Tyler Myers of Marmora and his crewmate Laura Barron race in the Statue of Liberty Marathon July 2. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Myers)
By MADDY VITALE
Tyler Myers knows that to be a good sailing instructor a really good one you have to keep honing your skills. You have to keep reaching and keep winning.
He does just that.
In fact, this month, Myers, 33, of Marmora, won a 43-mile race called the Statue of Liberty Marathon in his Hobie catamaran. It began at the Sandy Hook Bay Catamaran Club in Atlantic Highlands and looped around the New York Harbor and returned to the Atlantic Highlands in Monmouth County.
Myers, owner of Point Sailing School in Beesley's Point, described some of the exciting experiences he and his crew mate, Laura Barron, encountered during the July 2 race.
It's a little over 40 miles in a straight line, but we most definitely didn't go in a straight line. I figure we probably were closer to the 60-mile mark by the time the race was done, Myers said of the race that took the duo around ships and other obstacles as they raced their way to victory.
During the trip up the harbor, I was neck and neck with my main competition and we were never more than 30 seconds apart, even after dodging multiple container ships and ferries on the way, he explained.
Overall, there were 20 assorted boats registered and the Hobie 16 class, the boat he and Barron race, had the biggest fleet with five boats, he said.
While Myer's boat was the third boat to finish, the two that beat him and Barron were rated as much faster boats, so they had to give us extra time as a handicap.
Myers teaches his craft to everyone from young children to seniors, in camps, private lessons and group sessions.
His popularity is growing as more and more people interested in learning how to sail are finding out about his camp.
Point Sailing is going great. I'm just looking to fill more lesson and camp spots as we get further into July and August, Myers said.
He teaches up to three students at a time on his Hobie catamaran, which is located on the beach in Beesley's Point next to Beesley's Point Sea-Doo.
And before giving any lesson, Myers, who is both CPR and First Aid certified, makes sure students can swim. Students wear life jackets at all times.
For Myers, teaching people to sail comes natural. His parents, Wally and Lynn Myers, are well-known sailors in the area. He credits them for teaching him the techniques and skills to sail.
The family has traveled together for races. He even competed with and against his dad in numerous races over the years.
His latest win has been one of the most exciting victories, he said.
All the way back with big wind we were on trapeze hanging out over the water for leverage against the wind both myself and Laura, he explained. I ended up getting a better position on the current and extended my lead a bit until the wind died almost completely.
The duo ended up winning by over eight minutes, finishing about a minute and a half shy of the seven-hour mark.
We won a plaque on the Perpetual Silver Cup that had the names of every winner in the history of the race on it, Myers noted.
In 2022, Myers placed third in the Hobie Wave Nationals in Shreveport, Louisiana.
In addition to his latest win, Myers has won three other national titles in the Hobie 16 class one as a crew member in the 2001 Hobie 16 Continentals and two as skipper in both the 2006 and 2007 youth national championships.
Some of his other honors include second place in the 2021 U.S. Sailing Multihull Championships, 2019 Hobie 16 World Finalist, sixth place in the 2018 Hobie 16 Nationals (skipper) and second place in the 2017 Hobie Wave Nationals.
To see more about the race visit Fleet250.org. For more information about Point Sailing, visit www.pointsailingschool.com or call Tyler Myers at 609-231-6432 or email [email protected].
