Who we are and what we do

About Nekasailing

NEKA Sailing is a nonprofit in Glen Cove, NY that opens the door to offshore sailboat racing for young and aspiring sailors.

Our crews train and campaign big boats in offshore races like the Newport Bermuda Race, giving young sailors real miles, real crew positions, and a path from dinghies and college sailing into serious offshore programs. The goal is simple: put the next generation on high-performance racing boats, and train them to compete at the highest levels.

Behind the racing is a composites and design shop we use for cutting edge boatbuilding and optimization projects. Sailors who want to go deeper get hands-on with the technology that makes race boats fast — composite layup and mold fabrication, carbon fiber components, CAD modeling, CNC and 3D-printed parts, rigging, and marine electronics.

Our History

NEKA was founded in 2019 by composites designer Leo Vasiliev and naval architect Richard Royce, who met in 2017 while collaborating on a new racing boat design. Rick, a professor at Webb Institute, wanted a place where his engineering students could apply what they were learning to real projects. Leo, a lifelong sailing coach and designer, wanted to support a path for youth sailors in high performance offshore racing. NEKA is the answer to both.

Whether you're a college sailor looking to go offshore, an engineer drawn to the build side of the sport, or a supporter who believes in, and values the future of competitive keelboat racing, there's a place for you at NEKA.

collegiate Keelboat sailing

Webb sailing team

NEKA is home to the Collegiate Offshore Sailing team at Webb Institute. Our partnership with Webb has grown in the past few years to offer a number of benefits to Webb students as well as our other young trainees and athletes. As one of the premier marine design and engineering institutions in the world, Webb is a great resource during our design and research projects. NEKA also hosts a composites engineering course for Webb students at our location in Glen Cove, taught by NEKA staff.

Find out more

Who we are and what we do

About Nekasailing

Our History

collegiate Keelboat sailing

Webb sailing team

Our Supporters

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