Freedom Boat Club is giving three sailboats to the New College of Florida’s sailing team and waterfront programs.
As a member of the Intercollegiate Sailing Association of North America, the New College sailing team regularly hosts regattas and competes in major events, taking home first place in the 2014 Allstate Sugar Bowl Regatta in New Orleans.
Freedom Boat Club’s sailboat donations, two Hunters and a Catalina, are now part of the college’s official sailing fleet and will have multiple uses as part of the school’s active waterfront and sailing team programs.
“We deeply appreciate the generous gift from Freedom Boat Club president and CEO John Giglio and Freedom Boat Club,” New College of Florida president Donal O’Shea said in a statement.
“This valuable gift provides New College with three clean, safe and well-maintained boats and allows our students the opportunity to learn the proper sailing and operation of keelboats. It also gives our waterfront program the vessels needed for group bay cruises, staff-led overnight cruises, and it opens up a much greater range of potential destinations. And New College’s highly competitive sailing team already is putting these boats to good use — the Catalina 250 was a committee boat in the last regatta New College hosted.”
“We maintain boats in our fleet for three years before replacing them, and each boat is serviced and regularly maintained,” FBC president and CEO John Giglio said. “We decided to donate these sailboats to New College to support the good work of the college in our community and to provide more opportunities for young people to enjoy the sailing and boating lifestyle. We are glad to see these great sailboats become part of the sailing and waterfront program as we work together to promote boating to more young people.”
