Senate Resolution No. 4679

BY: Senator PHILLIPS

COMMEMORATING the 113th Commissioning of the Port
Washington Yacht Club on May 12, 2018

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body that the quality
of life of the citizens of the State of New York is greatly enriched by
its exceptional recreational institutions; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 113th Commissioning of the Port Washington Yacht Club,
to be celebrated at a Welcoming Reception followed by a Ceremony and
Dinner on Saturday, May 12, 2018; and

WHEREAS, The Port Washington Yacht Club is a traditional, family
yacht club committed to the encouragement and promotion of yachting and
other recreational and social activities for its members and their
families; and

WHEREAS, On April 26, 1905, 19 charter members of the Port
Washington Yacht Club held their first meeting; the new association
rented an old shack, located on the waterfront at the present North end
of Bayview Colony in Port Washington, New York; the purpose of the Club
was to encourage social and athletic activities for people of the Port
Washington Peninsula; and

WHEREAS, The Port Washington Yacht Club officially opened its doors
to its members for the first time on May 27, 1905; at the first annual
meeting, people played tennis and various water sports, participated in
a yacht race, swam and dived, and practiced their skeet shooting skills;
and

WHEREAS, By 1910, the new Clubhouse was being built and membership
had grown to approximately 150 individuals; the Club also changed its
name to the Port Washington Yacht Club and designated the officers as
Commodore and Vice-Commodore; and

WHEREAS, In 1911 and 1912 Commodore "Pop" Corry went to William
Gardner, a noted naval architect, to improve the Club's first boat The
Bug; this resulted in the design of the Star Class boat, the poor man's
yacht, 22 of which were built by the Smith Boatyard for $265 per boat,
less sails; these boats were owned by members of the various clubs in
the bay, however, many of the races were run from the Port Washington
Yacht Club; and

WHEREAS, Adrian Iselin of the Port Washington Yacht Club started
racing Star Boats with Ed Willis and won the World's Championship in
1925, and again in 1936; and

WHEREAS, In the 1920s before the Depression, family activity at the
Club reached its first peak; there were eight tennis courts, and the
club, which belonged to the Eastern Lawn Tennis Association, played team
matches with other clubs every Sunday; Star boat racing was active and
the social life of the club, with interior designers decorating the

ballroom for dances and the steward acting as a bootlegger, made for
very active parties; and

WHEREAS, In 1928, the Meteor Class was formed for junior sailing,
with Meteor boats owned by juniors from various clubs on the bay;
however, it was an independent organization that soon settled on using
the Port Washington Yacht Club as its headquarters; the sailing
instructors were the over-18 championship skippers who graduated from
the class the previous year; and

WHEREAS, Billy Miller served as Chairman of the Race Committee of
the Port Washington Yacht Club from 1927-1952, and was recognized by the
Y.R.A. as holding the World's Championship for Race Committee
Chairmanship; and

WHEREAS, The Port Washington Yacht Club was incorporated as a
membership corporation under the Laws of the State of New York on April
24, 1936; and

WHEREAS, At the end of the 1940s, the Club negotiated with the
landlords and entered into an arrangement whereby a lease of several
years was granted with an option to purchase; to raise money, a Land
Company was formed and stock was sold to club members; the Land Company
purchased the property on December 22, 1951, giving back a purchase
money mortgage to the landlords and giving the club a twenty-year lease
on the property; and

WHEREAS, Shortly after the purchase, the swimming pool was built,
followed by the men's and boy's locker house, which had not been
completed when the clubhouse caught fire on January 30, 1954; members
came forward to purchase enough additional stock to enable the building
of the present Clubhouse and the smaller building, which serves both as
junior clubhouse and tennis house; and

WHEREAS, Over the years, the Port Washington Yacht Club has expanded
and prospered while still carrying on the traditions of its founders;
its membership now includes over 390 men and women, participating in
yachting and various other club sports; and

WHEREAS, In addition to its many activities, this esteemed
organization, under the luminous leadership of Commodore Michael J.
Lyons, holds numerous major events which brings members and guests
together in the name of merriment, tradition and charity; and

WHEREAS, Each May, the Port Washington Yacht Club's Commissioning
brings the community together to inaugurate a new boating season; this
is then followed by the traditional Blessing of the Fleet; and

WHEREAS, During the season, Port Washington Yacht Club members enjoy
water recreation and summer festivities while also giving back to the
community; the Club plays host to such charitable events as the
Make-A-Wish Regatta and the Charity Cup Regatta; and

WHEREAS, The rich history of the Port Washington Yacht Club has
formed it into the prominent organization it is today; in so effectively
carrying out its mission, the Club exemplifies a spirit of community
pride, and demonstrates the values of generosity, cooperative effort and
enduring fellowship; now, therefore, be it


RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 113th Commissioning of the Port Washington Yacht Club;
and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Michael J. Lyons, Commodore, Port Washington Yacht Club.