SHEEPSHEAD BAY — Miramar Yacht Club held its commissioning day meeting May 17, marking the official opening of its 2026 boating season.
The club, one of the oldest and most renowned in Brooklyn, began the morning with a buffet breakfast, followed by a member meeting, which included a treasury report, membership update, and goals and objectives for the new season.
From left: Eugene Kharlamb, rear commodore; Krissy Madrid, secretary; Pattie Cunningham, past commodore; and Ruth Witzum, past commodore. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
After the meeting, flags were raised in an outside ceremony for each flag officer: commodore, vice commodore, rear commodore and fleet captain.
Newly minted Commodore Dexter Buell told the Brooklyn Eagle that he sees his biggest challenge this year as providing care and maintenance of club facilities and accessible sailing opportunities for beginners as well as experienced sailors.
“Fostering the club’s mission of promoting the sport of sailing is the best part of this job,” Buell said. “I get to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with a huge variety of folks from all over Brooklyn, and I really enjoy that part of it.”
Members give their undivided attention to speakers. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn EagleKeeping a steady hand on stewardship
Buell pointed out that each year, commissioning day provides not only a fresh opportunity to celebrate the beginning of the sailing season but also to reflect on where Miramar stands as a club.
“I’m pleased to report that Miramar remains in sound financial health,” Buell said. “It’s our goal to keep a steady hand on stewardship while ensuring that the club remains financially sustainable and accessible.”
Irving Shapiro, 94, has been a Miramar member for more than 65 years. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
Buell also noted that Miramar has made a concerted effort to improve its operations department. “We have begun work on implementing a software-based club management system that will better support membership records, communications, billing and scheduling,” he said.
Buell, who is from the Pacific Northwest, grew up sailing small boats on the rivers and lakes around the region. He learned the ropes of coastal navigation from his father and uncle, who were both lifelong sailors. Before settling down to raise a family in Brooklyn’s Windsor Terrace, he made several offshore passages, stretching from the U.S. Virgin Islands to Bermuda, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and the south coast of Ireland.
Growing membership
Joseph Martino, who handles marketing and public relations for Miramar, said he is always looking to grow the club’s membership.
Joseph Martino, alongside Nasim Shamailov, past commodore. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
“Currently, we have approximately 100 members,” Martino said. “We would like to get up to an area that we can support comfortably, which is in the 115 to 125 member ballpark, and our average age is just about 50 years old, which is younger than it was a decade back.”
“We have a very strong social media presence,” Martino added. “The goal is to get people in here and have them check the place out.”
Martino pointed out that Miramar also participates in an annual sailing class entitled “Seek and Sail,” in which the club invites prospective sailors from all over the community to sail for free.
“We are working with a sailing education organization based in Manhattan as well, called ‘Atlantic Yachting,’ who will be bringing their students to us and teaching them using our boats,” Martino said.
Commodore Dexter Buell. Photo: Wayne Daren Schneiderman/Brooklyn Eagle
Miramar was founded in 1932 when an ardent group of young men founded what they called the Miramar Boat and Canoe Club on the north shore of Sheepshead Bay. In 1944, Miramar was incorporated and reorganized as a cooperative yacht club, taking the name Miramar Yacht Club.
In 1969, Miramar acquired and moved into its current facility, 3050 Emmons Ave. Today, it has a fleet of Ensigns, the largest class of full keel sailboats in North America, along with Division 1 and Ready Boats.