaries. Please join us! Notices will come through your email as a reminder from our Commodore. Scroll down a few photos. Below is the anticipated winter schedule, weather permitting.
Photograph above by Sharon Weinstock
Photograph compliments of Sharon Weinstock.
Photography compliments of Josh Klein.
On February 6, 2026, Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club members danced to the music of the Harlem House Band. "Friday was fun, and I think we had more HHYC people than Harlem Yacht Club members!" shares Jennifer Miller. " Paul Beaudin, (Doyle Sailmaker) is the organizer. Most of the members of the band have played in Broadway orchestras and/or toured with well-known rock groups, winning Grammys. It's such a treat to listen to such fabulous musicians and dance to their music in such an intimate setting."
Photographs of the Rye walk from the archives of Josh Klein
Photograph by Wendy Popp - Simmons
This editor had to share a personal walk in the Manor Park Tundra of February 2026.
A warm thanks to the coordinators of Hello Winter. Jennifer Miller, Carine Verschueren, Elaine Wanderer, Susan Oakley, Susan Mahler, Pam Michels, Jill Ochacher, and Carol Giamario.
Photography by Wendy Popp-Simmons
WIND and WAVES
Race for The Gourd
HHYC Fall Regatta: a harrowing October afternoon of 2025.
Photography by Wendy Popp-Simmons
The Race Committee assembled on the fly was literally rolling with the flow by mid-afternoon. Thank you, Paul Beeken, Bill Simmons, Elaine Wanderer, and Wendy Popp-Simmons.
Photographs by Wendy Popp - Simmons
There was not a soul around the RC for a time, so Bill peered as steadily as he could through his binoculars toward the dots on the southern horizon. We were all straining to see early finishers approaching when a human voice seemed to waft up from somewhere along the port side of the committee boat. Indeed, there, a few yards below us, slicing through the wild chop was Bea Weinberger!
The early finishers materialize in a spectacular dance of prismatic light on the waves, the sun illuminating their wing and wing sail set.
Photograph Wendy Popp - Simmons
HHYC - SPRING SOLSTICE REGATTA 2025
A still photograph taken from the video created by Marc Dorian (Below)
AN EXTRAORDINARY LOOK AT THE SPRING SOLSTICE REGATTA 2025 Captured through the drone lens of Marc Dorian.
Photograph by Wendy Popp - Simmons
We thank Marc Dorian and Bill Simmons for their collaboration during the post-regatta reflection on sail trim. Should you be interested in fuller details, please refer back to the last edition of our newsletter and/or join us this season.
Pam Michels presided over the Spring Solstice Regatta 2025 award ceremony. Since it was too early in the season for gourds, alternatives were awarded; David Morris of Days of Miracle and Wonder received third place; Ian Milward of Quicksilver received second, and first went to Allegro S20, Skipper Bill Simmons.
David Morris of Days of Miracle and Wonder
Ian Milward of Quicksilver
Bill Simmons of Allegro S20
Photograph by Wendy Popp- Simmons
As part of the new educational series on racing and sail trim, Bill Simmons holds a session geared to novice and advanced sailors. More to come next season! Thanks so much, Bill! Bags of bagels and all of the fixings, compliments of our Board of Directors.
Seascapes, Golden Hours, and Weather Events through the seasons
Weather events included
Paddlers
We would like to acknowledge the Horseshoe Harbor's Paddlers, who raised $500 in donations for Save the Sound with their BBQ. The HHYC Board decided to generously match what was collected and delivered a check for $1,000 to the environmental organization. Save the Sound works diligently to protect the Sound and its rivers and to restore the region's fragile ecosystems.
Photograph by Sharon Wieinstock
Photograph by Sharon Weinstock
Photographs of the dawn of the New Year, Rosh Hashanah, 2025, compliments of Jack Steinberg
Please let us know to whom we can give the photography credits for these beautiful shots!
Photograph by Wendy Popp-Simmons
Photograph compliments of Jenny Greer
Photograph by Wendy Popp-Simmons
Photograph from the archives of Jack Steinberg
Creatures Aquatic
Photography by Wendy Popp - Simmons
Photograph by Wendy Popp- Simmons
Our Blue Heron honored the Laying Up Dinner crew with unusual proximity this morning, however...briefly.
Video by Marc Dorian
Marc Dorian was able to video a pod of dolphins- just outside of our Harbor in 2025!
Enjoy your clouds of frosty breath as you speak into the February chill. Before you know it, we'll be back on the water again.
What is tiny enough to bathe in the dew of a cupped violet leaf?
Early in the a.m. last spring, our launch driver, Nick Puig caught an enchanting sight. He was not sure what it was that darted about the violets hanging from the porch hook. Nick had never actually seen a hummingbird in flight! It wasn't until he shared the video with me that this editor thought much about bathing hummingbirds. Below is his brief capture of a visitor enjoying an abundance of nectar from the bloom. One of many wonders that we strive to attract with our new pollinator garden and porch plantings. Thank you, Nick, for this sweet glimpse to treat us to another exceptional view from the porch.
It is easy to share Nick's fascination and marvel at the tiny body hovering so precisely, in such control of its wings and the breeze it darts through. It seems to be luffing! Stopping to sip, poised in the air, not unlike a sailboat reading the wind before the start of a race. Just as a sailboat can luff or hold position using precise sail and rudder control, it is understood that hummingbirds use rapid wing beats to lock into a position and a large surface area and a raised ridge on their chest, their "keel"; a breastbone designed with optimum surface area for muscle attachment. These observations made this editor curious to investigate a bit further. Since it isn't easy to see the flap of the wings at the speed at which it "feathers", it is indeed in full control of its stability in the wind. Hummingbirds are unique in that they not only generate lift by the downstroke as other birds do, but they also use a figure-eight pattern, creating lift on both the forward and backward stroke. This is similar to how a sail can generate power on a tack. Their dynamic wing pitch is constantly changing the angle of attack and pitch, much like the adjustments to a racing sail to catch the wind from different angles. How amazing is its aerodynamics!
We look forward to a larger charm of these birds in the spring. They are known to remember every good source of nectar that they visit during their migration. We hope to encourage this with our violets and cardinal flowers in May. For more information on these stunning creatures, conservation efforts, and when we can expect our little visitors: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/when-expect-hummingbirds-your-feeders-and-flowers-spring
SAVE THE SOUND
A number of our members support Save the Sound and its projects, which promote activism for the health of LIS waters.
If you missed World Wetlands Day, you can read about it here: https://www.worldwetlandsday.org/
There was also a New York Event which just passed on February 12 at the Queens Museum. The Long Island Sound Community Impact Fund hosted a New York Learning Exchange with Save The Sound and other environmental justice partners. Click here for a calendar of related events through February: https://estuaries.org/event/liscif-new-york-learning-exchange/#rsvp-now . We encourage all who find the aspects of our cove wondrous and indispensable to participate in environmental justice and protect the ecosystems that support the life that thrives here.
LADIES' SAIL
Ladies' Sail, aka Women on the Water, meets at 6:30 p.m. and departs promptly thereafter for the Club Boats to catch the breeze, weather permitting, every Tuesday evening. We come in just after the sun sets to dine on the potluck meal each participant contributes. Lots of laughter and engaging conversation ensue. Around 9 p.m., everyone joins in on the clean-up details -the many hands make very light work. So bring your life-vest and a few morsels and join us!
Photography compliments of Sharon Weinstock
Photography compliments of Sharon Weinstock
Photography compliments of Wendy Popp- Simmons and Vice Commodore Marie Cattau
Women on the Water was hosted by Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club on June 24, 2025
Photographs from the archives of Pam Michels
Pam Michels anticipates that another gathering for Women on the Water is very likely for the 2026 season. She reported that the wind and the waves were perfect for hosting the 19 sailors who cruised the Sound in our Colgate 26, Catalina 25, and two Capri 22s. A total of 24 enjoyed the usually fabulous potluck dinner waiting on the porch. " To say it was a special evening understates how great it felt to be at the club, meeting and sharing histories, experiences, recipes, and thoughts with other brilliant women. Our members now have a gut-level feel for the camaraderie of WOW! " stated Michels. The link for Women on the Water LIS is: womenonthewaterlis.com
Ladies' Sail celebrated our Vice Commodore on an auspicious day with candles, a song, and her pup!
CULINARY CULTURE
Every Thursday evening, a feast is prepared for all our members to enjoy. They are created voluntarily by various HHYC members and groups, and, on certain occasions, by our Board of Directors. We have appreciated the tremendous effort this year; the care that everyone takes in their preparations and culinary decisions provides a diverse and special set of experiences that nourish our spiritual well-being as well as our appetites. This hospitality is a distinctive feature of Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club, and I am told, the envy of many other clubs. Below is a recap of some of those events through 2025.
Please join us in the future!
We would love to feature more of these events and encourage organizers to share photos and menus with us for features in future editions of our newsletters. The following is a blend of former BBQ's and events with extraordinary flourishes.
BBQs are open to all members, their immediate families, and out-of-town guests. It’s a great way to get to know other club members.
For advice, please feel free to reach out: Bec Charles (rebeccajcharles@googlemail.com), Pam Michels (psmiche@gmail.com), or Marie Cattau (mscattau@gmail.com).
A Fourth of July menu featued Lauren Kroell's conbread stawberry shortcake, delicious and gone in a flash.
Photograph compliments of Ladies' Sail
Photographs by Wendy Popp-Simmons
An addition to the HHYC family joined the July 4th festivities in 2024. Josh Klein and Beatrice Weinberger are new grandparents to baby grandson James.
Photography by Wendy Popp - Simmons
JUNIOR SAILING
Junior sailors from the first session of 2025 raise their masts and adjust their gear before setting out for a morning sail. The winds are gentle, the water is calm, and the day is just perfect for experimenting with the elements and finding the groove, all while experiencing one of the most beautiful spaces on the eastern shores of Long Island Sound. If your son or daughter has a taste for adventure, please join us.
Photography by Wendy Popp - Simmons
ALL HANDS ON DECK
CLUBS
Activities on the porch spanned a host of interests that included Book group, Marjan, Trivia Night, Art instruction, and Movie nights.
Photography by Wendy Popp -Simmons
MOVIE NIGHTS
We know some of you are into it for the popcorn. The wide assortment of films selected for your personal viewing over these months of hibernation is bound to satisfy the waterborne. These suggestions offer an exciting variety, whether you are a film buff, a romantic, a documentary fan, or a fictionalized megalodon. There is something for everyone's taste; a sampling here for those nights ahead when you're snowed in and yearn to get back onto the water, previewed by our own HHYC cinephiles.
The LIGHTHOUSE
Lighthouse is a psychological horror film about two lighthouse keepers who go insane while stranded on a remote island by storm. Starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, the 2019 movie is set in the 1890s and is known for its intense performances, black and white cinematography, and claustrophobic atmosphere. The story explores themes of masculinity, guilt, power struggles, and the descent into madness.
Untold: The Race of the Century
This documentary follows the Australia II yacht crew who dethroned the New York Yacht Club at the 1983 America's Cup, breaking their winning streak of 132 years! A sensational story, even if you don't sail. Compelling and full of underdogs.
FOLLOWING SEAS
A documentary about a family who disavowed the constraints of society in favor of life on the high seas. Bob and Nancy Griffith made twenty ocean voyages over two decades, fulfilling a dream of freedom and adventure in their 53-foot sailboat. Nothing seemed impossible for this couple and their growing family as they traveled to some of the most remote places on earth, chronicling life at sea and its unexpected triumphs and traumas.
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY
As the cruel captain of the HMS Bounty, a ship bound for Tahiti, William Bligh (Charles Laughton) wins few friends. When the crew members finally tire of his abuse, Fletcher Christian (Clark Gable) leads a mutiny, resulting in Bligh's unceremonious removal from the ship. While Christian and the remaining crew sail on to Tahiti, Bligh becomes intent on exacting revenge, and he targets Roger Byam (Franchot Tone), a sailor who had actually tried to stop the mutiny.
DEAD CALM
Rae Ingram (Nicole Kidman) and her husband, John (Sam Neil), struggle to overcome the sudden death of their young son. In an attempt to move past their loss, the couple takes their yacht out on an extended trip. While far out at sea, they come upon a sinking schooner and rescue the ship's sole survivor, Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane). Hughie claims the crew dies of food poisoning. Though Rae is empathetic towards Hughie, John is suspicious of his story.
JAWS
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the 1975 horror film
A young woman is killed by a shark while skinny-dipping near the New England tourist town of Amity Island. Police Chief Martin Brody(RoySchnieider) wants to close the beaches, but Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) overrules him, fearing that the loss of tourist revenue will cripple the town. Ichthyologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and grizzled ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) offer to help Brody capture the killer beast, and engage in an epic battle of man vs. nature.
EN SOLATAIRE
This film tells the story of Yann Kermadec, whose dreams were realized when he was chosen to replace the DCNS star skipper at the last minute before the start of the Vendee Globe (a single-handed, non-stop yacht race around the world), when he finds a stowaway on board his vessel who may hinder this chance of a lifetime...
EDUCATIONAL SERIES
Unique educational lectures and instruction included Line taming, Knowing Your Knots, and Navigation: both celestial, coastal, and offshore.
Photography from the archives of Josh Klein
CUT of the JIB
Highlights of members with expertise and accolades beyond the porch of Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club.
Photograph from Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, Inc.
HHYC member Pat Allen was recently celebrated for her devoted volunteerism and dedication to the Girl Scouts and other organizations during the annual Points of Light event on January 11, 2026. The Jack Coughlin Community Service Award was presented by the Larchmont Lions Club. Congratulations, Pat, for your many years of service to our community and the generous family you and Jim have shaped in your image! Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson, Inc.
Congratulations to HHYC members Ian Milward and Bill Simmons on receiving their awards for their divisions during Larchmont Raceweek 2025. They also combined efforts on Quicksilver during the YRA competition 2025. Allegro garnered first in her division during the Indian Harbor Classic Yacht Regatta 2025. Skipper Michael Engelbert received special recognition for his sportsmanship from the skipper of Delta House, the 29.87m/98' sail yacht, who recognised that things could have gotten very hairy at the finish if Michael had not been so generous. A story worth asking him about. Allegro and crew received the Keeshan Award for the most competitive skipper and the Hanson Trophy for the second-best performance overall of the S Class Fleet on Western Long Island Sound 2025.
The photographs below ( by rows left to right) are from the archives of Ian Milward, Wendy Popp - Simmons, John Cutsumpas, Compliments of the archives of Indian Harbor Yacht Club..
Photography by Wendy Popp -Simmons
Photography at American Yacht Club during the Fall Series 2025 by Wendy Popp - Simmons
Members of HHYC representing us well in the CAN ONE Thursday Night Series Awards Hosted by Larchmont Yacht Club
CLEAN UP DAYS 2025
We end the year by packing up carefully for the winter weather, and things look similar to where we began this newsletter, except that we are all wearing our winter gear for the morning and afternoon as we stow away this little haven. Soon, we shed our jackets and welcome spring at Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club, with a host of member volunteers converging on the porch to get their details for sprucing up our precious lot for the spring commissioning.
Docks are painted, the kitchen is cleaned and stocked, the Optis are returned to their docks, furniture is placed at the rails, varnish is brushed onto the teak, and the gardens are primed for all that will flourish in the coming weeks. Lunch is provided by our gracious Board of Directors, and we end the afternoon with a sincere embrace of friends.
We thank those members who have helped with the garden over the whole season by sharing indigenous plant contributions from their own gardens: Susan Oakley, Pam Michels, Bea Weinberger, Daniel Rudi, Wendy Popp-Simmons, and Yolanda Gorman. Input and muscle from Lisa Adams and Luann Jacobs during the bed prep was essential. With insulation and extra water provided by the deep snow over the winter, we are bound to have a beautiful blossoming come spring.
At the start of the new season, there will be added refinements to our regenerative goals, as there will be a transition in ranks with a changing of the guard! We welcome Vice Commodore Marie Cattau into her new role as Commodore on February 22, 2026. She will don a Captain's hat for the next three years.
"The beauty of our club is much more than our porch, shoreline, and boats - it's our members. Thank you for the engaged energy, the helping hands, and the easy camaraderie that made every event feel welcoming and the deck and waterfront feel like home. From family gatherings and new faces at the tables, to great sails, fun races, and all the moments in between with food, learning, storytelling, and spectacular sunsets. I'm grateful for everyone who volunteered, hosted, taught, sailed, paddle
led, participated, and encouraged others. Your involvement and enthusiasm are what make this club special. Let's bring this spirit forward - fair winds, full calendars, and another year of good times both on and off the water."
- Vice Commodore Marie Cattau
"Very happy to report that Marie is enthusiastic about taking on the Commodore position at HHYC. She has had many years of experience on our board (previously treasurer and Vice Commodore) and is more than capable of taking on the Commodore role. She has great ideas, communication skills, and energy, and I am confident that the club will be in good hands under her leadership."
- Commodore Josh Klein
UPCOMING AND RECURRING EVENTS CALENDAR
EIGHT BELLS
Photograph by Wendy Popp - Simmons
The members of Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club mourn the recent passing of Helaine Miller. A dear member, mother to Jennifer Miller, and known to most of the membership by her gentle presence perched on the wicker couch, taking in the ebb and tide in the last years of her life.
Many of us had the opportunity to spend some time with her family after the memorial service. It was remarkable to note a comment as a friend entered the room and asked meekly, "Is it wrong to say that that was the best funeral I ever attended? I did not want it to end! " To which the individuals in the room nodded and smiled in affirmation. The family received this with a knowing sense of humor. Indeed, it was understood by the lovely way the family each eulogized Helaine that she was a force who had left a positive legacy for her daughters and grandchildren. Those of us who have known Jennifer could see this in her careful attention and devotion to Helaine, maintaining the integrity of those years during her mother's care on the porch at Horseshoe.
With our deepest sympathy,
The Board of Directors, Editors, and Staff
Horseshoe Harbor Yacht Club
Helaine Ralkin Miller was born in 1932 and grew up in Jamaica Estates, Queens. She was one of two daughters of Leonard (a taxi driver) and Fannie (a factory girl) Ralkin, who had each immigrated to the US. Her maternal grandfather was one of the furriers to the Tsar. They didn't have much money to spare, but when there was any, Fannie would dress her daughters in their very best and go off to a classical concert, a ballet, a museum, or a Broadway show. She attended Forest Hills High School and Queens College, becoming a teacher. She met Bob, a boy from the Bronx, when they were both working in the Catskills one summer. Helaine was a camp counselor, and Bob was a lifeguard. It could have been a Hallmark meet-cute. They married in 1958 and,d after having their 2 daughters (Jennifer and Alicia), moved from Rego Park to Larchmont in 1966. While the girls were in elementary school, Helaine pursued her Master's Degree and became the Learning Disabilities teacher at the Milton School in Rye, where she taught for more than 30 years, teaching countless students who went on to prestigious colleges and careers.
Helaine had a terrific sense of style, which came from her mother, who taught her that it was better to spend your budget on a few great pieces of clothing, rather than many mediocre pieces. She loved the beach and was just as happy at Mamaroneck Beach and Yacht Club, where she belonged for many years, as she was at a fancy Caribbean resort. She loved tennis and was an early exerciser back in the Jack LaLanne days. But her favorite pastime was bridge. She would get excited every time she accumulated another fraction of a master's point.
Helaine had a quiet presence that people remembered. She was smart, tenacious, and fiercely independent. Jennifer says her own strength, independence, and work ethic come from her mom, as does her belief in family first. Mom would drop everything in a heartbeat if anyone in the family needed her.
Helaine was sailing adjacent. She didn't swim very well, so she was only comfortable on a big cabin cruiser with a motor. Jennifer believes she was on an IOD only twice. Bob kept his IOD Topaz at HHYC (the same boat Jennifer brought back to HHYC before Goldilox) from 1974-1982, when they joined MBYC so Helaine could have the pool and tennis courts. But she loved a good awards dinner or regatta where you could find her with a gin & tonic, nibbling on hors d'oeuvres. After Bob passed away in 2002, Helaine continued cheering on Jennifer, and you could still find her at regattas in Bermuda and Nantucket visiting friends she had made over the years.
As she became more sedentary in the last few years, her favorite place was the porch at HHYC. She loved to sit on the wicker couch watching everyone come and go-it was the perfect vantage point.
- Jennifer Miller
COLORS
Photograph by Wendy Popp-Simmons
"My heartfelt thanks to Josh for his leadership and commitment to the club. His active engagement, energy, and creativity did more than keep things running smoothly; they sparked new activities and strengthened our community -inspiring involvement and collaboration. I am grateful for the chance to work alongside him, and for the momentum he's helped build for all of us."
- Vice Commodore Marie Cattau
"It has been an honor being your Commodore for the past three years. I believe that the HHYC community, that we have built together, is stronger than ever. I look forward to getting to know the new and existing members better while gently rocking in a chair on our porch or while out on the water with a steady wind filling our sails."
- Commodore Josh Klein
Many thanks for the photographs that are submitted almost weekly, helping us to enhance our stories!
Please note:
All art in this post will be copyrighted by the owner of the work, and credit has been given to those whose names accompanied their submission.
The majority of the photographs in this post are by Wendy Popp-Simmons unless otherwise specified, and rights are reserved.
Please contact popp.arts@gmail.com for any questions regarding usage of any artist's photo or video.
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