Weigh anchor: Grant revives Mercyhurst University sailing club

The Mercyhurst Sailing Club, founded in 2016 but inactive for the past few years, is now embarking on a new course thanks to a grant from the Erie Yacht Club and sailing enthusiasts at Penn State Behrend.

Leading the club’s renewal is Mercyhurst University junior Moira Sullivan, who co-founded Mercyhurst’s Tall Ship Sailing Club with Taylor Susman, junior, in 2023. The two were inspired to maintain their passion for tall ships after taking history lecturer Dr. Ben Scharff’s maritime history course “Waves of the Future” and spending two weeks sailing on the U.S. Brig Niagara last summer.

But then, Sullivan said, last spring, Penn State Behrend Sailing Club coach Sharon Dale reached out to Mercyhurst and offered her support for the larger sailing club, which was founded in 2016. The expanded effort would give students exposure to other sailboats and the opportunity to compete.

According to the scholarship written by Sullivan:

“The Penn State Behrend Sailing Team and its coaches will teach sailing to novice sailors at Mercyhurst from late August to mid-October. Dr. Benjamin Scharff will serve as the official faculty advisor, while other Mercyhurst faculty members will be present at the Erie Yacht Club on a rotating basis, including Alethea Gaarden, an English professor who has worked on the U.S. Brig Niagara, and Daryl Georger, a hotel management professor who has competed in regattas and has many years of sailing experience…The Tall Ship Sailing Club’s goal of transitioning into the Mercyhurst Sailing Club aligns with the Erie Yacht Club Foundation’s mission of “supporting youth and intercollegiate sailing competitions.” Sailing has been a part of the Mercyhurst campus for years, and the art of sailing teaches many life lessons. This grant would allow the club to become active again.”

The $2,100 Mercyhurst received from the Erie Yacht Club will be used to fund boat rental and other start-up costs. The sailing club is currently in the process of securing insurance and competing in regattas starting in fall 2025. Ultimately, it hopes to grow membership to 10-15 students who are interested in and comfortable with sailing.

The club’s efforts were fully supported by Katie Neely, Mercyhurst’s leadership and outreach coordinator.

(PHOTO courtesy of Dean Zeller)