A yacht club is a boat club specifically related to yachting .
52-634: The Royal Yacht Squadron ( RYS ) is a British yacht club . Its clubhouse is Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. Member yachts are given the suffix RYS to their names, and are permitted (with the appropriate warrant) to wear the White Ensign of the Royal Navy rather than the merchant Red Ensign worn by the majority of other UK registered vessels. The club's patron
104-604: A Mohican -class sloop-of-war , is best known for her defeat of the Confederate commerce raider CSS Alabama off Cherbourg , France during the American Civil War . Kearsarge was built at Portsmouth Navy Yard in Kittery, Maine , under the 1861 American Civil War emergency shipbuilding program. The new 1,550-long-ton (1,570 t) steam sloop-of-war was launched on 11 September 1861; she
156-541: A commercial basis. They may be owned by individuals or a company to provide a service and generate a profit. Often they are associated with a particular marina or port . Objectives are usually broadly similar to members clubs, but the social side may be more dominant. There is a long historical tradition behind yacht clubs. According to the date of establishment, the Neva Yacht Club , founded in 1718 in Russia ,
208-725: A few clubs in the United Kingdom the Admiral , which is one rank above the Commodore, is the senior officer. Each of these ranks has specific responsibilities to ensure the smooth sailing of the club. Members of yacht clubs typically gather at a clubhouse or shore station which may also have docks. The oldest yacht club in the world without a clubhouse is Sheldrake Yacht Club (Mamaroneck, New York) . The traditions and prestige normally associated with yacht clubs have to some extent been subverted or appropriated unofficially by groups and businesses calling themselves "yacht clubs". For example,
260-697: A fix' (tune). "Come listen to my ditty, and a song to you I'll sing..." Another naval connection is that the Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. To enable the application of naval discipline on board a civilian ship, he registered the Terra Nova RYS as a yacht of the squadron and sailed under the White Ensign on his second and final expedition to Antarctica in 1910. In August 2013,
312-400: A membership composed of yacht owners, including motorboats . This type of club often was extremely exclusive, attracting the aristocracy or the high class and leaving small boat owners out of the circle. On the other hand, a Sailing Club tended to focus on a membership composed exclusively of owners of sailboats , including smaller boats such as dinghies . These became very popular towards
364-630: A nautical or water-oriented theme. Tonkin Gulf Yacht Club was the unofficial name for the United States Seventh Fleet during the Vietnam War . In this case the term "yacht club" was appropriated with humorous intentions . The Seventh Fleet's nickname became very popular among its members at the time. The oldest yacht clubs are: The oldest yacht clubs are: USS Kearsarge (1861) USS Kearsarge ,
416-744: A number of yacht clubs enter into agreements with schools to provide dock space and practice facilities for the school teams year-round. Clubs with active adult sailing programs most often feature junior sailing programs as well. Most often these programs enroll children from ages 8 to 16. Children most often learn to sail in the optimist (dinghy) and then progress to a larger single handed dinghy such as starling or laser dinghy or two handed such as 420 (dinghy) . These junior sailing programs often also teach children rowing , kayaking , general seamanship and navigation . Children are also taught how to race competitively from an early age and most clubs host junior sailing regattas each season. Members belonging to
468-409: A perimeter reserved for the exclusive use of the members of the club as well as a clubhouse with attached bar , café or restaurant where members socialize in a pleasant and informal setting. Although the terms Yacht Club and Sailing Club tend to be synonymous, some general differences regarding the recreational use of boats can be broadly outlined. Historically a Yacht Club tended to focus on
520-524: A regular weekday evening racing schedule or a weekend racing schedule organized by the membership. Many yacht clubs field teams to compete against other clubs in team racing . There are also some specific boat models and lengths which have their own club. These boat ownership clubs often hold single design races for their members. With the growth of sailing at secondary schools and universities many yacht clubs host Interscholastic Sailing Association or Intercollegiate Sailing Association regattas. Additionally,
572-642: A salvage team of the Boston Towboat Company found that she could not be refloated. Some artifacts were saved from the ship, including the ship's Bible. The salvaged items, along with a damaged section of her stern post with an unexploded shell from CSS Alabama still embedded in it, are now stored or on display at the Washington Navy Yard . According to the US Naval Academy Museum, after the battle with Alabama
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#1732772981366624-446: A sinking wreck by Kearsarge ' s more accurate gunnery, and by its powerful 11 in (280 mm) Dahlgren smoothbore pivot guns . Alabama went down by the stern shortly after Semmes struck his colors , threw his sword into the sea to avoid its capture, and sent one of his two remaining longboats to Kearsarge with a message of surrender, and a rescue appeal for his surviving crew. Kearsarge finally sent ship's boats for
676-434: A yacht club or sailing organization may fly their club's unique flag (usually triangular), called a burgee , both while under way and at anchor (however, not while racing). Traditionally, the burgee was flown from the main masthead; however, it may also be flown from a small pole on the bow pulpit, or on the starboard rigging beneath the lowest starboard spreader on a flag halyard. Some traditional clubs have also been granted
728-590: Is attacked by a submerged vessel and run aground, causing her wreck. Harry Turtledove , American alternate history novelist, wrote the 1992 novel The Guns of the South in which time-traveling South African white nationalists successfully re-arm the Confederate States Army with AK-47 assault rifles in early 1864, thus enabling the Confederacy to rout Union forces in every land campaign of
780-685: Is the oldest yacht club. However, since this Russian Yacht Club was established by a decree of Tsar Peter the Great , it does not fully qualify as a proper club in the modern sense, understood as a voluntary association of members who organize and run the club. Therefore, the Royal Cork Yacht Club founded in Ireland in 1720 is also widely acknowledged as the oldest yacht club in the world, despite having gone through periods of dormancy and undergone name changes in its long history, much in
832-516: Is up to the members decide on the objectives of the club to satisfy the membership and to attract other like-minded individuals. For example, some clubs include owners of powerboats , while others specifically exclude them. In order to overcome difficulties concerning the affinities of their members one particular club may have two sections, a sailing section and a powerboat section. Members Clubs often have paid staff for catering, bar duty, boat yard duty, accounts, office etc. Control and organization of
884-789: The America's Cup . The victory was witnessed by Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales, later commodore of the club and Edward VII . The site is also used as the start of the Round the Island Race which occurs annually. During the American Civil War Deerhound RYS witnessed the fight between USS Kearsarge and the Confederate cruiser CSS Alabama . Gazelle RYS rescued the Empress Eugenie at
936-636: The Brooklyn Bridge on 24 May 1883. She departed New York on 21 August 1883 to cruise for three years in the Mediterranean, then Northern European waters, and finally along the west coast of Africa. She returned to Portsmouth on 12 November and was decommissioned in the Portsmouth Navy Yard on 1 December 1886. Kearsarge was recommissioned on 2 November 1888 and largely spent her remaining years protecting American interests in
988-638: The Mare Island Navy Yard on 11 October 1870. Kearsarge was recommissioned on 8 December 1873 and departed on 4 March 1874 for Yokohama , Japan, arriving there on 11 May. She cruised on Asiatic Station for three years, protecting American citizens and commerce in China, Japan, and the Philippines . From 4 September to 13 December, she carried Professor Asaph Hall 's scientific party from Nagasaki, Japan , to Vladivostok, Russia , to observe
1040-756: The Mediterranean Sea and the English Channel south to Monrovia , Liberia, Kearsarge was decommissioned on 14 August 1866 in the Boston Navy Yard . Kearsarge was recommissioned on 16 January 1868 and sailed on 12 February to serve in the South Pacific, operating out of Valparaíso , Chile. On 22 August, she landed provisions for destitute earthquake victims in Peru . She continued to watch over American commercial interests along
1092-671: The West Indies , off Venezuela , and along the Central Americas. In October 1889 she carried famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass to Haiti, where Douglass was to be minister and consul general. On President Harrison's orders, she sailed to Navassa Island in 1891 to investigate labor conditions there. She departed Haiti on 20 January 1894 for Bluefields, Nicaragua , but she wrecked on a reef off Roncador Cay on 2 February. Her officers and crew made it safely ashore. Congress appropriated $ 45,000 to tow Kearsarge home, but
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#17327729813661144-647: The transit of Venus . She departed Nagasaki on 3 September 1877, and via the Suez Canal , she visited Mediterranean ports before returning to Boston on 30 December. She was decommissioned at Portsmouth, New Hampshire on 15 January 1878. Kearsarge was recommissioned on 15 May 1879 for four years of duty in the North Atlantic ranging from Newfoundland to the Caribbean Sea and the coast of Panama . The warship took part in dedication ceremonies for
1196-753: The "Gowanus Yacht Club" is a beer garden restaurant in Brooklyn , NY, the Van Buren Yacht Club is a bar and hotel in Maine, the "Crystal Bay Yacht Club" is a beach resort in Ko Samui , Thailand and "The Eagle Rock Yacht Club" is a non-profit dodgeball league in Glassell Park, Los Angeles . These so-called "yacht clubs" don't necessarily involve sailing on private yachts of members as their main purpose or activity, but often outwardly maintain
1248-623: The French coast in an unsuccessful search for the commerce raider CSS Florida , then proceeded to the Caribbean before turning northward for Boston, Massachusetts , where she was decommissioned for repairs on 26 November. She was recommissioned four months later on 1 April 1865 and sailed for the coast of Spain on 14 April in an attempt to intercept CSS Stonewall . The Confederate ram eluded Federal warships and surrendered to Spanish authorities at Havana , Cuba on 19 May. After cruising
1300-666: The Prince Regent became George IV , it was renamed the Royal Yacht Club . The club started organising racing as a principal feature of the annual regatta, which is now known as Cowes Week . In 1833, William IV renamed the club The Royal Yacht Squadron . Its association with the Royal Navy began early and Nelson's captain at Trafalgar , Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy , headed the list of naval members. The spirit of invention led to yachts "of such celerity in sailing and beauty of construction" that they were of utility to
1352-523: The Royal Navy. In 1829, the Admiralty issued a warrant to wear what is now the navy's White Ensign . The burgee (a triangular shaped flag identifying yacht club membership) is differenced with a St George's Cross and crown on a white background. In 1851, one of the "forred" hands, on board the yacht America concerning the first sailing of the America's Cup , 1851 wrote 'The Royal Yacht Club—In
1404-653: The Thatched House Tavern in St James's, London as The Yacht Club by 42 gentlemen interested in sea yachting, the original members decided to meet in London and in Cowes twice a year, to discuss yachting over dinner.Membership was restricted to those who owned a vessel not under 10 tons. The Earl of Yarborough , later first commodore of the club, welcomed the Prince Regent as a member in 1817. In 1820, when
1456-962: The United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, and the United States. The first yacht club in North America was the Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron , located on the Northwest Arm in Halifax, Nova Scotia , Canada established in July 1837. Some yacht clubs are affiliated with an international body, the International Council of Yacht Clubs , which exists to improve the quality of the services yacht clubs provide to their members as well as to promote environmental awareness and responsibility towards
1508-417: The castle to retain its 'country house' ambience. Yacht club Yacht clubs are mostly located by the sea , although there some that have been established at a lake or riverside locations. Yacht or sailing clubs have either a marina or a delimited section of the beach or shoreline with buoys marking the areas off-limits for swimmers as well as safe offshore anchorages. On shore they also include
1560-428: The club is done for the membership via members elected by the membership into roles such as Sailing Secretary, Commodore, Cruising Captain, Racing Captain etc. Smaller clubs typically have a condition of membership which requires active participation of the membership in activities such as maintenance of club facilities and equipment. Unlike the classical clubs where the membership is the focus, certain 'clubs' are run on
1612-691: The coast of South America until 17 April 1869. Then she sailed to watch over American interests among the Marquesas , Society Islands , Navigators Islands , and Fiji Islands . She also called at ports in New South Wales and New Zealand before returning to Callao, Peru on 31 October. She resumed duties on the South Pacific Station until 21 July 1870, then cruised to the Hawaiian Islands before being decommissioned in
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1664-733: The connection with the sea and hence the navy, the various posts use naval terminology. For example, the chairman/CEO is the Commodore . Usually, under the Commodore there are also the Vice Commodore (in charge of land-based activities) and the Rear Commodore (in charge of water-based activities); for clubs in the United States they might in turn be assisted by the Port Captain and the Fleet Captain respectively. In
1716-636: The end of the Franco-Prussian War and the squadron yachts supplied British soldiers in the Crimean War . The German Kaiser brought the 1887 America's Cup challenger Thistle to Cowes in 1892, which encouraged the Prince of Wales to build the royal cutter yacht Britannia , one of the most successful racing yachts of all time. The Pavilion, designed by the architect Thomas Croft, was opened in 2000. This building provides on shore facilities for yachtsmen and their families while allowing
1768-623: The end of the 19th century when small boats began to be produced on an industrial scale. Yacht clubs are often known by their initials (e.g. New York Yacht Club abbreviated as NYYC and Kingston Yacht Club abbreviated as KYC). Many well known yacht clubs, including the Yacht Club de France , the Yacht Club Italiano and the Royal Yacht Squadron , have been established under royal patronage or have been granted
1820-547: The environment. The Kieler Yacht-Club in Northern Germany organizes the yearly Kiel Week , the second-biggest sailing event in the world, that is celebrated since 1882. Kiel Week was an attempt to imitate the much older and larger Cowes Week , long-admired by Wilhelm II . Most clubs, regardless of the size of their craft, have a well defined racing program. Clubs may host regattas ranging from informal local events to national championships. Often clubs have
1872-478: The hull planking underneath, and by a second shell of the same warhead -rating exploded, breaking a link of the chain, and tearing away a portion of the deal-board covering. Even if the shells had been delivered by Alabama ' s more powerful 100-pounder Blakely pivot rifle, the impacts were more than 5 ft (1.5 m) above the waterline and would therefore have missed her vital machinery. One hour after she fired her first salvo, Alabama had been reduced to
1924-740: The majority of Alabama ' s survivors, but Semmes and 41 others were instead rescued by the nearby British yacht Deerhound , and escaped to the United Kingdom . The battle between Kearsarge and Alabama is commemorated by the United States Navy with a battle star on the Civil War campaign streamer. In addition, 17 of Kearsarge ' s crew received the Medal of Honor for valor during this action: The medals were awarded on 31 December 1864. Kearsarge then sailed along
1976-566: The members of Royal Yacht Squadron voted to allow full membership to women, which had been restricted since its foundation. In 1851, the club's commodore, visiting the Great Exhibition , issued a challenge for the squadron's £100 Cup for a race around the island. The New York City–based America , representing the New York Yacht Club , triumphed in this race, giving its name to one of the oldest and best-known trophies:
2028-641: The newly-built British sloop Enrica as CSS Alabama . From there, Alabama went on to become one of the most successful commerce raiders in naval history. From Cádiz in November of 1862 until March 1863 Kearsarge prepared for her engagement with Alabama . She searched for the raider, ranging along the coast of Northern Europe all the way to the Canaries , Madeira , and the Outer Hebrides . In early May 1864, she ran aground near Oostende. She
2080-533: The quality of her long-stored (and deteriorated) powder, fuses, and shells. Unknown at the time to Captain Semmes aboard the Confederate raider, Kearsarge had been given added protection for her vital machinery, by chain cable, mounted in three separate vertical tiers, along the port and starboard of her midsection. This hull armor had been installed more than a year before (in just three days), while Kearsarge
2132-520: The right to fly a special yacht ensign at the stern. At traditional clubs the burgee and the ensign is hoisted at 08:00 each morning and lowered each evening at sunset. This ceremony is called colors . Traditionally, the first time a member of one club visits another, there is an exchange of burgees. Exchanged burgees are often displayed on the premises of clubs, such as at their clubhouse or bar. Yacht clubs are organized like any other club or organisation with committees, chairman, directors, etc. Due to
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2184-702: The same manner as the Neva Yacht Club. It was only in 1846 that the first yacht club in Russia to adopt British-style Members Club regulations was established. Using this Western understanding of what a club or society is, the Royal Swedish Yacht Club , KSSS, founded 1830, becomes the oldest European yacht club outside the British Isles , and the fifth oldest in the world. A number of the world's most renowned Yacht Clubs are located in
2236-416: The shell was removed and the stern post was replaced. Kearsarge was struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1894. Liverpool writer Jimmy McGovern 's 2007 play, King Cotton , culminates with the battle between Kearsarge and Alabama . It premiered at The Lowry . Clive Cussler , an American adventure novelist and marine archaeologist, wrote the 2001 novel Valhalla Rising , in which Kearsarge
2288-424: The ship. Kearsarge departed Portsmouth, New Hampshire on 5 February 1862 for the coast of Spain . She then sailed to Gibraltar to join the blockade of Confederate raider CSS Sumter , forcing the ship's abandonment there in December 1862. However, Sumter ' s captain, Raphael Semmes , having returned to England for reassignment, was soon recommissioning off the Azores , in international waters,
2340-488: The sloop-of-war clear of territorial waters , then turned to meet the Confederate cruiser. Alabama was the first to open fire, while Kearsarge held her reply until she had closed to less than 1,000 yd (910 m). Steaming on opposite courses, the ships moved in seven spiraling circles on a southwesterly course, as each commander tried to cross his opponent's bow to deliver deadly raking fire . The battle quickly turned against Alabama , due to her poor gunnery and to
2392-421: The title at some point in their history. Organized and run by the membership, Yacht Clubs became a place to promote the sport of sailboat racing and cruising , as well as provide a meeting place for the particular social community. The membership is a mixture of people with specific recreational affinities, and the members often include those who sail as crew for cruising or racing, as well as boat owners. Also it
2444-418: The upper hull ' s color. This chain cladding was placed along Kearsarge ' s port and starboard midsection down to her waterline, for protection of her engines and boilers, when the upper portions of the cruiser's coal bunkers were empty. This armor belt was hit twice during the fight: first, in the starboard gangway by one of Alabama ' s 32-pounder shells, which cut the chain armor , denting
2496-404: The year. When Washington is captured by the Army of Northern Virginia , Abraham Lincoln reluctantly concedes the Confederacy's independence. The war is implied to end in mid-June, as USS Kearsarge is mentioned as having been waiting for CSS Alabama to emerge from the French port city of Cherbourg when word of the war's end reached Europe. In this alternate scenario, the USS Kearsarge never met
2548-405: Was Queen Elizabeth II . The Royal Yacht Squadron entered the 2021 America's Cup in Auckland , New Zealand , with the Ineos Team UK syndicate led by Sir Ben Ainslie , but did not win. In March 2021, an entity associated with the RYS, called Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd, was officially accepted as the Challenger of Record for the 37th America's Cup competition. Founded on 1 June 1815 in
2600-415: Was in port at the Azores . It was made using 720 ft (220 m) of 1.7 in (43 mm) single-link iron chain, and covered hull spaces 49 ft 6 in (15.09 m) long by 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) deep. This was stopped up and down in three layers to eye-bolts with marlines , and secured by iron dogs , then concealed behind 1 in (25 mm) deal-boards, painted black to match
2652-417: Was sponsored by Mrs. McFarland, the wife of the editor of the Concord Statement , and was commissioned on 24 January 1862, with Captain Charles W. Pickering in command. Soon after, she was hunting for Confederate raiders in European waters. Kearsarge was the only ship of the United States Navy named for Mount Kearsarge in New Hampshire . Subsequent ships were later named Kearsarge in honor of
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#17327729813662704-560: Was then repaired in the dry dock of Vlissingen , Netherlands until 10 May. On 14 June 1864, Kearsarge arrived at Cherbourg and found Alabama in port. The raider had returned there for much needed repairs after a very long, multiple ocean cruise at the expense of 65 Union merchant ships. Kearsarge took up station at the harbor's entrance to await Semmes' next move. On 19 June, Alabama stood out of Cherbourg Harbor for her last action. Mindful of French neutrality, Kearsarge ' s new commanding officer, Capt. John A. Winslow , took
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