New Rochelle, N.Y.
The New Rochelle Harbor marina manager and yacht broker died on April 2, in an accident as he left his houseboat for a party held in his honor on City Island. Artie’s passion was sailing. In his teens, he crewed on Snipes, especially at Stuyvesant Yacht Club. At SUNY Maritime, he became a regatta-winning lead skipper. His first weekend with Maxine, his wife of 45 years, and later his proposal, were at Snipe races. And they honeymooned at Snipe races, too.
Art, Maxine, and sons Josh and Steve moved to New Rochelle in 1973, living on their houseboat as he managed Glen Island Yacht Club, West Harbor Yacht Service, and A. LeComte Co. Yacht Brokers for over 40 years. He served on the New Rochelle Waterfront Committee.
Art loved non-spinnaker racing. Art skippered a C&C 35, Snow Goose, in the Can One Evening Race Association’s Thursday-night series and other Long Island Sound regattas. Steve Cain, president of the Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound, said: “Art, who suffered no fools, was always happy to discuss a race, to share his all-encompassing knowledge. His critical role in building Can One to its position as one of the largest weeknight vespers series on the sound brought yacht racing to many who had never considered it before.”
