SBYC Archives

SBYC's entry in the New England Yacht Club Register in 1931:

 SANDY BAY YACHT CLUB
ROCKPORT, MASSACHUSETTS

 

Commodore MARIAN J. COONEY	Vice-Commodore GEORGE A. LOWE	Secretary- Treasurer JOSEPH T. HIGGINS
Chairman Race Committee JOHN PIERCE	Entrance Fee, $15 Annual Dues, $10	Chairman House Committee JOSEPH W. THIBEAULT

 

The Sandy Bay Yacht Cub is a new organization which is a revival of a club of the same name that was organized in 1885. After a lapse of 35 years, the club incorporated in 1930 and is again active with 275 members, all acquired between the first of September and the first of December. There are about 25 boats in the fleet with good prospects of that number being doubled as the season gets under way. The largest class is the Annisquam Fishes and the most important, the Stars.

The new clubhouse, started last August, was completed the first of the year, which with course unsurpassed in New England, and a harbor dredged to seven feet, point toward many successful years of yacht racing in Sandy Bay.

"Sandy Bay Day" will bring Rs, Sonders and Triangles from Eastern Point and Annisquam and probably Stars from Nahant. A feature of this regatta will be a race for power dories owned and operated by lobster fishermen, the only race of its kind held anywhere. The Last Saturday in August will be reserved for the Chowder Race, which is followed by the Annual Outing. The open season is from June 17th to Labor Day.

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Foreword to 1932 Sandy Bay Yacht Club By-Laws

This note, or foreword, is provided for the purpose of helping to make clear the reason why the Annual Dues have been kept so low, and why these Dues provide for the membership of only one person. The principal purpose of the organizers of this Club was to encourage yacht racing. They considered it of the greatest importance to encourage membership among the young men and the young women of Cape Ann, many of whom, if larger dues were required, would be prevented from joining the Club. It is self-evident that if annual dues of $10.00 were to include two or more persons the Club's income would be so seriously reduced that it could not exist, because the dues are practically its only source of income. It was then decided that if women were to pay the same dues as men, they ought to, and should, have the same privileges. (It is interesting to note that this is one of the few Yacht Clubs that admit women to full membership.) Membership then, is individual, and annual dues of $10.00 are required from each person enjoying the privileges of the Club and its premises.

On this basis each of the several members of one family join the Club as full members, and while it may seem that this is asking a good deal, the fact is that, on account of the low dues, the expense is less than what is known as a Family membership in many, or perhaps even most, similar Clubs. Persons other than members are allowed privileges as "Visitors", and as "Guests", for specified times and under specified conditions which will be found under these headings in the By-Laws. It is intended to give every encouragement to boys and girls who are interested in the handling of sailing craft, and in order to make it easy for them to become members of the Club their dues have been set at $5.00 annually, without the requirement of any entrance fee.  They remain Junior members until they are seventeen years old, when they automatically become Senior members, even though the Membership List is full at that time.

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Nuggets of maritime wisdom from the 1931 New England Yacht Club Register.

The Yachtsmen's Creed

MEETING When all three lights I see ahead, I Port my Helm and show my Red.   AT ALL TIMES Both in safety and in doubt I always keep a good look out. In danger, with no room to turn, I Ease her, Stop her, Go Astern.

PASSING Green to Green, Red to Red, Perfect Safety - Go Ahead. But if to Starboard Red appear, It is my duty to keep clear - To act as judgment says is proper: To Port or Starboard, Back or Stop her. And if upon my Port is seen A Steamer's Starboard light of Green, There's nought for me to do but see That Green to Port keeps Clear of me.

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Yacht Flags and How Flown

The Ensign, when vessel is under way should be flown:

At Main Peak of Cat Boats, Sloops, Cutters and Schooners.
At Mizzen Peak of Yawls and Ketches.
At Stern Flag Staff of Dingys, Launches, Power and Steam Yachts.
Yachts at anchor fly the Ensign at stern excepting Yawls, when it may be flown at Mizzen Masthead.

The Club Burgee:

At Masthead of Cat Boats, Sloops and Cutters.
At Fore Masthead of Schooners and Steam Yachts.
At Main Masthead of Yawls and Ketches.
At Bowstaff of Dingys, Launches, and Motor Yachts.

The Private Signal:

At Masthead of Cat Boats, Sloops and Cutters, when cruising.
(if at anchor, Club flag should be hoisted.)
At Main Masthead of Schooners and Steam Yachts.
At Mizzen Masthead of Yawls and Ketches.
At Bowstaff of Launches and Dingys when owner is on board.

Commodore (Blue Flag), Vice Commodore (Red Flag), Rear Commodore (White Flag), should be flown:

From the Truck of Cat Boats, Sloops or Cutters.
The Main Masthead of a Yawl, Schooner or Steamers.
At Bowstaff of Launches and Dingys.

The "Jack" is flown from the Bowstaff of Motor and Steam Yachts on Sundays instead of the Club signal. Also by sailing vessels at anchor by lashing to the forestay a few feet from the stem head.

How to dip ENSIGN:

A vessel wishing to salute another vessel hauls down her Ensign and keeps it down until the vessel saluted dips her Ensign and hauls it up again, then the saluting vessel slowly hoists her Ensign to Masthead again.

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YACHT ROUTINE

Distinguishing Flags and Signals

In Commission. The distinguishing marks of a yacht in commission, other than the yacht ensign, are a burgee and flag or private signal. On a yacht with two or more masts the burgee is flown at tile fore truck. and the private signal at the main, except in the case of flag officer, whose distinctive flag is flown at the main.

A single-masted yacht should fly the owner's private signal when under way, and the burgee when at anchor.

Jack. The Jack should be set on Sundays, on all ceremonial occasions, and when the senior officer present has it set, and should be displayed on a staff at the bow. The Jack should not be set when under way.

Rank. In making colors, salutes, etc., the yacht always represents the rank of its owner, whether he is aboard or not.

Flag 0fficers. A flag officer should always fly his flag while his yacht is in commission, except when he is on a cruise with another club of which he is a member.

A yacht in commission should make colors at eight a.m., and haul down at sunset, taking his time from the senior officer present.

When in company with a vessel of the United States Navy, or anchored off a United States Naval Station, the senior officer should give the time for colors with such vessel or station.

Entering Port Before or After Colors. When a yacht comes to anchor or gets under way her colors should be hoisted, although the time is earlier or later than that specified in the paragraph above, provided there be sufficient light for the colors to be recognized. Colors should he lowered immediately after anchoring.

At all other times a yacht should fly, between sunset and morning colors, a night pennant at the main. Unless there are good reasons to the contrary, the yacht ensign should, when at sea, be displayed on falling in with ships of war, and on approaching lightships, lighthouses, signal stations, military posts or towns.

Half Mast Colors. On occasion of national only should the ensign be half-masted. On the death of a yacht owner the burgee and his private signal, but not the ensign, should he half-masted.

Colors: How Half-Masted. In half-masting colors they should, if not previously hoisted, be first mast-headed and then lowered to half-mast. Before lowering from half-mast colors should first be mast-headed and then lowered. When the ensign is at half-mast it should be mast-headed before making or returning a salute.

Saluting With Ensign. All salutes should be made by dipping the ensign once.

Absent and Meal Signals. Absent signal is a rectangular blue flag by day and a blue light by night, and should be hoisted at the starboard main spreader while at anchor and in the absence of the owner.

0wner's meal signal is a rectangular white flag by day and a white light by night, and should be hoisted above during owner's meal hours.

Crew's meal signal is a red pennant and should be flown at the port fore spreader of a two-masted yacht or on port spreader of single-masted yachts.

Meal signals may be hoisted when the colors are not displayed, but never when under way.