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.