Boston Harbor Sailing Club, Boston

Joining Boston Harbor Sailing Club has been one of the best decisions I've made in Boston. I grew up sailing, and missed it a lot when I came to Boston. Even though I'm in the lowest-cost membership class (for the Sonar fleet, rather than the larger Pearsons, Albins, and Cals), the staff at BHSC has been nothing but helpful. I've always been able to reserve a boat when I've wanted one, and Mark even came down to meet me himself when I joined the club to give me a quick test on navigation rules and chart reading and an overview of sailing on Boston Harbor and in the Harbor Islands. For the first month of membership, I was on the water almost every other day as I waited to start work in Boston, and everyone was happy to let me go out as much as I wanted. Through the club's sponsored social sails, I've gotten to go out on almost the full range of boats that the Club has to offer, and met some great people who are happy to both help me learn more about sailing, let me take the tiller (or wheel!) and meet up after work to sail outside of the social sails. I've always been impressed with the boat quality and with the people, both those working at BHSC and the other customers. I can't recommend BHSC enough, and whenever I have guests in town, I always take them out to the sailing club. There's no view of Boston like the one from the water!

Responding to Tabarlay review, nothing he says represents my view of the sailing club where I've been a member for years, having started with lessons. The staff is very quick to help, extremely knowledgeable, the boats are well maintained and cleaned regularly and, best of all I can't remember the last time I couldn't get a boat on short notice. Tabarlay has some other axe to grind because, in my experience, nothing that he says is true.

"Tabarlay " and the others are phony e-mail addresses used by a junior professor at Harvard, intended to mask his identity and who, for vile reasons, seriously misrepresents his experience at the Sailing Club. . Here are relevant facts regarding our relationship with and treatment of "Tabarlay." 1. In April, 2006, at his URGENT request we gave "Tabarlay" ASA certification exams, necessary for a European charter he had booked. We were closed for the season. To accommodate him. we commissioned a boat, gave him two written and onboard exams, and interceded with ASA to expedite his certifications, all for a small fee that did not cover costs.. 2. In 2007 "Tabarlay" rented Albin 28 sailboats from us May 5 and September 8, the same boats he would buy a membership for in 2008. 3. In 2008, based on his experience with the company in 2006 and 2007, "Tabarlay" purchased a membership to use the very same 28 foot cruising sailboats he had rented the year before. Prior to August 22, 2008 he had used boats just 3 times. This hardly qualifies him to comment on the 60 plus boats in our fleet, having had experience with just 3, calling the boats "malfunctioning, stinky, seriously dirty, in poor shape, take in water, etc. If these statements were true why would he purchase a membership to use them? 4, On Tuesday, August 19, 2008, "Tabarlay" made a late reservation for the weekend. By then, available boats were committed to members who made timely (Friday) reservations. On Monday, August 18, 2011, we hauled the one 28 ftr not reserved for seasonal maintenance and fiberglass repairs. 5. When "Tabarlay" made his late reservation, I interceded with the boatyard and a private fiberglass repairer to expedite their work so we could launch the boat Friday for "Tabarlay". They worked OVERTIME to get the boat ready. Through their extra efforts the boat was launched on Friday, August 22 at 7 am, returned to Boston. fueled, cleaned, watered and ready for "Tabarlay" at 2pm. All he had to do was get there before 9 pm before the launch shut down for the evening. 6. Instead, he arrived after the 9 pm launch closing and could not access his boat.. He could have used a company rowboat that evening, but claims he did not know about them. When he enrolled in his membership, he received, among other paperwork, a sheet entitled INFORMATION FOR MEMBERS/STUDENTS where item #14 describes the availability of two blue rowboats for use when the launch is not operating. Apparently he neglected to read this. 7. He could not reach me by phone because the company land line was in use for internet dial-up, returning a busy signal; my cell phone was turned off on its charger. He came to my home but, because the doorman could not access my phone due to internet use, he was not allowed in. 8. The next day when at 9 am he could have taken the launch to his boat and sailed to Provincetown, "Tabarlay" , instead, elected to forgo his trip in favor of an e-mail exchange to spew venom at me and the company for HIS FAILURE to arrive at the dock before the launch shut down for the evening. 9. He promised to malign me and the company with negative internet reviews on Yelp, Citysearch, Google and others which he did using phony names like "Tabarlay O", "bazdmeg", "anyamkinja", "sailor_guy". Notably, all these reviews carry the same date of 8/23/08. Clearly they are from the same person. 10. The reviews are false. They attempt to characterize an entire fleet when the user has experience with only 2 or 3 boats. And, since "Tabarlay" had experience with the fleet before buying his membership, it is unlikely he would have bought the membership if boats were as he described. See for yourself why we have been successful in business since 1974 and grown from one boat to 67 in that time. Unlike "tabarly O" I put my name to this answer: Mark Healy, President, 617 720 0049.

Great Location ! - Run by "Sailors", Not Yacht Club types. Staff and instructors are real characters, Lots of experience, and could not be more entertaining and helpful Fabulous "Classic" Launches Although communications could use some improvement - They did make it happen Website is prehistoric - but workable Boats aren't new - It is a "Club" - However, We were going sailing, and we had a great time ! Big fleet of SAILBOATS - when boats were for sailing