The History of the Cuttyhunk Yacht Club
(Relaunched 1956)

The Cuttyhunk Yacht Club had its beginnings in the 1930s when friends of Connie Wood rented summer homes from him for most of the season. The “summer kids” spent their days waiting for turns on the one tennis court, swimming, diving, playing ping-pong in the Annex, and, of course, sailing. The parents taught the eldest children, who in turn taught their younger siblings to sail. The youngest of all were allowed to be ”ballast” and picked up sailing along the way. Once races began, the youngest were also recruited as safety inspectors, making sure each boat was properly outfitted with bailers and life jackets.

The first boats were three Penn Yan dinghies: Rapier (owned by Connie Wood, Jr.) Sea Devil (owned by the House and Walker families) Puff-Puff (owned by the Garfield and Lefferts families).

The older boys initiated races and learned to set courses and to follow racing rules. Right form the start, the yacht club was the kids’ project, run by and for themselves. Each season ended with a banquet on the porch of Winter House with speeches and awards.

Later the club expanded to include two Canadian Gannett Class boats, built by the caretaker at Pasque. Newie Garfield and Ben Walker each had a Lancaster dory (Newie’s was Viking and Ben’s Samahdi). Oriel and Connie Wood, Jr. shared Debutante, which featured a jib, a genoa, and a keel. These boats were moored at the boathouse located next to the Town Dock CHS has a model of the early yacht club built by Chunk Goodrich.

Unfortunately, the hurricane of 1938 carried away the boathouse and most of the boats. This catastrophe, combined with the lack of summer jobs on the island, put and end to the club.

In the 1950s, interest in sailing instruction revived as children of the 1930s brought their own children to the island for vacations. On April 14, 1956, at the home of Robert and Eleanor Moore, the new Cuttyhunk Yacht Club was launched. In the first newsletter, auditor Sally Garfield announced the officers: Alex Brown, Jr., Commodore, Newie Garfield, Treasurer, and George Kidder, Clerk. The group decided that incorporation was advisable and the eight incorporators (C.A. Wood, R. Moore, N. Garfield, Sr., D. Frothingham, R.E. House, Jr., G.H. Kidder, A.C. Brown, Jr., and N Garfield, Jr.) agreed to serve as the Board of Governors pending the first annual meeting of the membership.

Preparing for the first season involved many decisions. Commodore Brown, Robert Moore, John Garfield, Wye Garfield, Dave Twichell, and George Kidder bought Turnabouts, some of which were built from kits. It was decided to locate the club near the site of Louis Abrams’ old dock. Mr. Wood assured use of land leading from the road, and an anonymous donor provided a float stage. Treasurer Newie Garfield collected dues ($10 per family), instructors were hired, and, after a work weekend on the Fourth of July, the season began. The first head instructor was Charlie Currier who was housed and fed by various families on the island.

The summer went well for the fledgling yacht club. In celebration, a party was held on the lawn of Winter House, complete with decorated cakes, song (a revised version of the Cuttyhunk Show song originally written by Leila Hall), and trophies.

The next few years saw many changes. Kitsy and Wye Garfield gave the property for the present clubhouse, built by A.P. Tilton and Allan Potter. Many launhes, floats, and sailboats were added, but the initial traditions continued on. Today the club has programs for youngsters from six to eighteen who enjoy learning to tie knots, row, sail, race, and capsize safely. True to form, many of the participants from the 50s and 60s have gone on to be instructors and Yacht Club officers themselves.

So, Give three cheers for Cuttyhunk…

By Carolyn Powers

CYC Island Memories
Thursday, August 11, 2005

Moderator David Warr introduced the panel of: Wye Garfield, David Frothingham, David Newbury, Jeff Spear, Jill Saumsiegel, Quentin Hart, and Ian Burke, all of whom recounted memories of their yacht club experiences.

Wye Garfield – In 1935, when Wye was about 10, Connie Wood set up a very informal yacht club program. The three boats were canvas-covered, canoe-like sloops (catboats?). The 1938 hurricane wiped out the fleet and boathouse facility, effectively ending the program for about twenty years. In 1955, two Firefly kits were purchased from England and assembled for a racing series in the channel at the end of the summer. Thus was born the yacht club of today, with the gradual acquisition of Turnabouts, beginning in 1956.

David Frothingham – David and George Shaw were the first assistant instructors under Charlie Currier. The emphasis of the early program was seamanship, safety in boats, and fun. The “pier” was manufactured from drift wood and mostly-salvaged nails. The “gas house” (the only building, located on the bank at the head of the pier) was an old fisherman’s icebox, salvaged after hurricane Carol. Moorings were concrete-filled Model A wheels. The instructors spent most of their time at the yacht club, including parent lessons and after-dinner sails, sometimes lasting until sunrise!

David Newbury - Dave was an assistant instructor in 1958, and the head in 1962. He felt that a key to the program was the regular involvement of parents, who fed and housed the instructors for the entire summer, lent tools and labor, and were always in evidence around the club. Uncle Shorty Garfield’s “puppy shack” was mentioned as a memorable residence for Dave and other instructors through the early years. Dave also remembered overnight expeditions for all groups: C on Church’s, B to the barges, and A all the way to the Weepeckets.

Jeff Spear - Jeff was the longest-serving Commodore (4 years), having failed to identify his successor before accepting the position in the first place. Jeff praised the total integration of the community and the constant ingenuity in meeting yacht club needs with available materials (i.e. engine blocks and radiators for permanent moorings). He then told the story of hurricane Bob, with yacht club racers stranded in Marion, a break-down of communication, and a C.G. ban on Buzzard’s Bay sailing. As soon as the storm had passed, Jeff and Gail set sail in their own cruising boat to rescue our crew. Patty Frothingham added that while the sailors were unable to race, they busied themselves helping Marion residents with preparation and later clean-up.

Jill Saumsiegel - Jill was the youngest yacht club student ever, at age 4, and she went on to become one of the youngest assistant instructors, in 1984-86. Jill stressed the high-quality training, with skills and facts first taught and then actually used in practice. She remembered meeting challenges such as beating back from Quicks in Bullseyes, facing strong winds and heavy seas – truly “white-knuckle” experiences.

Quentin Hart – Quentin was first a student in 1989, and serves as head instructor this year. He loves the addition of 420’s to the fleet, and the competitiveness they bring, but he also appreciates that our program is still far less intense than “mainland” yacht clubs, and that the children continue to learn a great deal through their years in the program. He mentioned remembering fellow panelist, Ian Burke, as a novice C grouper just a few years ago, but who is now a competent Laser racer.

Ian Burke – Ian has enjoyed five years in the yacht club program. In addition to the sailing aspect, he also mentioned appreciating less formal activities, such as excursions to the beach. He hopes some day to be an instructor.

Audience comments:

George Shaw mentioned that when he was head instructor at Sakonnet, he arranged with David Frothingham to bring the Sakonnet sailors to Cuttyhunk for an informal racing series. Inclement weather precluded races on the scheduled day, but a tremendous capture the flag game, covering the entire island, was a successful substitute. Visitors were housed and fed, races were completed the next day, and results were graciously forgotten by all.

Jeff Spear remembered that when Chris Frothingham was head instructor, Chris received a call for launch service from the harbor and then a taxi to pick up the luggage!

Cate Zolkos recalled Ben Walker telling of a visit to a German Yacht Club, at which he requested reciprocal services. After an ever-so-brief pause, he was welcomed.

It was mentioned that Leila Hall composed the original Cuttyhunk song, later adopted by the yacht club, and new verses have been added every year since. (We are missing six from the earliest years – 1958, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64 - but the rest will be on exhibit at the Historical Society next summer. If anyone has copies of the missing songs, please send them to the Commodore.)

George Shaw reminded us that in 1979, he and Commodore Bob Elmore redefined the yacht club as a “junior sailing program”.

In closing, David Warr thanked the panelists and presented each with a CHS hat. He then introduced current Commodore, Doug Billman, who described plans for a gala 50th anniversary celebration next summer and a new capital boat fund campaign to replace aging Turnabouts and the Mako. He announced that at least three boats have been pledged to date – a very exciting start to this essential undertaking.

Patty and David Frothingham