Lithography of the 1851 America's Cup champion yacht America.

The Boston Yacht Club is the oldest yacht club in New England.  It was founded in 1866 with 90 original members.  The Club grew through a series of mergers with other clubs and by 1910 was operating from six stations: Rowe’s Wharf in Boston, Hull, City Point in South Boston, Marblehead, Dorchester, and Five Islands in Sheepscot Bay, Maine. The Boston Yacht Club now operates from a single station in Marblehead, with membership at 400 yachts.

Since its beginning, the Boston Yacht Club has been associated with the America’s Cup race, the most prestigious regatta and match race in sailing.  Club members designed and built successful cup defenders dating back as far as 1885. Boston Yacht Club member Ted Hood was involved in 11 sucessful cup defenses from 1958-1977 in the various roles of sail maker, skipper and designer.  The original America schooner flew the Boston Yacht Club burgee for over 27 years, until being decommissioned in 1901.

The United States Power Squadron (USPS), a preeminent boating organization with more than 45,000 members, also traces its roots to the Boston Yacht Club.  USPS is a non-profit educational organization which teaches classes in seamanship and navigation.

The Rhode Island Yacht Club (RIYC), founded in 1875, is the oldest yacht club on Narragansett Bay.  The Club now occupies a new facility with protected docks and mooring on Stillhouse Cove in Cranston, Rhode Island.  Downtown Providence is nearby. 

The original Clubhouse was destroyed by the Great Hurricane of 1938.  RIYC members rebuilt the club, but when Hurricane Carol swept through in 1954, the second Clubhouse was also demolished.   The photo above shows the force of Hurricane Carol as a storm surge nearly engulfs  the Edgewood Yacht Club, which was located near RIYC.  The Edgewood Clubhuse survived the storm, while the RIYC Clubhouse was rebuilt one more time.

The Rhode Island Yacht Club has a year-round calendar, with events such as racing, cruises and fishing tournaments.  The Club boasts a newly-renovated Clubhouse with panoramic views of Narragansett Bay.  To learn more about the Rhode Island Yacht Club, visit their website.

East Coast charter yachts are a popular way to enjoy the luxury of a yacht.  All the major cities on the East Coast, including New York and Philadelphia, have charter yacht companies which offer dinner cruises and special event cruises.  These special events may include weddings and holiday cruises.  A charter yacht cruise allows you to tour the East Coast shoreline in comfort while enjoying all the amenities of a yacht, including gourment dining.  You can find all kind of charter yacht cruises online.