If you are a New Yorker who is thinking of learning how to sail and would like a change of scenery, the Port Sailing School in Port Washington is less than an hour via the LIRR from Penn Station. I find the ride relaxing and pleasant. The school has great instructors, the boats are in good shape, and Manhasset Bay is the water that separated ""East Egg"" from ""West Egg"" in The Great Gatsby, so you F. Scott Fitzgerald fans will have lots to look for.\r
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No kidding, when you get to the point where you can take the boats out by yourself and get to the mouth of the Bay, the payoff is the view of the Manhattan Skyline to the east -- because that's just what it is -- a view, and a long way off. As much as I love Manhattan, I prefer to sail on the Long Island Sound. I highly recommend Port Sailing as a great place from which to set sail.
Pros: easy to get to via mass transit or car, outdoor restaurant, frequent sailor discount program
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