Sometimes people ask me what’s my favorite local yacht club? Not being a member of any club makes me the most perfect and least perfect person to ask. Not being a member of any tribe gives a more neutral picture of strengths and weaknesses — clear-eyed, so to speak — because you have no one to face at cocktail hour around the old club hearth. And, of course, it matters what emphasis is placed on what a person would join for: social, pool, tennis, docks, dining, snack bar, sailing, kid sailing, moorings and price (both dues and joining bond).
The big four clubs are Eastern Point, Manchester, Annisquam and Sandy Bay in Rockport.
There a couple of “minor” clubs that are completely attuned to their neighborhoods in Conomo Point and Wingaersheek, plus the Carefree YC in the marina on Norwood Court, where local and out-of-town members can reserve and rent a motor boat for day tripping.
But if you want social, Eastern Point and Annisquam are your prime candidates for sure. The pool is the center of the EP scene, a killer snack bar by day and a robust dining room at night. A sizable social web is predominant, and a tie-in to local tennis opportunities close by. Its kid program used to be the top of the heap ages ago, but is pretty declined after years of low emphasis. Eastern Point runs races for bigger boats Thursday and Sunday but boating and sailboats are not what they used to be, where EP champs could rate highly in Marblehead and regional tilts in both youth and adult divisions.
For that, Manchester and Annisquam ring the boating bell a little louder. Annisquam values its boaters but it’s a matter of space. Great clubhouse and kitchen, goofy harbor mooring scene with insane — but fascinating — tidal effects, difficult boating but drop dead beautiful. Annisquam values its kid program but has a limited universe to produce champs at Marblehead Race Week. Its geography limits its daysail choices though. It’s all Ipswich Bay, all the time, away from the shore. Annisquam does race several classes and values its sailing history in a gorgeous facility that includes seaside tennis courts.
Manchester (Tucks Point) values its sailors at all levels but is challenged by its smaller facility in its smaller universe and social scene. MYC and its MSA (a town organization) used to be Race Week champs as well as High School champs but that was in a way earlier era. Manchester also has a small flock of bigger boats and its popular Crocker Cup which still draws quality entrants.
No, the cutting edge of small yacht club facilities that leverage incredible member enthusiasm, its unique location on T Wharf and fabulous small-scale social and enrichment makes Sandy Bay in Rockport tops. Its members are just plain rabid boaters at whatever level. A walk on its docks says it all. It’s a boater and racer’s club. The pier is crammed with medium and small classes that can dry sail (hauled in and out for each weekend on lifts) which makes boat bottoms much faster. It requires logistics, teamwork and co-ordination to flop Sandy Bay’s various fleets into the drink each race day. What goes around, comes around when it comes to helping others, order, timing, attendance and commitment. Sandy Bay takes racing sailboats very seriously. SBYC races five classes every weekend: the legendarily difficult Star boats, the family racer Rhodes 19’s, Flying Scots (the Checker Cab of race boats), Bullseyes and the 2.4 Meters which are also called Mini-12 Meters because that’s what they are.
Locals Rick Noonan of Gloucester Coffees and Shan McAdoo are the reigning “guys to beat” in the fleet but the whole fleet is competitive. Rockport also has a medium sized PHRF fleet (cruising boats) with handicap ratings that make unalike boats able to compete with each other, like golf.
It is the Star boats and the 2.4’s that crowd the docks with their dry-sailing selves that sport Sandy Bay’s best sailors. All together, at RaceTime, they produce quite a visual sprawl filling Sandy Bay. Being mostly a boater club, it has the lowest dues and joining fee, by far. Manchester is probably next best on price for value, then AYC, then EPYC. However, while price is proportional to social and dining, SBYC stands out for its seasonal Speaker Series.
All four clubs have fun, kid-oriented snack bars and can be helpful in getting one of their moorings. Of course, some are more limited in space than others but YC launch service can make it easier to sploosh a new mooring cuz half the battle is having access to get to it. Almost all the clubs allow non-member kids to join their programs. In order, kid sailing is tops at Sandy Bay, then AYC, Manchester YC and MSA, then EPYC. SailGHS offers free fun kid sailing in the harbor but not as much intense racing as just larking about and making friends. No clubhouse, but 978-290-2467.