History of TASCA
Since 1967, TASCA (“The American Small Craft Association”), whose members are all volunteers, has been a prominent resource for sailing and on-the-water safety training, dedicated to the teaching of sailing and boating safety. The club consists of a boathouse on Flushing Meadows-Corona Lake, a 28’ sloop docked at the World’s Fair Marina and approximately 300 dues-paying members who reside in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, Virginia, and Florida.
TASCA was founded on the following goals:
- To render community service in promoting and encouraging small craft activity as recreation and sport.
- To use TASCA prescribed standards for proficiency and safety.
- To be a non-profit all volunteer organization.
- To promote friendly relationships among all persons interested in small craft.
TASCA members are all volunteers who start as basic sail graduates and move on to take the advanced certification courses as sailing instructors, dockmasters, skippers and cruiseskippers.
In close to 40 years since its beginnings, TASCA has taught basic and advanced sailing and boating safety to more than 3000 people. The club has had annual excursions to local waters such as the Long Island Sound, Connecticut, Chesapeake Bay, Florida as well as to international waters such as the Virgin Islands, Belize, Greece, Turkey and France. Many TASCA members are also members of allied nautical organizations such as US Sailing Association, the US Power Squadron and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, and have taught and participated in these organizations’ educational courses.