Beverly Yacht Club

   

Linda Goodwin, Commodore

On behalf of the Beverly Yacht Club and its members, welcome to the 2005 Marion-Bermuda Race. In 1975, the concept for this race came from one of our long-time members, David Kingery. The first race was held in June of 1977 with 104 boats participating.

BYC was established in 1872 by Walter Burgess in Beverly, Massachusetts as a club for racing smaller boats not recognized in the Eastern Yacht Club racing program. For more than 20 years the yacht club had no home but ran races in waters that were convenient for its members from Marblehead to Quisset. In August of 1880 the Beverly group organized the first regatta held at Monument Beach where they had come to enjoy the spirited winds of Buzzards Bay. The club finally settled down in 1895 by leasing a house on Wings Neck which it then purchased four years later.

In 1912 Beverly Yacht Club purchased land on Butler's Point, incorporated itself a year later and in the spring began construction on a pier and clubhouse. Since 1913 the club has had to relocate several times due to the ravages of hurricanes. In 1955 it purchased the Register house at 99 Water Street in Marion. This marks our 50th year at this location and a "Jubilee" celebration is scheduled for July 30.

Beverly enjoys a full racing schedule, June 1st to Labor Day and more. Racing consists of series races for PHRF, Shields, J-105s, J-24s, J-22s, Bullseyes, Herreshoff 12 Footers, and Lasers. Spring Laser Frostbite began April 10. There are many special trophy races as well for cruising class and one-designs. Beverly Yacht Club is one of the sponsors of the Buzzards Bay Regatta, an event which brings together both cruising and one-design boats and has grown to attract about 400 boats each year. The BYC Cruising contingency is extremely active and enthusiastic. Upwards of 30-60 cruising boats are known to take part in BYC's cruising activities. Visiting Yacht Clubs such as, Eastern, Hyannis, Edgartown and Boston are scheduled to come ashore at BYC this summer. There is an active Ladies Sailing Program with H-12s, Bullseyes and J-22s. The Women's Keel Boat Racing Program has become a popular weekly event. The Junior Program is also a very important function of the Club, involving 75 to 100 youngsters who are introduced to sailing and racing in fleets of Optimists and 420's. BYC is proud to be hosting this year's Club 420 North Americans.

The purpose of the Beverly Yacht Club is to promote yachting and good fellowship. I believe this also depicts our purpose, involvement and commitment with the Marion-Bermuda Race as well. As this year's Commodore, I personally wish to extend a warm welcome to you and good luck to all!

Blue Water Sailing Club

   

Mike Gardner, Commodore

The Blue Water Sailing Club is pleased to welcome you to the Marion to Bermuda Cruising Yacht Race for 2005. This is the premier cruising yacht event in the North East and we are both proud and fortunate to be one of the co-founders of this yachting classic.

Founded in 1959, the BWSC pursues safe boating, cruising, racing, and good fellowship among sailors all year round. The club has no permanent clubhouse or dock, but is more active than most yacht clubs, sponsoring a wealth of events all year. Currently, our membership includes more than 200 boats from Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New York, Connecticut, Chesapeake Bay and Florida. Volunteerism is the lifeblood of our organization as all of our events are run by our members.

Our educational programs are far-ranging and well-attended. Recent seminars include:

• Electronics
• Medical emergencies at sea
• Offshore cruising
• Provisioning
• Couples cruising
• Running and standing rigging

Social events include a ski weekend, a Spring Dinner and a Fall Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, in which cruising friends reunite over cocktails and dinner. Participants and race winners are honored at that time and a new Board of Governors is welcomed.

We have organized charter flotillas at destinations in such faraway places as Turkey, the BVI's, France and Croatia. This year members are heading for Greece and the Ionian Sea in September. Every third or fourth year, Club members head up to Canadian waters for more remote cruising.

This year, we will sponsor an all woman's cruise, a down east cruise, a Long Island Sound cruise plus smaller holiday weekend cruises at every holiday weekend through Columbus Day. Club racing is present at almost every on the water event. BWSC Racing ranges from casual to hotly contested events. Blue Water tends to be well represented at offshore events such as the Halifax Race and the Marion to Bermuda Race. Our members are frequently found in the Caribbean and are always ready to extend a warm welcome to fellow yachtsmen.

Blue water wishes every crew on this year's race a safe and happy voyage. May you see the sun and the stars with fair winds abeam. Happy sailing!

Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club

   

Donald Jolliffe, Commodore

The Hamilton "Dingey" Association became an entity as a result of Fitted "Dingey" Races held by a Hamilton School (Head Master Charles E. Clay) in 1882. The Club was formed with Joseph Trimingham being the first Commodore. It is believed the first meetings were held in his house.

The Club, in its new premises, introduced "amateur" fitted dinghy racing and was later recognized as a gentlemen's luncheon club to include sailing, tennis, snooker and social events all rolled into one.

In 1883 H.R.H. Princess Louise, Marchioness of Lorne, and Wife of Canada's Governor General, conferred the title "Royal" to the Club, whilst on a winter holiday. On becoming the ROYAL HAMILTON AMATEUR "DINGEY" CLUB, a white Flag, traditional style of the British Yacht Clubs of the time, was uniquely designed for the Club's exclusive use.

William Whitney donated twenty pounds to purchase a Challenge Cup for the Club.

A silver Cup was presented to the Club by H.R.H. Princess Louise in 1887. This was to be raced to celebrate Queen Victoria's Jubilee, hence the Jubilee Cup.

In 1890 the procedure governing titles was changed and the privilege was given to reigning Monarchs only. Hence the Royal title was lost. The Membership decided to extend itself into a social Club and find a Clubhouse. In March 1890 rooms were taken over on the second floor of the house on the corner of Reid and Queen streets.

In 1896 the word Amateur was dropped and the name of Hamilton Dinghy Club held until 1953.

Also, the red ensign of the Merchant service with foul gold anchor and letters HDC under the anchor, was adopted along with a corresponding Burgee.

25th September, 1899 saw a move to "Belvoir" J.E.Lightbourn's house on Reid Street, to become "the Most Commodious Clubhouse in town". A fire in 1916 destroyed many records.

The Championship (Jubilee) Cup Regatta was held for first time 1912.

1927 the Club purchased an imposing mansion on Church Street, Hamilton. This was opposite the site of the old Hamiltonian Hotel. Called an "Oasis in the City", it had a front lawn with two Royal Poinciana trees.

The Club became incorporated at that time.

The 1927 Act was altered in 1954 when the name became the Hamilton Dinghy Club.

The 1930's were hard times. Rear property was sold and actions of staunch members saved the day.

In 1944 the Championship Cup competition was revived, thereby expanding the sport of Fitted Dinghy racing of old dinghies.

H R. H. Elizabeth II granted the reinstatement of the Royal Charter, hence on June 4, 1953 the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club became the only "Royal" dinghy club in the world.

1964 saw the move to the present location of Mangroville, Pomander Road, Paget.

In 1977 the Club became co-sponsors of a cruising race held on a biennial basis between Marion, Massachusetts and Bermuda. The arrangements between the Beverly Yacht Club, the Blue Water Sailing Club and the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club have proved to be a resounding success, with the attraction of a cruising and family race encouraging a large number of enthusiastic participants.

Fitted Dinghy racing is held during the June Race week in Granaway Deep for the entertainment of visiting crews.

In 1990 the Club carried out major "rehabilitation" and remodeling to its premises, so continuing its status as Bermuda's premier maritime club.

In 2001/3 the Club extended the marina increasing the number of berths from 37 to 105.

Junior and Adult Sailing now offers year round courses with a record number of Optimist sailors qualifying and competing in the IODA International Regattas.

The RHADC now has a membership of 600 and the Clubhouse is now undergoing area refurbishment. We hope to have the dock area fully upgraded by 2007.

- March 28, 2005