When the weather turns cold, many East Coast yachtsman dream of the warm waters of the Caribbean. For those lucky enough to make call the Virgin Islands home, the Royal British Virgin Islands Yacht Club (RBVIYC) is an active club that plans an eventful year of raising, cruising, angling and social events. The origin of the RBVIYC dates back to 1973, though a permanent home for the club wasn’t established until 1993.

Country singer Craig Morgan had a hit in 2005 with the song Redneck Yacht Club, where he summed up what weekend boating is all about for many people who are not members of traditional yacht clubs. Here are some lyrics from the chorus:

Bass trackers, bayliners, and a party barge
Strung together like a floatin’ trailer park
Anchored out and gettin’ loud all summer long
Side by side, there’s five houseboat front porches
Astroturfs, lawn chairs, and tiki torches
Regular Joes rockin’ the boat, that’s us
The Redneck Yacht Club.

The video for the song was filmed on Percy Priest Lake in Tennessee. You can see the Redneck Yacht Club video on YouTube.

credit: Maryland Yacht Club

The Maryland Yacht Club is located on Chesapeake Bay at the entrance to Rock Creek, near the Patapsco River in Pasadena, Maryland. The Club has had a long and rich history since its founding in 1908 with 48 members. The club includes over 8 acres of waterfront, clubhouse, swimming pool and 3 piers with slips up to 75ft in length. The clubhouse commands outstanding water views and is a popular location for wedding receptions and other events. Maryland Yacht Club welcomes both boat owners and non-owners as members. Its calendar of annual events and beautiful facilities make it one of the most popular East Coast yacht clubs on the Chesapeake Bay.

Pristine islands are among the most satisfying sailing destinations.  Cumberland Island, a piece of the National Seashore system that lies off the coast of Georgia, is just such a destination. Located between the Intercoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean, the island offers over 14 miles of untouched beachfront. You can anchor on the protected side of the island, near the National Seashore Visitor Center.

Once you dinghy ashore, you can enjoy the peace of the island’s forests and beachfront. You may even glimpse one of the Cumberland Island’s herds of wild horses, or other wild animals including deer, boar, bobcats, armadillos and turkeys.

You can find out more about Cumberland Island and the National Seashore on the National Parks Service website.