Rocky Hill School to launch new fleet of sailboats

by Peter Hanney on 30 Mar 2016 Rocky Hill School’s sailing team will christen and launch seven new 420 Zim Collegiate sailboats as they are cheered on by the entire student body, their faculty, and generous donors who sponsored the 'Jump on Board Campaign' that funded the boats and additional upgrades for the team.

This celebration of the fleet will mark the completion of a successful campaign to transform the School’s sailing program after a collision between two sailboats last season, where one boat was damaged and sank. After the collision, the need to replace the entire fleet became abundantly clear.

Rocky Hill School took delivery of the seven new vessels from Warren, RI-based Zim Sailing in February and student sailors have been outfitting and rigging the boats in preparation for the spring sailing season.

“Since Rocky Hill School’s waterfront campus is bounded by the Potowomut River and Narragansett Bay, it is only logical that we are known as ‘The Mariners’. We have long had an instructional sailing program as well as a competitive sailing team,' said Head of School and avid sailor Peter Branch. 'These new 420s will increase our team’s competitiveness and allow us to dedicate our existing fleet to our Summer Enrichment Academy's sailing camp and our fall instructional sailing programs. After all, what would Mariners be without boats? We appreciate the contributions of the many friends of Rocky Hill School who have made this new fleet possible.”

The christening ceremony will be held at 2:45 p.m. on Monday April 4 at the School’s dock. Rocky Hill School is located at 530 Ives Road, East Greenwich, RI.

Rocky Hill School thanks its generous donors who made this complete overhaul of the sailing program possible: Ms. Clara Jane Lovell, Mr. Dooie Isdale, Mr. and Mrs. Brad Boss, Mrs. Monica Iacono Boss '91 and Mr. Geoff Boss, Ms. Paula Carreiro, Mr. and Mrs. Walt Lada, Rome Kirby '07, Seamus Kirby '13, Owen Perkins '06, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Adams, Drs. John O'del and Marcia Liss, and Mr. Jonathan Hough ’84.