Group Outings

Each event is fully customizable to your specific needs, and completely reliant on what your group would like to focus on. Our facilities allow us to plan an event that could include: sailing or racing in our Sonars, a kayak trip through Oyster Bay, learning about the marine environment, or a sail on our historic oyster sloop, Christeen. It is totally up to you!


	GROUP OUTINGS Custom Event Problem Solving Team Development Effective Communication Effective Communication Communication is considered the foundation of an effective organization. However, most people struggle with even the basic communication skills no matter the size or success level of the company. A corporate event at the WaterFront Center will help crack the code of powerful outcome-based communication and provide opportunities to demonstrate the pitfalls of the most critical conversations. Principles and practices of good communication are made real while sailing in Oyster Bay, where effective communication can make the difference between an outstanding performance and going nowhere fast. Imagine what can happen when communication breakdowns and undeclared assumptions are the communication culture aboard a 35' racing sloop in 30mph of wind running close hauled and surrounded by other boats. (Hint: people learn powerful lessons quickly!) They experience first-hand why authentic communication is not what is said, but what is understood. Even the proper nouns used in sailing (tack, leech, sheet and starboard) demonstrate the importance of effective cooperation in teams. In this workshop our staff will create a one-of-a-kind environment that has outstanding results. We've seen it over and over again: when people are exposed to communication teachings and practices in the morning and put them to use that same afternoon, the "learning by doing" is powerful and fast. And when the "classroom" is a team sailing together, the learning can be particularly fun, potent, and clear. Then back on land, a thorough debrief and an implementation plan ensures that on-the-water lessons transfer back to the office. You have our promise: sailing together always refines a group's communications skills. And nothing unites a group like great communication. Problem Solving Without a good team, it is difficult to solve problems and take advantage of opportunities. Solid problem-solving skills are the key to any team's success, no matter the environment. Our Problem Solving workshops identify teams' existing level of competence in terms of problem-solving, introduce new skills to take them to a higher level, and then give them an opportunity to apply and practice their new skills solving problems through sailing -- always a "parallel universe" to business! So what does sailing have to do with this? Well, it's the perfect environment to make a team work assess their relevant skills and develop a process. The team hits the water in a more experiential model -- the best kind because it's so fun and engaging -- where team members apply and test their new skills in a set of sailing-related challenges. The challenges and skill building will help produce better quality and quicker implementation of solutions, and a stronger more effective response to conflict and change. Team Development Team interaction and development is one of the most important and critical factors of any business no matter the size or scope. McGrath's Time, Interaction and Performance (TIP) Theory (1991) work emphasized the notion that different teams might follow different developmental paths to reach the same outcome. He also suggested that teams engage in four modes of group activity: inception, problem solving, conflict resolution, and execution. What does this mean and how do we use this theory to develop and harness good team work? A successful group has to function as a high performance team rather than a group of disparate high performance individuals. And that's the focus of this workshop -- how to overcome this natural tendency to rely too heavily on individual contributions than on what the group can do together. In the morning, we introduce the McGrath’s model and have the team use the model to assess their current stage of development and identify steps to move themselves forward. Frequently this process fosters productive discussions about issues that have thus far been masked, and this experience alone can help a group to move forward. We take your team(s) out on the water and present them with the opportunity to further explore their new, more nuanced understanding of team work. Sometimes just a fun sail together is enough, other times a series of sailing challenges can help the team to assess how their stage of development is affecting their teamwork. Custom Event Group events are the best way to learn more about co-workers and friends, re-unite with family members, or get introduced to some new faces! Let us customize an event specific for your group’s needs and interests. Whether you’re a small or large business, a social group, or a family wanting to spend a few hours together on or near the water, we can create an event tailored just for your group! Our events can include anything from sailboat racing for novices or experts, sunset and day sails aboard Christeen, kayaking adventures, private sailboat charters, and introductory sailing lessons. Please call to arrange your specialized package today.