Sailing isn’t just a sport—it’s a lifelong adventure that can bring families together in incredible ways. For Mark Zagol, what started as a childhood invitation to a sailing camp turned into a passion that shaped his career and personal life. Now, as a father of three, he’s passing that passion on to the next generation, finding new ways to share the thrill of competition and the joy of being on the water with his daughters.
Article by Ty Christopher Olsen, February 5, 2025.
Sailing can be a family affair!
TCO: Mark, can you share a bit about your journey with sailing and where you are today?
MZ: My introduction to sailing was a bit unconventional. I didn’t come from a yacht club family, but my local club had a “bring your friend to sailing camp” program. Luckily, a friend invited me to join, and that’s where it all began. I was about eight years old at the time, growing up in Plymouth, MA. That first experience sparked my interest, and over the next few summers, I kept coming back. By the time I was ten, I was invited to join as a Junior Member and continue with the club’s programs. I was fortunate to have great coaching early on, including one of my first sailing instructors, Lynn (Jewell) Shore, who played a big role in kickstarting my sailing journey.
As I got older and my skills developed, I took sailing to the next level, competing in college at Old Dominion University (ODU). My time at ODU was an incredible experience—I was part of two National Championship teams, earned All-American honors twice, and was a finalist for College Sailor of the Year in my senior year. After college, I shifted my focus to Vanguard 15s, sailing with my now-wife, Heather. We had a great run together before I transitioned to the 505 fleet, sailing with my longtime friend Drew Buttner. We spent over 10 successful years in the 505 class, but as our boat started to show its age, we faced a decision- invest in a new one or explore something different. That’s when a Viper landed in my lap, and we decided to give it a shot.
While in Sarasota for the Viper Winter Series a few years back, I had my first experience with seeing the Melges 15. Talking with some new sailors in the fleet, I was interested by how they described the boat’s feel—it reminded me a lot of my Vanguard 15 days. That got me thinking that this boat was something that I wanted at NESS. It was also a platform that I might be able to sail competitively with my kids. So, with the wonderful generosity of one of our inspirational donors, we acquired 4 Melges 15’s.
My GIrls - My crew
TCO: I did a bit of research and saw that you have three daughters who are all active in sailing. Are they following in Mom and Dad’s footsteps?
MZ: Yes, I have three daughters—16-year-old Mason, 14-year-old Ainslie, and 9-year-old Callan.
TCO: Tell me about sailing with your daughter, Mason. How often have you sailed together?
MZ: Mason has had a pretty good junior sailing career and recently started talking about sailing in college. This got me thinking about what if I crewed for her and helped her learn as much as she can. The Viper didn’t seem like the right platform so I started to talk to her about sailing the Winter Series in Melges 15’s and she seemed interested, so I decided to put my own sailing on hold and covered up my Viper. My goal was simple: teach her as much as I know, have fun, and just see where it takes us.
The best part was that we went into this experience with no expectations. Our first Melges event together had 96 boats on the starting line. I told her, “Let’s aim for the 50s… then the 40s… and just try to hang on with the fleet.” What made it especially fun for me was switching roles—after 30+ years of being a driver, I was now crewing in the front of the boat! It was a bit humbling, too. I’ve sailed countless regattas, National Championships and even World Championships as a driver, but I really have only crewed a few times over that time. It was both refreshing and a little challenging to be in a different position.
At first, we were finishing mid-fleet, then we improved to 25th, then 17th, and suddenly, we were starting to figure out the boat! When we came back for the second event, we changed our goal to shoot for a top 1/4 of the fleet. After a couple of decent races we were OCS in the next race and had to send it to the right side of the course. With good speed and a nice right shift we battled back to the top of the fleet and were looking pretty good. As we were approaching the windward mark on layline, Mason started to realize that we might round in 1st. That was one of my favorite moments as I’ve been there many times before, but for her, well, she was freaking out. We managed to hold that lead the entire way around the course and when we crossed the finish line she was so excited. We backed that up with a 5th-place finish in the next race and ended up 13th overall for the regatta!
It has been a fantastic opportunity for her. She’s heavily involved in Junior Sailing 420s, where she usually crews for one of her best friends, so this was a great chance for her to take the tiller. I think it’s important for all sailors to be comfortable in all positions on the boat. Driving helps her get a feel for the boat more than crewing does, giving her a better feel for anticipating movements—which something that’s tough to teach from a coaching perspective.
TCO: How many times have you raced together? Is this going to become a regular thing for you two?
MZ: Let’s see… in the Melges, we’ve done four Winter Series events—two last year and two this year. We’re all set to compete in the series again in February. I definitely hope we can keep sailing together in the future, and hopefully, as my other two daughters get older, they’ll want to jump in and join the fun as well!
Sailing for fun and education
TCO: I know you’re heavily involved with the New England Science and Sailing Foundation (NESS). Can you tell me a little about the program and your role there?
MZ: Right out of school, I spent some time in retail before becoming an assistant sailing coach at ODU. From there, I moved on to become the head sailing coach at Kings Point and then the Coast Guard Academy. Coaching followed the typical 26-week practice and regatta schedule, with long hours and weekend travel. As my daughters got older, I wanted to find a way to
spend more time with them. My wife and I considered different options, including a return to professional sailing, but that still involved a lot of travel. Then, a local friend reached out about a program (NESS) that had started through the Stonington Harbor Yacht Club Sailing Foundation. They were looking to expand and initially contacted me to help find a new Sailing Director. But before I knew it, the conversation shifted, and they asked if I’d be interested in the role myself.
After speaking with more people and learning about the opportunity, I decided to go for it. What excited me most was the flexibility the Board of Directors gave me to shape the program. At the time, NESS had only one other full-time employee with a background in marine biology and a bit of sailing. I became the second full-time hire and quickly worked together to build a strong team.
With that staff in place, I helped NESS develop into a well-rounded program designed to be more accessible to a wider audience. My approach for the sailing side was simple—how would I want my daughters to experience a sailing program? Unlike traditional programs that follow an eight-week junior sailing model, we realized that people have busy schedules. Instead of sticking to a rigid structure, we introduced flexible weekly programs. We offer several half-day programs that can align with the typical eight-week curriculum but in smaller, more manageable segments. This setup allows kids who can only commit to a few sessions to jump back in the following season without needing to start over. They still progress, but in a way that fits their individual needs.
TCO: Does NESS have an active racing program and team?
MZ: Yes, we do. I’m really proud of our racing program. It runs for six weeks, but we encourage kids in the program to get involved in other offerings, like our Sailing Adventures and Advanced Adventures programs. We have 21 different types of boats available for them to sail, including five different foiling boats.
As for a NESS racing team, yes, we do have an active team. We have an Opti team, a 420 team, and we’re the only program in the area with a thriving Laser program—which is exciting, given that Laser programs have become rare in New England. Our race team competes in the Eastern Connecticut Sailing Association (ECSA) circuit, and we also take the kids to the Cape for some of the bigger events I grew up racing in.
Overall, NESS’s primary focus is ocean education. Sailing is an important part of our curriculum, but it’s just one piece of the larger picture. Alongside sailing, we integrate marine biology, exploration, kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, and more making it a well-rounded educational experience.
Perks of sailing with family
TCO: Changing gears a bit—when sailing with your daughter, was there any frustration in adjusting to someone who may not be at the level you’re used to?
MZ: Ha! Honestly, it’s been great! I have to give Mason a lot of credit—her last year in the Opti class, she won her division in a fleet of over 100 boats and was the top female sailor. She’s a very talented skipper. But for me, jumping into the front of the boat was definitely an adjustment.
To Mason’s credit, our first regatta together was in some serious breeze—23 to 28 knots—and she handled it incredibly well, especially considering she’s only about 110 pounds soaking wet. Meanwhile, I was hiking like crazy! That was definitely a shift for me—I’m used to sailing with guys who are over six feet tall and doing most of the hiking. Of course, there have been frustrating moments, as with anything, but the experience has been overwhelmingly positive. I’ll never forget our first race when we crossed the line in 45th place. On that last downwind leg, we had the kite up, working for every inch to edge ahead of the boats coming in on starboard—and just seeing the excitement on her face was absolutely priceless.
I really wish there were more opportunities for families to race together—an open category of racing. We tried to introduce something like that in the 420 fleet, but it never really took off. Right now, if you want to race as a family, you’re mostly looking at keelboats. That’s why I think the Melges 15 is such a great option—it makes racing fun and accessible for all levels, including families.
TCO: You mentioned trying to establish a “family-style” racing category in the 420 fleet. Have you reached out to anyone in the Melges fleet about starting an open category?
MZ: Not specifically—yet. But speaking for Mason and me, she really enjoys the challenge of competing against college-aged sailors and even some big-name racers. It’s awesome to hear her excitement when she says, “Wow, aren’t those Jacksonville college sailors?” Part of the thrill for her is racing against sailors who are above her level, yet still being able to compete with them.
The Melges fleet is such a great mix of talent levels, which makes it really fun—not just for us, but for everyone on the line. The class is doing a lot of little things that make a big difference, like awarding top family and top female skipper prizes. Winning the Top Family award was a huge moment for Mason and myself.
For me, the real joy is crewing for my daughter. I hope to continue racing with Mason and, as Ainslie and Callan get older, get them involved as well.
Mark, thanks for taking the time to chat! Sailing with family has been an incredible experience, and I appreciate the chance to share more about NESS—such a great organization. Hopefully, we will be hearing more about your races in the seasons to come!