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The Sailing Club of the Chesapeake was founded by Jim Crabbe Lee Hammer, and John Miles, who held the first meeting aboard John Miles' Elsie M. Reichert on September 8, 1944. They adopted the name "Annapolis Sailing Club" and formulated the basic emphasis of the club which is "the promotion of the sport of sailing". The first burgee, approved by the members on October 13, 1944, was made by John and Katherine Miles from a design conceived by F. Townsend Morgan. In the beginning organization was most informal. There was no commodore, but an Executive Committee functioned even before the first bylaws were approved by the membership in July, 1945. Article 11 read: "The Annapolis Sailing Club is a club of sailboat owners and other persons interested in sailing and is organized to foster the sport of sailing." Furthermore, as today, votes were cast "by boat" where only full members, who had to be sailboat boat owners, were entitled to vote. By the end of 1945 there were 14 members and 23 by December, 1947, with 20 boats listed in the roster. Due to the growth of the Club, it bad become apparent that a commodore was required, and Joe Knoerle was elected to serve as Commodore for 1946 and again for 1947. By 1949, membership had expanded geographically and by vote of the membership in December, 1949, the name of the organization was changed from "Annapolis Sailing Club" to " Sailing Club of the Chesapeake." The membership increased to such a degree that by 1950 a total revision of the early bylaws was felt to be necessary. The present set was approved by the Executive Committee and the membership in 1992 and 1996. The first published "Rendezvous", the Club newsletter, was dated March 27, 1945 and the first Winter Dinner, now entitled "the Annual Trophy Dinner Dance ' " was held in 1946. The publication of the first Yearbook and Roster occurred in 1953 and listed Officers of the Club, Membership, Entertainment and Sailing Committees, By-Laws and a total membership of 88 with a fleet of 66 boats. During the fall of 1951, the Sailing Club challenged The Gibson Island Yacht Squadron to a team race to be sailed in cruising boats of approximately the same size. The Sailing Club's team sailed three 40 ft. Mackinac sloops: Tom Closs' Fun, Al Kuehnle's Vixen, and John Trumpy's Sea Call. Gibson Island's team sailed three 40 ft. Owens Cutters: Miller Sherwood's Rubicon, Norman Owens' Fandango, and Harold Williamson's Falcon, winning the race 11 to 10. Later, a broom, which is exhibited in the Gibson Island Club House, was selected as the continuing prize with the burgee of the victorious club to be attached each year together with a small bronze plaque naming the winner. In the fall of 2005, the Sailing Club swept a three race match to bring the series count to 24 - 19 in favor of the Club. In a fine show of good sportsmanship, the Squadron hosted a sumptuous post-race party at their club house on Gibson Island. In September of 1954, Emily and Dundas Leavitt introduced a lobster party into the Club's summer schedule by inviting all hands to come to Judy and Arcady Semenoff 's on Little Aberdeen Creek, starting a tradition which continues today. The Club's first Little Kids-Big Kids Party was held on July 4th, 1956, and has become a regular activity around the Fourth of July. Both children and adults enjoy the food and games ashore. Two other shore social events have become popular: the Ice Breaker and, since 1980, the Past Commodores' Ice Cream Party. The first of our Annual Summer Cruises began in August, 1955, and succeeding years have seen enthusiastic participation. Wives and children make up most of the crews and special events are scheduled for the enjoyment of all hands who wish to participate. In recent years a Spring Cruise, a Rendezvous Cruise, a Mid-Summer Cruise, a Labor Day Cruise and a Fall Cruise have been added to the Club's cruising schedule. A number of Designated Rendezvous are scheduled at which member boats may be found, frequent invitations for Club boats to gather at a member's dock are extended, and occasional Mini-cruises fill the year with good sailing, conviviality and cordiality. Keen competition exists for the several perpetual racing trophies; Lowndes Johnson Memorial, Armada, and Medway. The Sailing Club is an active member and supporter of the US Sailing Association and the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association (CBYRA). In 1966 the Club sponsored one of the race days in the first CBYRA Race Week and continues to sponsor that and other CBYRA sanctioned events. In September 1974, the Sailing Club celebrated its thirtieth birthday with a Rendezvous and party on St. Helena's Island hosted by Liz and Charlie Iliff. Sixty-eight member boats brought 270 members and wives to the island. The event was so thoroughly enjoyed by all in attendance that an anniversary party has been held every fifth year commemorating the Club's birthday as an extraordinary event. The tradition continued in 2004, the club's 60th birthday, with a well attended gala at the Sherwood Forest clubhouse. In 1975, a Cruise Medal was established for any qualifying member sailing offshore and is now designated the James H. Fox Memorial Cruise Medal. 1976 saw the introduction of the Ralph H. Wiley Award followed in 1977 by the Armada and Medway Trophies and the Chesapeake Award. In 1978, the Charles S. Dell Perpetual Award for Outstanding Committee Service was established, and the Richard H. Hutchings IV Spirit of Cruising Award was instituted in 1993. In our nation's Bicentennial year, 1976, the Sailing Club extended an invitation to members of England's Royal Yachting Association to join in a "No Hard Feelings" Cruise. The response was overwhelming, leading to the largest and most elaborate summer cruise in the history of the Club. At the high point, 400 members and guests (including 62 British guests) embarked on eighty-nine yachts and sailed to the Commodore's Dinner in St. Mary's City, the colonial birthplace of Maryland. Several beautiful and storied trophies, which are described elsewhere, were donated by the British contingent in appreciation of the Club's hospitality. In 1985 the CBYRA honored us and our Past Commodore, Ted Osius, when it asked the Club to sponsor an early Summer Regatta and named it "The Ted Osius Memorial Regatta." In 1987, the 200th Anniversary of the United States Constitution was celebrated in Philadelphia and the Sailing Club took an active part. Thirty boats dressed ship and entered the harbor in single file and Club members and boats participated in several official events. The Club's contributions were recognized during an Awards Ceremony aboard the tall ship MOSHULU. Various members cruise outside of the Chesapeake on a regular basis, and extended Club cruises have been organized for the British Virgins, Greece, Maine, Tonga, French Polynesia, southern New England, the Bahamas, the Windward Islands, Canada's north eastern provinces and Croatia. Bermuda, the Intra-coastal Waterway, Florida, and the Bahamas are familiar cruising grounds to many of us. As a non-profit organization, the Club contributes annually to a number of sailing-related non-profit organizations including the Sail Training Endowment Fund established by the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. In addition, many members and mates support such programs with individual contributions. A resolution was unanimously adopted by the Executive Committee In 1988 to the effect that widows of Club members, upon application to the Club and payment of a nominal annual fee, would receive guest privileges to include receipt of all publications of the Club and the right to attend all events of the Club (except the Membership Meetings). During 1992, the Sailing Club and the Russian Embassy co-hosted a party at the Russian "dacha" on the Corsica River. It was a resounding success for both the Embassy personnel and the Club; both groups came away with a new and warm appreciation for each other and the event has been repeated ever since. Our Russian friends have indicated a desire to continue the relationship. Recently the Club has invited a number to join in the fun at the Little Kids-Big Kids party and the Annual Dinner Dance in January Also, in 1992, the Club was incorporated and 1993 saw elimination of the male eligibility requirement for membership. In 2008, the club expanded the use of its internet site to include entries and payment of fees of Club sponsored races, schedules of Club events and the monthly issue of the "Rendezvous". Members desiring paper copies of the newsletter may still opt to receive them. In September pf 2000 the Eastport Yacht Club initiated the first Battle of the Chesapeake, a PHRF, non spinnaker, "round the buoys" race open to all CBYRA clubs in the area. The sailing Club won handily in 2000 and has continued its supremacy ever since. Revised by the SCC Historian: P/C Bennett H. Shaver, March 23, 2009 |
| HISTORY OF THE CLUB |
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