eastern yacht club marblehead

Eastern Yacht Club

Stories from the Eastern Yacht Club

47 Foster Street Marblehead, MA 01945

(781) 631-1400

Website: www.easternyc.org

The Eastern Yacht Club was founded in 1870. Throughout its history "the Eastern" has consistently pursued its mission of “encouraging yacht building and naval architecture and the cultivation of nautical science.” Yachts flying Eastern colors successfully defended the America’s Cup three times in the mid-1880’s. Its interest in the America’s Cup continued into the 20th century when Eastern members built J-Boats and 12-Metres in the hope of defending the America’s Cup and Eastern members sailed on a number of 12-Metres that successfully defended the Cup.

Eastern members have built numerous off-shore racing boats that have successfully competed in local and international races. The club’s members currently own approximately 10 different types of one-design class boats and have won world and national championships in a number of those classes.

The Eastern’s race committee is active throughout the summer and is recognized as one of the very best in the country. Throughout the clubhouse you will find paintings, photographs, trophies and models that mark the history of America yachting from the glorious days of huge racing yachts to the present day streamline one-designs. The club’s model room contains over 65 half-models of historic and modern yachts. Additional half models and many stunning full models are displayed throughout the Club.

EASTERN YACHT CLUB BECOMES NSHOF FOUNDING MEMBER

From the commodore:.

“The Eastern Yacht Club is very pleased to be included among the yacht clubs which have become NSHOF Founding Members. Since the beginning, the Eastern has been a leader in yacht racing. The Club is proud that three of its members, Ted Hood, Gary Jobson and Harold Vanderbilt were among the initial NSHOF inductees and that another inductee, Charlie Barr, is the great uncle of one of its current members. The support that the NSHOF will give to sailing through it educational programs and its preservation of yachting history indicates that it will have a critical role in yachting’s future. It deserves the broad support of the yachting community.”

Phil Smith, Commodore

In 1870, twelve Boston gentlemen organized themselves as the Eastern Yacht Club, a club dedicated to the promotion of yachting. Within one month, they had enrolled 110 members with 23 yachts. The Clubhouse on Marblehead Neck was completed in 1881.

From the beginning, the Club became a leader in yacht racing with Puritan, Mayflower, and Volunteer, all flying Eastern colors, successfully defeating their British challengers in the America's Cup in 1885, 1886, and 1887, respectively. The Eastern has hosted a multitude of local, national, and international sailing events from the Sonder class regattas that preceded WWI to the competitive one-design and PHRF races of today, including the Etchells Worlds, Star Worlds, IOD Worlds, Olympic Class Regattas, Viper 640 North Americans, Sonar North Americans, Shields Nationals, and the Soling North Americans, a preliminary race for the '96 Olympics. In 1994 the club received the coveted St. Petersburg Trophy, awarded for the Race Committee's outstanding management of the Star North Americans.

A visit to the Eastern is a walk through yachting history, from the glorious days of the huge racing yachts to the present-day streamlined one-designs. Nearly 130 years of yachting history resides here. Throughout the Clubhouse, you can find trophies and medals marking the Club's illustrious history.

Video: A Contemporary History of Eastern Yacht Club

Bonus Interviews: Favorite Childhood Sailing Memories from the Eastern Yacht Club

Bonus Interviews: Favorite Sailing Memories from the Eastern Yacht Club

BACK TO YACHT CLUB STORIES PAGE

Eastern Yacht Club

In 1870, the eastern yacht club was formed when twelve men created an organization dedicated to the promotion of yachting. over the years, the eastern has established itself as one of the most distinguished yacht clubs in america.  overlooking marblehead's breathtaking harbor, the eyc offers its members and guests a wealth of opportunities to enjoy activities on sea and on land. .

In 2015, we completed a major renovation of the entire Clubhouse which we are quite proud of.  Along with our formal Henderson Dining Room, we have the outdoor Samoset Porch informal dining facility. These dining settings are situated with a panoramic view of the harbor. We also cater to first class private events and world class regattas (e.g., the Sonar Worlds, IOD Worlds, Viper and Etchell’s NA). Our campus includes an aquatics facility, three paddle tennis courts, six tennis courts, a junior sailing program, children’s summer camp, two full-service bars and of course, access to the harbor for a number of sailing related events and activities. The Eastern is a member of the International Council of Yacht Clubs, a world-wide yachting organization that includes some of the most prominent clubs in their respective regions. There are clubs from North America, Europe, Scandinavia, England, Asia, New Zealand, Australia and Africa. The primary purpose of the ICOYC is for Leading Yacht Clubs to Work Together to Share Experiences. One way in which this knowledge is shared is by holding Commodore’s Forums with panel presentations. These panels offer insights into how other clubs operate and provide a unique opportunity to have access to information that is closely guarded and not generally available. The opportunity to discuss these issues with officers of other clubs is invaluable. For a list of the clubs and to find other information about the ICOYC please click  HERE . 

Among the oldest and most distinguished yacht clubs in America, the Eastern Yacht Club embodies the very essence of the history of ‘yachting’. When yachting in Massachusetts was in its infancy, a group of gentlemen from Boston organized themselves as the Eastern Yacht Club for the purpose “of encouraging yacht building, and naval architecture, and the cultivation of nautical science.” Twelve successful businessmen, “imbued with the true yachting spirit,” according to a contemporary newspaper account, met in March of 1870. Within a month they had enrolled 110 members with 23 yachts. Construction of the clubhouse on Marblehead Neck was completed in 1881. Already known as the “Birthplace of the American Navy”, Marblehead became the homeport to some of the most beautiful schooners and steamers to be built during this time establishing itself as ‘the yachting capital of the world.’ From the beginning, the Club took a leadership position in every facet of yacht racing. The 94-foot sloop Puritan, flying the Eastern colors, successfully defended the America’s Cup in 1885 against challenger Genesta of the British Royal Yacht Squadron. This victory marked the first of three successful Cup defenses against the British by Eastern yachts in as many years- an extraordinary feat. Mayflower answered the challenge of Galatea in 1886, sending her packing in light air off New York. And in 1887, steel cutters Volunteer and Thistle engaged, and Volunteer, owned by Eastern member General Charles Paine, gained victory for America once again in a stunning defeat. Committed from its incorporation to superior naval architecture, the Eastern’s membership has included such celebrated designers and builders as Edward and Starling Burgess, Nathanael and L. Francis Herreshoff, Ray Hunt, and Ted Hood. The club’s roster of members boasts such revered names across the ages in yacht racing as Charles Francis Adams, skipper of Yankee; Chandler Hovey, whose J Class Yacht Rainbow and Twelve Meter Easterner graced America’s Cup trials; Bradley Noyes, whose Tiogas gained multiple victories and the legendary Ted Hood, yacht designer, sail maker and winning skipper of the 1974 America’s Cup aboard the 12 Meter Courageous. Hood was elected to the America’s Cup Hall of fame in 1993. In recent years, our club has been proudly represented around the world by seven-time Etchells Worlds champion Dave Curtis; Jud Smith, two time winner of Rolex Yachtsmen of the year and 10 time World Champion in multiple classes, and Dru Slattery, internationally ranked in women’s sailing. The club’s history is so full of characters and achievements, however, that for every one mentioned, there are literally dozens of others deserving attention. Of most recent note is Rich Wilson, who recently completed his second Vendee Globe solo around the world race in Great American III as the only American and oldest entrant, finishing in 107 days. Rich’s record-breaking voyages around Cape Horn about his trimaran Great American II captivated 300,000 thousand schoolchildren through his Sites Alive education portal. Aboard Great American II, he also set two new records between New York and Melbourne, and Hong Kong-New York, and finished second in the Transatlantic Race in 2004. From the Sonder class regattas that preceded World War I to the competitive one-design and performance handicap (PHRF) races of today, the Eastern has played host to a multitude of major sailing events, local, national, and international. In 2019, we will host both the IOD Worlds and the Laser Masters North American Championship. Other major regattas have included the 2018 J70 Worlds, the Etchells Worlds, Soling Worlds, Star Worlds, IOD Worlds, Olympic Classes Regattas, Viper 640 North Americans, Sonar North Americans, and Shields Nationals, as well as the Soling North Americans, a preliminary race for the ‘96 Olympics. In 1994 the club received the coveted St. Petersburg Yacht Club Trophy, awarded for the Race Committee’s outstanding management of the Star North Americans. A visit to the Eastern is a walk through yachting history, from the glorious days of the huge racing yachts to the present-day streamlined one designs. The trophy cases display such treasures as the Puritan Cup, the Lambert Cup, the Cleopatra’s Barge trophy, even a trophy once carried on Admiral Nelson’s flagship, as well as an array of Olympic medals. One hundred and fifty years of yachting history reside here! A digital copy of our “The Eastern Yacht Club, A History from 1870-1985” by Joseph E. Garland may be accessed  via this link . Click  HERE  to view interviews/contemporary history of the Club, and follow the "Did You Know?" links below to learn some interesting facts about the Eastern Yacht Club.

HISTORY COMMITTEE

Elizabeth W. Parker, Chair Email: [email protected] A Complete List of Committee Members Can Be Found Here

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Monday, November 6, 2017

The three yacht clubs in marblehead, massachusetts.

I haven't been in any of the three yacht clubs in Marblehead, Massachusetts, for some years, but I remember how each used to demonstrate physically its place on the New England social ladder. Out on Marblehead Neck, where all the summer people have their places, are the Eastern Yacht Club and the Corinthian Yacht Club. Old families with old money — that is, families that have been in the area (including the Boston area) for a number of generations — belonged to the Eastern Yacht Club. No one else was allowed to join. The clubhouse itself always looked to me as if it might collapse. It needed stain or paint, there always seemed to be a loose board or two out on the porch, and the dining and other facilities were modest, though with a certain quiet, old charm. However, belonging to the Eastern meant you were "in." If you didn't belong, you were "out" — and might just as well join the Corinthian Yacht Club.

The Corinthian accepted new people with new money, and its clubhouse and docks were new, meticulously maintained, modern, and posh. To a Texan or anyone else not knowledgeable in New England ways, inspection of the physical facilities of the Eastern and the Corinthian back in those days would have caused the Corinthian to be the immediate and obvious choice. From the New England point of view, that would be all well and good. As my aunt on my father's side once told me, "A Texan may be a braggart, but he can never be a snob."    

Then there was the Boston Yacht Club, located across the harbor from "the Neck," in the town of Marblehead. It was always considered the place for those not in any way interested, or able to be interested, in social considerations. It was for townspeople. So its clubhouse was neither run down nor posh. It was straightforward, perfectly comfortable, practical. Of course, some members of old area families, particularly the young ones with old money, deliberately chose the Boston Yacht Club over the Eastern. That's a related but slightly different form of snobbery, which was negated completely if you belong to both, as some did.

- Judson Hale, Inside New England < http://amzn.to/2x2m576 > 

13 comments:

Very amusing, but where does the Boston Yacht Club fit in this pecking order--the yacht club on the other side of the harbor not on "The Neck" and the sponsor of the venerable Marblehead-Halifax Ocean Race?

In my opinion, it's number 1!!

Meghan, right? :)

This all reminds me of the book The Status Seekers written in 1959 by Vance Packard. It's one of the most searing and sardonic looks at social status I've ever read. It really opened my eyes.

Jud with one d - I bet he'd write it the same way now!

But what about Pleon?

Pecking order is quite a bit different today. And Marblehead has 3 clubs on the town side and 3 clubs on the neck side.

Hilarious, but I think a Texan can be a snob. A lot are old southern families going back to the First Families of Virginia and the Jamestown group can be just as snobby as the Plymouth haha

If that's the case you will never know it because FFV and Jamestowne Society members do not brag. The snobs are the Highland Park new monied.

For many years my family enjoyed "belonging" at the Boston Yacht Club. We always parked just outside that quite small parking lot at the club and for good reason. We would take the launch out to our sailboat and sound the horn for pickup when it was time to get a ride back at the end of the day....one prolonged, two short if my memory serves me right. What a wonderful aura to the place...until they finally figured out we weren't actually members! Ooops! My father had an uncanny knack for walking into places he didn't belong as if he owned them. Ultimately we joined the Corinthian for real...I think. If we weren't members there I feel for whoever had to pick up our food tab at the pool.

That is a great story, I'll bet your father is/was an interesting man.

Are these ‘rules’ still applied in 2018 ? I am a member of the Royal Cape Yacht Club ( 44 years good-standing) and I can tell you things have changed. When I joined in 1974 I was given a ‘look up, and down’. I recall a superior of mine, possibly twice my age, who applied at the same time but was ‘blakballed’ as not being ‘suitable’. Somehow I doubt this still goes on. Except perhaps at certain clubs in the St James club area in London.

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Home  News  Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships to Celebrate 100th Anniversary in Marblehead 

Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships to Celebrate 100th Anniversary in Marblehead 

Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championship Preview – Follow the Racing  

• Results / Standings
• Event Website
• Follow the action this week with updates from the water on Instagram – @EYCChubbChamps and @USSailing  

These highly-skilled young sailors representing their home yacht clubs or local sailing organizations are eager to test themselves against their peers from around the country in single-, double-, and quadruplehanded competition.   

Sailors compete regionally to earn an opportunity to race at this championship in one of three fleets. Competing sailors range in age between 13 and 18. Each Area is eligible to send at least one sailor/team to compete in each of the fleets for the 2021 event:  

• U.S. Junior Singlehanded Championship for the Smythe Trophy to be sailed in the ILCA 6.  
• U.S. Junior Doublehanded Championship for the Bemis Trophy to be sailed in the Club 420.  
• U.S. Junior Quadruplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup to be sailed in the RS21.  
• List of Competitors  

The top three eligible athletes in the singlehanded fleet will receive early acceptance to the 2021 U.S. Youth Sailing Championships coming up this October in Arapahoe, North Carolina.  

“Many of the country’s top sailors have competed for the Sears, Bemis, and Smythe trophies over the years,” said John Pearce, Sport Development Director at US Sailing. “This regatta draws top talent from the regional level and gives them the opportunity to be a part of the great tradition, while also learning from top coaches and competing against other top young sailors. It’s extra special this year because we are celebrating the 100-year Anniversary of the Sears Trophy.”  

The Eastern Yacht Club hosted the first of these Championships in 1921 for the Sears Trophy and it is only fitting that we celebrate the launch of this 100-year-old event on the shores of the EYC in 2021.  

“I’m really looking forward to meeting the participants, watching them race and sharing this great venue at Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead,” said Henry Brauer, Commodore of the Eastern Yacht Club and US Sailing Board member. “The Sears Cup was started by Eastern Commodore Herbert M. Sears in 1921. The first several years of the regatta were held in Marblehead and the visiting teams stayed aboard  Constellation , Commodore Sears’ 131’ Schooner. It is exciting to bring the Sears Cup back to its original home to observe how far the event has evolved with a sport boat being used for the Sears Cup.”  

Sailors are taking part in onshore and on-water clinics with a collection of top coaches from around the country on Tuesday, August 10 to hone their skills and acclimate themselves to the racing conditions and the boats.  

The following coaches are on site working with the sailors throughout the championship:  

• Richard Feeny – US Sailing Youth National Coach  
• Cappy Capper – US Sailing Master Coach Trainer  
• Matt Lindblad – Head Sailing Coach at MIT  
• Cori Radtke – Assistant Sailing Coach at Bowdoin College   
• John Pearce – Director of Sport Development at US Sailing  

The races will be mostly sailed in the waters outside of Marblehead Harbor in Massachusetts Bay.  

This event is sponsored by Chubb Insurance Group. Chubb, a long-time supporter of this championship and youth sailing, has been title sponsor of the U.S. Junior Sailing Championships for over a decade.  

The Eastern Yacht Club’s Rich Wilson, a two-time Vendee Globe finisher who has set multiple intercontinental speed records will giving a presentation to the sailors. Wilson will be promoting the excitement of blue water racing, a mission of his Collegiate Offshore Sailing Circuit.  

Social Media:  

• For results/standings and more information from the 2021 Chubb U.S. Junior Sailing Championships, please click here to the Preview page .  

Sportsmanship & Seamanship Awards:  

• Singlehanded – Faye Bennet Sportsmanship Award  
• Doublehanded – Bemis Sportsmanship Award  
• Triplehanded – Cox Sportsmanship Award  
• The Ship Shape Trophy will be awarded to the quadruplehanded team that receives the greatest number of points for neatness and general ship-shape condition of their boats.

US Sailing Media Contact: Jake Fish, [email protected]   

About US Sailing The United States Sailing Association (US Sailing), the national governing body for sailing, provides leadership, integrity, and growth for the sport in the United States. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Bristol, Rhode Island, US Sailing is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. US Sailing offers training and education programs for instructors and race officials, supports a wide range of sailing organizations and communities, issues offshore rating certificates, and provides administration and oversight of competitive sailing across the country, including National Championships and the US Sailing Team. For more information, please visit www.ussailing.org .  

About Chubb Group of Insurance Companies Chubb is the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company, and the largest commercial insurer in the United States. With operations in 54 countries and territories, Chubb provides commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, personal accident and supplemental health insurance, reinsurance and life insurance to a diverse group of clients. As an underwriting company, we assess, assume and manage risk with insight and discipline. We service and pay our claims fairly and promptly. The company is also defined by its extensive product and service offerings, broad distribution capabilities, exceptional financial strength and local operations globally. Parent company Chubb Limited is listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: CB) and is a component of the S&P 500 index. Chubb maintains executive offices in Zurich, New York, London and other locations, and employs approximately 31,000 people worldwide. Additional information can be found at: chubb.com.

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Eastern Yacht Club

Posted by HarborMoor Crew | Aug 21, 2020 | Community | 0 |

Celebrating 150 years of sailing history from 1870-2020

ABOUT Eastern Yacht Club is a historic club located on Marblehead Neck with great views of the harbor and the Marblehead skyline.  Over the years, the Eastern has established itself as one of the most distinguished yacht clubs in America.  The EYC offers its members and guests a wealth of opportunities to enjoy activities on sea and land.  

HISTORY Throughout its history the Eastern has consistently pursued its mission of “encouraging yacht building and naval architecture and the cultivation of nautical science”. Eastern yachts Puritan , Mayflower  and  Volunteer won the right to defend the America’s Cup in 1885, 1886, and 1887 and soundly defeated their British challengers.  An Eastern syndicate built the J-boat  Yankee  which lost by a split second the right to challenge for the 1934 America’s Cup to  Rainbow . Chandler Hovey and his family owned and raced J-boats in the 1930s and built the 12-meter Easterner in an effort to defend the America’s Cup in the late 50s and early 60s. Eastern member Ted Hood participated in various 12-meter campaigns both as a sail maker and yacht designer. In addition, he skippered  Courageous  in its successful defense of the America’s Cup in 1974.  Just out in time for the sesquicentennial is maritime author Stan Grayson’s The Eastern Yacht Club: 1870-2020 . 

TODAY Eastern’s campus includes an Olympic sized swimming pool, six tennis courts, three paddle tennis courts, a pier with two cranes and pier house, gangway, and dock.  The Club offers a junior sailing program, children’s summer camp, and non-smoking rooms for guests and visiting sailors.  Eastern’s clubhouse includes paintings, models, and trophies that mark the history of American yachting from the glorious days of the huge racing yachts to the present day streamline one-designs.  The clubhouse has a formal dining room, porch dining and a cocktail area, all overlooking the harbor. Eastern members currently own Etchells, IODs, Sonars, Stars, J-24s, J-100s, J-105s, Rhodes-19s, Lasers and Vipers, among other one design classes, and have won world and national championships in a number of those classes. 

CHECK IT OUT To learn more about the Eastern, or to inquire about membership, visit the EYC’s website .

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Eastern Yacht Club

easternyc.org

47 Foster Street

Marblehead , MA 09145

(781) 631-1400

The Eastern Yacht Club was founded in 1870. Throughout its history “the Eastern” has consistently pursued its mission of “encouraging yacht building and naval architecture and the cultivation of nautical science.” Yachts flying Eastern colors successfully defended the America’s Cup three times in the mid-1880’s. Its interest in the America’s Cup continued into the 20th century when Eastern members built J-Boats and 12-Metres in the hope of defending the America’s Cup and Eastern members sailed on a number of 12-Metres that successfully defended the Cup.

Eastern members have built numerous off-shore racing boats that have successfully competed in local and international races. The club’s members currently own approximately 10 different types of one-design class boats and have won world and national championships in a number of those classes.

The Eastern’s race committee is active throughout the summer and is recognized as one of the very best in the country. Throughout the clubhouse you will find paintings, photographs, trophies and models that mark the history of America yachting from the glorious days of huge racing yachts to the present day streamline one-designs. The club’s model room contains over 65 half-models of historic and modern yachts. Additional half models and many stunning full models are displayed throughout the Club.

From the Commodore:

“The Eastern Yacht Club is very pleased to be included among the yacht clubs which have become NSHOF Founding Members. Since the beginning, the Eastern has been a leader in yacht racing. The Club is proud that three of its members, Ted Hood, Gary Jobson and Harold Vanderbilt were among the initial NSHOF inductees and that another inductee, Charlie Barr, is the great uncle of one of its current members. The support that the NSHOF will give to sailing through it educational programs and its preservation of yachting history indicates that it will have a critical role in yachting’s future. It deserves the broad support of the yachting community.”

Phil Smith, Commodore

In 1870, twelve Boston gentlemen organized themselves as the Eastern Yacht Club, a club dedicated to the promotion of yachting. Within one month, they had enrolled 110 members with 23 yachts. The Clubhouse on Marblehead Neck was completed in 1881.

From the beginning, the Club became a leader in yacht racing with Puritan, Mayflower, and Volunteer, all flying Eastern colors, successfully defeating their British challengers in the America’s Cup in 1885, 1886, and 1887, respectively. The Eastern has hosted a multitude of local, national, and international sailing events from the Sonder class regattas that preceded WWI to the competitive one-design and PHRF races of today, including the Etchells Worlds, Star Worlds, IOD Worlds, Olympic Class Regattas, Viper 640 North Americans, Sonar North Americans, Shields Nationals, and the Soling North Americans, a preliminary race for the ’96 Olympics. In 1994 the club received the coveted St. Petersburg Trophy, awarded for the Race Committee’s outstanding management of the Star North Americans.

A visit to the Eastern is a walk through yachting history, from the glorious days of the huge racing yachts to the present-day streamlined one-designs. Nearly 130 years of yachting history resides here. Throughout the Clubhouse, you can find trophies and medals marking the Club’s illustrious history.

Video: A Contemporary History of Eastern Yacht Club

Bonus Interviews: Favorite Childhood Sailing Memories from the Eastern Yacht Club

Bonus Interviews: Favorite Sailing Memories from the Eastern Yacht Club

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Marblehead – Yacht Clubing

A visit to Marblehead’s sailing society

With more boats per capita than anywhere on the planet, Marblehead has long been known as “the sailing capital of the world.”

For those who wish to join the sailing set, Marblehead has a variety of clubs to choose from.

Two of the town’s clubs are found on Marblehead Neck, an exclusive community separated by the mainland by a long causeway that is perfect for jogging or biking.

Founded in 1885, the Corinthian Yacht Club on Nahant Street ( www.corinthianyc.org ) offers a beautiful clubhouse as well as swimming and tennis facilities.

“There’s many things yacht clubs can offer,” says Dave Titus, Corinthian’s clubhouse general manager, “but the view of the harbor we have here is spectacular!”

In addition to their frequent social events and tennis tournaments, Corinthian also hosts special yachting events, including the Trans-At Challenge in September, which brings a squadron of 60-foot boats from as far away as England.

“They’re quite a [thing] to view,” Titus says.

At present, Corinthian has 520 members.

“We have an extremely active membership, which is happy with what the club offers them,” says Titus. “It’s a very friendly community.”

According to membership committee member Jack Frankel, however, the club doesn’t take unsolicited applications.

“It’s a private club and new members are sponsored in a multiyear process,” he says.

Nearby on Foster Street is the Eastern Yacht Club ( www.easternyc.org ) with its six tennis courts and pool.

According to club lore, EYC was started in 1870 by “12 hardy men.” Its halls are packed with trophies, including one that was once carried on the flagship of famed British sailor Admiral Nelson! No wonder, then, that the Eastern has often been chosen to host Olympic sailing trials and many vanguard regattas.

“We consider ourselves a yacht club and try to encourage it at all levels,” says a member who wished to remain anonymous (the Eastern places a premium on privacy).

Across the harbor are the Boston, Dolphin, and Marblehead yacht clubs.

Organized in 1866, the Boston Yacht Club ( www.bostonyachtclub.net ) offers a dining room and bar, commodore’s lounge, and other facilities. And as it is located on Front Street, which runs along the harbor, the BYC also offers an amenity that the Neck clubs don’t.

“You can get dropped off here and walk around downtown Marblehead,” says general manager Mark McMahon, citing his club’s proximity to mainland shops and restaurants.

According to membership chair Martha Quigley, the BYC also requires sponsorship for new members. Even so, McMahon noted, around 20 slots tend to open at the end of each sailing season.

Though it may be difficult for people to gain immediate entrance to some clubs, there are other ways to get into the sailing scene. Among these are getting started early as a member of Marblehead’s youth yacht club, Pleon ( www.pleon.org ), or taking memberships at clubs that do not require sponsorship, meeting others at multi-club events (such as Marblehead’s world-famous Race Week) and then having them sponsor you down the road.

Though the 55-year-old Dolphin Yacht Club on Allerton Place ( www.dolphinyachtclub.com ) has no tennis courts or pool, the view of the harbor is beautiful, the kids’ room is a great place for younger sailors to hang out, and the food (provided by Sylvan Street Grill) is rather tasty. As for membership, it is inexpensive and does not require sponsorship.

“You don’t need to wait 10 years to get in,” says commodore/treasurer Patti Cohen of the club that, for many years, was the only place for Jewish sailors to congregate. And, as the club’s website states, “We are actively seeking new members!”

One caveat: If you want a full boating membership, you need to have a mooring in Marblehead Harbor. There are 1,400 of these and the waiting list is about 15 years. However, you can still be an out-of-harbor member for $350 or a social member for $225. The Dolphin also offers a kayaking membership for small-craft fans.

Lastly we come to the club that takes its name from its hometown. Built in 1878, the Marblehead Yacht Club on Cliff Street ( www.marbleheadyc.org ) is the most down-home of all.

“This is by far the most inexpensive club,” says club manager Steve Karger, who has been a member for 25 years.

With food service Friday through Sunday (the MYC is BYOB), the club offers its 356 members three launches that cover 60 percent of the harbor and a fleet of rowboats you can take to your yacht.

“We’re the mirror image of the Corinthian,” Karger says, pointing across the harbor, “only in this way.”

In philosophy, the club mirrors the Dolphin more closely, as it was the first place Irish-Catholic sailors could join. In 1935, the MYC instituted a policy requiring that  “anybody joining be considered as an individual, not part of a group.”

These days, however, the only “group” that most members want to be counted among is Marblehead’s large group of sailors.

So whether you want cotillions and pool parties or just a way to get to your boat, join the club!

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A Decade of Persistence Lifts Eastern Yacht Club to First Morgan Cup Win

For the second straight summer, a team from Marblehead, Mass., has become a first-time winner of the prestigious Morgan Cup. Earlier today, Eastern Yacht Club claimed the trophy, following up on the win last summer by neighboring Corinthian Yacht Club. The two clubs are just a stone’s throw apart on Marblehead Neck. Corinthian Yacht Club finished second, with St. Francis Yacht Club of San Francisco third and New York Yacht Club-Levesque rounding out the top four.

As was the case last year, the win by Eastern is the result of a lot of hard work and a steady progression up the ranks of keelboat team racing.

“A decade ago Eastern wasn’t doing any team racing,” says Clinton Hayes, the team captain for Eastern Yacht Club. “I remember when we got our first invite to the Morgan, and we finished last, then third to last. We just put a lot of effort into this event. New York Yacht Club putting in all the effort to make this such a world-class event makes all of us sailors try so hard and show up year after year.”

The New York Yacht Club helped usher in a new era of adult team racing with the creation of the New York Yacht Club Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Commodore George R. Hinman Masters Trophy in 2000. That race, which requires skippers to be at least 45 years of age and crew to be over 40, was soon followed by the New York Yacht Club Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Morgan Cup, an all-ages event, in 2003 and, in 2010, the New York Yacht Club Grandmasters Team Race Regatta, which mandates skippers be at least 60 years of age and crew at least 50. The three team races are traditionally held over consecutive weekends in August at the New York Yacht Club Harbour Court, using the Club’s fleet of 22 Sonar keelboats, and annually attract some of the best adult team racers in the United States and Europe.

While the race committee ran just shy of 100 races over the three days of the Morgan Cup, it wasn’t easy. Light and fickle winds made Day 1 of the regatta quite difficult as the race committee had to keep adjusting the course, and the competitors tried to maintain focus through lengthy delays.

“The first day was a really long day with a long delay,” says Hayes. “Everyone got off the water, and we were totally burnt. The sun and the waiting around makes it really challenging.”

Nonetheless, Eastern Yacht Club finished Day 1 with seven wins against a single loss.

“A big thing was just avoiding mistakes,” says Hayes. “In light air people tend to over team race, a lot of people just get passed. So we were focused on passing other boats, sailing our boats really well, really fast, especially on the downwinds, and avoiding those stupid, unforced errors.”

More consistent sailing on Day 2 and early on Day 3 put Eastern into a strong position after two complete round-robins, with 14 wins, from 18 races, and a two-point advantage over the three teams tied for second. With the typical Newport seabreeze finally filling in, those four teams did a single, gold-fleet round robin to close out the regatta.

Corinthian beat Eastern in the opening race of the Gold Round Robin to reduce Eastern’s lead to just a single point. And since Corinthian had beaten Eastern each of the three times the two teams had sailed against one another—and therefore controlled the tie-breaker—there was effectively no margin for error.

“We knew it was close,” says Hayes of the standings heading into the final races. “We didn’t look at the exact scores, we just assumed we needed to win a majority of the races in the [Gold Fleet Round Robin]. All three races were barn burners, really tight. We were lucky to come away with two out of three.”

Many of the competitors in the Morgan Cup will return on Friday for the Hinman Trophy, for which skippers must be over 45 and crews over 40. The Grandmasters Team Race—skippers 60 or older and crews 50 or older—will take place August 26 to 28.

New York Yacht Club Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Morgan Cup Newport, R.I., August 12 to 14 Final Results (Click  here  for race-by-race results)

Storm Clouds Abroad Have Gas Prices on Edge

1. Eastern Yacht Club, Marblehead, Mass., 16 points; 2. Corinthian Yacht Club, Marblehead, Mass., 15 points; 3. St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, Calif., 13 points; 4. New York (N.Y.) Yacht Club—Levesque, 12 points; 5. Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Newport Beach, Calif., 10 points; 6. New York (N.Y.) Yacht Club—Potts, 9 points; 7. Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, 8 points; 8. San Diego (Calif.) Yacht Club, 7 points; 9. Larchmont (N.Y.) Yacht Club, 3 points; 10. Bristol (R.I.) Yacht Club, 3 points.

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Marblehead Museum

March 2, 2020 by MMEdits

“The Last of the Gloucestermen,” presented by Schooner Adventure’s Captain Stefan Edick

Sponsored by the Eastern Yacht Club and the Marblehead Museum

Thursday, April 2nd, 7pm, at the Eastern Yacht Club, 47 Foster Street, Marblehead

Captain Stefan Edick, Executive Director of the National Historic Landmark schooner Adventure , will speak about the three careers of this extraordinary vessel. The last of the great dory-fishing schooners and the port’s all-time Highliner, Adventure was saved from the scrapyard by being converted to service as a windjammer in Maine, where she became the “Queen of the Fleet” in the Penobscot Bay. Donated back to Gloucester, she has been restored by a non-profit organization to serve as an icon of Gloucester’s fisheries history and now sails as a platform for youth education and living history programs. Captain Edick will also show the 12-minute film, “ Adventure : History Reborn.”

Tickets: $10 Museum and EYC members; $15 non members.  Purchase Tickets HERE

Captain Stefan Edick, Executive Director,  Schooner Adventure

Captain Stefan Edick is the Executive Director of the National Historic Landmark schooner Adventure. A lifelong sailor, he was first introduced to tall ships as a volunteer in 1992 and turned it into a career not long afterward.

He has held command of a dozen traditional vessels, including the schooners  William H. Albury, Lettie G. Howard,  Westward, Spirit of Massachusetts, Harvey Gamage, Amistad, Virginia,   Lynx , and Adventure . In addition, he has served as an officer in the Class A Tall Ships Sorlandet , Roald Amundsen , and Gazela . All told, Captain Edick has sailed over 150,000 nautical miles to twenty five countries on four continents.

Stefan has devoted his career to programs of education under sail, and has worked for the Ocean Classroom Foundation, the Virginia Maritime Heritage Foundation, the Lynx Educational Foundation, Class Afloat, and the South Street Seaport Museum. In addition to serving as Captain, he has held positions as Program Coordinator, Operations Director, and Instructor in Navigation and Seamanship.

Capt. Edick was awarded the Tall Ships America Sail Training Program of the Year in 2002 for work with youth in the schooner Lettie G. Howard.  In 2016, he was awarded the George Nichols Cup for outstanding seamanship and contributions to Gloucester’s waterfront.  He is a past Commodore of the American Schooner Association, a member of the City of Gloucester’s Mariners Medal Committee, and a Trustee of the Awesome Gloucester Foundation.

Marblehead Museum’s lecture series is generously sponsored by

Published on August 6th, 2023 | by Editor

Eastern Yacht Club wins Morgan Cup

Published on August 6th, 2023 by Editor -->

Eastern Yacht Club (Marblehead, MA) defeated Newport Harbor Yacht Club (Newport Beach, CA) to win the 2023 New York Yacht Club Invitational Team Race Regatta for the Morgan Cup, an all-ages event on August 4-6 in Newport, RI. Ten club teams competed in Sonar keelboats, but the path toward Eastern’s second straight win in the event was almost the exact opposite of its inaugural win last year.

“Last year, I felt like we were rolling,” says team captain Clinton Hayes. “We were winning after the first round-robin, winning after the second round-robin, had a few race lead. We lost a few on the final dayand just barely squeaked in.

“This year was different. We struggled a little bit [at first]. Last year, we had maybe two red [penalty] flags through the event, this year we had 12. It was a much more challenging regatta for us, thankfully they did a knock-out format this year.”

Eastern Yacht Club won a respectable six of nine matches in Friday’s round-robin, then went 1-3 in a secondary round-robin on Saturday among the top five teams. But that was enough to earn a spot in the knock-out tournament, where Eastern Yacht Club beat New York Yacht Club-Shanahan in the quarterfinals and Corinthian Yacht Club in the semis before dispatching Newport Harbor Yacht Club 2-0 in the finals to claim the trophy.

“The quarters and the semis went to the final race,” says Hayes. “It was totally crazy against New York and Corinthian, but we were able to barely squeak through. It was a dominant finals, but the semis and quarters were completely insane.”

With one exception, the 13 sailors that suited up for Eastern were the same that did so a year ago. And the one new addition, Hannah Lynn, sailed last year in the Morgan for the host club. That sort of consistency is rare in adult team racing, and valuable.

“One of the biggest things is we didn’t have to work on our boat handling too much,” says Hayes. “When we did do some practice before the event, we were able to focus on the team-racing aspect, we didn’t have to practice jibes.”

The racing on the final day, in the knock-out portion of the regatta, was particularly frenetic. No match more so than in the semifinal duel between Eastern and Corinthian, two storied yacht clubs separated by a few hundred feet of rocky shoreline on Marblehead Neck, north of Boston.

The two clubs regularly spar on Marblehead Harbor, but this best-of-three match was a notch or two above a weeknight practice. Corinthian won the Morgan Cup in 2021—when Eastern finished second—and took second last year.

“We race against them a lot, but not in this Morgan configuration, when everyone has their best people,” says Hayes. “The Morgan is sort of our Marblehead Super Bowl.”

Winning the Morgan Cup is a significant point of pride for any club. But Hayes says there may also be a tangible benefit to taking home the trophy, which was initially presented a century ago to Commodore J.P. Morgan to honor his service to the New York Yacht Club.

“Eastern Yacht Club has committed to team racing for many years,” says Hayes. “We’ve been talking about replacing our Sonar fleet. We’ve certainly watched the New York Yacht Club amass the Sonar fleet it has, and we’re deciding whether to do that too. This certainly will help.”

Details: https://nyyc.org/2023-morgan-cup

Winning team : Alex Cook (skipper), Bill Lynn, Kate Barrows, Peter Lynn; Clinton Hayes (skipper, team captain), Spencer Powers, Mike Kanare, Paula Grasberger; David Thompson (skipper), Hannah Lynn, Lily Litchenstein, Eliza Garry, Sam Rodiger

The New York Yacht Club’s team racing schedule continues with the Hinman Masters Trophy on August 11-13. Skippers must be at least 45 years of age and the crews must be at least 40. The Grandmasters Team Race will take place August 18-20; skippers must be at least 60 years of age and crew at least 50.

Source: NYYC

Tags: Eastern Yacht Club , Morgan Cup

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Application information.

We welcome your interest in the Eastern Yacht Club, Inc. Applicants must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older and a citizen of the U.S.A. Two signatures of EYC “A” members in good standing are required. All fees must accompany this application.

Membership Chairperson:  Brian O’Neill  410-977-1505    BOneill@baldwinvalleygroup. com

Should you be rejected by the Board of Governors all fees except the initiation fee will be promptly refunded. In the case of a rejection, no reason shall be given and the decision of the Board of Governors is final.

We look forward to having you as a member of Eastern Yacht Club.

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2330 Seneca Rd. Essex, MD 21221

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