indian harbor yacht club

Indian Harbor Yacht Club

Stories from the Indian Harbor Yacht Club

710 Steamboat Road Greenwich, CT 06830-7188

(203) 869-2484

Website: www.indianharboryc.com

Originally founded in 1889 and incorporated in Connecticut in 1901, the Indian Harbor Yacht Club is among the oldest yacht clubs in the country, and has a long and rich sailing tradition. With its breathtaking views of Long Island Sound and Greenwich, CT location, convenient to Newport and New York, the Club is a popular yachting facility with an active adult and junior sailing program. The junior program is open to club members and town youth alike. The Club hosts several events throughout the sailing season, and boasts active fleets in the Ideal 18, Viper and Shields classes, as well as a blue water fleet that continues to distinguish itself throughout the North and South Atlantic Oceans.

INDIAN HARBOR YACHT CLUB BECOMES NSHOF FOUNDING MEMBER

From the commodore:.

"Indian Harbor Yacht Club is very proud and excited to become a Founding Member of the National Sailing Hall of Fame. The enthusiastic response of our membership speaks to this effort whose time has come. We are wholeheartedly in support of the NSHOF mission to preserve the spirit and tradition of sailing through the education of our youth - those who cradle the future of our sport in their hands."

Commodore Susan H. Fisher Indian Harbor Yacht Club

Celebrating 125 Years

"The purpose or object of Indian Harbor Yacht Club is to encourage and foster the sport of yachting, the art of yacht design and construction, the science of seamanship and navigation, and to provide for the amusement and recreation of its members."

Indian Harbor Yacht Club was founded in 1889 by dedicated sailors intent on being part of the thriving sailing community on Long Island Sound. The club's mission was 'to encourage and foster the sport of yachting, the art of yacht design and construction and the science of seamanship and navigation'. That mission holds true today as our members continue to excel on the race course, embrace the pleasures of cruising and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow members.

The current clubhouse was designed in 1919 by noted American architect Henry Pelton and completed by the Charles Wills Construction Company in 1920 to replace the original shingle-style building which was lost in a fire. Both men were club members and while Pelton is best known for designing the Riverside Cathedral in New York, Commodore Wills' firm built buildings such as the University Club and the New York Stock Exchange. This same clubhouse, with sweeping views of Captain's Harbor, is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For 125 years, IHYC members have excelled in sailing at all levels, including fleet racing, one-design racing and ocean racing. IHYC members have won the Transatlantic Race, the Fastnet Race and the Southern Ocean Racing Circuit. They have entered over 300 boats in the Newport to Bermuda Race since its inception and they have been overall winners four times. They have also won the American Power Boat Championships four times. In addition, the IHYC Junior Sailing Program, founded by Commodores Robert Law and Clifford Mallory in 1924, continues to encourage young mariners to develop skills that will encourage a life-long appreciation of the water.

As Indian Harbor Yacht Club continues a second century of sailing, we are proud to be a founding member of the National Sailing Hall of Fame. We also look forward to continuing to excel in its mission and to contribute to the future success of local and international sailing and seamanship.

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Indian Harbor Yacht Club

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710 Steamboat Rd

Greenwich, CT 06830

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About the business.

Since 1889, The Indian Harbor Yacht Club has served as a unique space for members and guests alike. Our gorgeous clubhouse is the only club in Greenwich listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The club enjoys a wonderful reputation for hosting amazing and memorable weddings, anniversaries, birthdays and other social events. Our historic clubhouse, fantastic water views, delicious food, and caring and attentive staff contribute to make your event everything you want it to be. Plus, the club regularly hosts meetings, lunches, dinners and cocktail parties for companies, charities, alumni associations and others looking for the perfect venue for their event. Work with our experienced culinary team to create a unique menu and bring your vision to life. Your next event is sure to be a success! …

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This place feels like it could be a set for Succession. We had almost every appetizer- crab cakes, coconut shrimp, shrimp cocktail, and escargot. Everything was amazing. For my entre I had the market fish, which was a mahi mahi which was delicious. I had a number of hazy ipas, each one was delicious and I left the restaurant drunk.

Gorgeous venue and location by the water, exquisite service, lovely views of the water outside, food that is a true work of art, and best of all, divine taste in every ingredient!! Fantastic diverse menu that is often changed for variety - with many sorts of seafood and different types of meats. The dessert is astounding. I love coming and tasting different dishes from the menu, as well as desserts. Everything is cooked to perfection, not a minute longer or shorter. It is the fine attention to detail, and the submergence in flavor of every single fresh item and ingredient that makes this place stand out like no other. The staff is so kind and courteous, and the place is decorated beautifully with its iconic maritime theme. In CT, this is my absolute FAVORITE place to dine in, and it has the best food in CT that I have tasted. Simple perfection. I am a top fan here, I hope life will bless me by continuing to bring me here.

See all photos from Kelly S. for Indian Harbor Yacht Club

Had our wedding here many years ago. Beautiful spot. Everything was perfect! Wonderful memories. Also held my father's memorial here. Always gracious and helpful for both events. A very special place for our family.

Great place -- beautiful spot and beautiful club

This review is for the Jr. Sailing school. The instructors are great and really knows how to engage the students. My son is really energetic and can be a handful but the staff here were able to work with him and he learned a lot throughout the summer. This was my son's first time in sailing school and I really appreciate that they start as young as 4. They really encourage the sailors to participate in as many regattas as possible to improve their sailing skills. My son was too young to participate within the Opti level but we look forward to participating next year.

My only regret is that I was taken to lunch here too early in the yachting season to see any of the boats, but it was spectacular nonetheless. Attentive but not overbearing staff, fantastic views of the water, and very fresh seafood. Brownie points for the super-chic bathrooms. It's just so classy. The whole place just screams traditional New England.

I was underwhelmed. After booking this place for a company event, we ended up having our holiday party here. The outside was beautifully lit and it is right on the water. We had access to large room you see as you walk in. The lighting was a bit too dim for me and the decor was drab at best. I had high expectations for this club especially because it was in Greenwich, it just felt like an update was way overdue. The food was just OK, not much variety and very basic. The dining seating set up was pretty tight so it was hard to get to the buffet or over to another colleague to chat. I am sure I will use this place in the future, I just think I was expecting it to be more grand.

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Yacht and Boat Clubs of Greenwich

By Local History Librarian March 17, 2017

Originally written by Carl White.

A friend recently asked me which was the oldest yacht and boat club in Greenwich. I said I thought it was the Indian Harbor Yacht Club on Steamboat Road. After all, this was the site where ferry boats from New York City and Long Island moored. Local agricultural products (apples, potatoes, etc) were once shipped from this location. Once people from New York City began to vacation in “the country”, they began sailing on Long Island Sound.  So this was the most logical place for a yacht and boat club to pop up. My first thought was to grab Karen Jewell’s book “ A History of the Greenwich Waterfront ” (2011). She’d used the Local History vertical files and reference collection for her research.  I then checked the history section of the websites for the individual clubs. Finally, I reviewed several Oral History Project Redbooks and transcripts for more information.

The Riverside Yacht Club

Well, I was close!  It just so happens that the Riverside Yacht Club was formed on May 25, 1888. Mr. George I Tyson, a successful businessman, and yachtsman donated an acre of land along the Riverside shoreline. He wanted to organize a unique group of his friends for the purpose of sailing. Tyson even paid to have a new clubhouse built. Karen Jewell states that this was the second club to be founded in Connecticut and the eighth on Long Island Sound, despite the rise and fall of many startups.

The Victorian-style clubhouse was built in 1889. Part of it was built on pilings near a seawall. It contained a kitchen, ballroom, reading rooms, card rooms, bedrooms, locker rooms, and an expansive wrap-around porch. There was even a news article in The New York Herald about the new clubhouse! The club became so popular that it wasn’t long before the members were clamoring for more space. A new “spar loft” was added in 1893. Commodore Tyson once again funded the new addition. It included a billiard room, shuffleboard area, bowling area, staff housing, and horse sheds. The club was able to hold Midsummer Balls and Saturday Evening Hops. The 180-member club owned 10 steam-powered yachts and 52 sailboats. Eventually, the club began participating in regattas, and a Junior Sailing Program was initiated.

The club managed to flourish, despite several setbacks. On September 21, 1938, the “Great New England Hurricane” flooded the main and junior clubhouses. Amazingly, no boats were damaged. The clubhouse was back in service the next day due to a superhuman effort by staff and club members. The War Years (World War I & II) proved financially challenging for the Riverside Yacht Club. As the nation was redirecting material and financial resources toward the war, the club faced financial hardship, which it was able to overcome. As the war was winding down, another hurricane hit Greenwich from September 14 to 15, 1944. Although the clubhouse escaped damage, this time the vessels were damaged.

Indian Harbor Yacht Club

Surprisingly, the Indian Harbor Yacht Club was founded in New York City in July 1889, and incorporated in New York State on April 11, 1892.  Elbert A. Silleck and Richard Outwater were the only Greenwich members. The first clubhouse was set up on Finch’s (Tweed’s) Island. Members would travel from New York City to Greenwich. The clubhouse stayed there from 1892 to 1895. When E.C. Benedict bought the land in  1895, the club tried to get Benedict to agree to rent Finch’s Island as a “Club Station.” When Benedict didn’t respond, IHYC started a search for a new site.

Initially, a Rocky Point Neck site was selected, but the deal fell through. After other considerations, a permanent home was built in 1897 on Steamboat Road. It was renovated in 1898 to include a new grill room with an adjoining café, formal dining room, storage rooms, additional storage rooms, a larger piazza, and a 278-foot jetty.

On October 3, 1919, the clubhouse was completely destroyed by a fire. The damage was estimated to be100-thousand dollars. The building was only insured for 30 thousand dollars. Fortunately, the Club was able to raise enough money to build a new clubhouse, which opened on Memorial Day 1921. Today, it remains a (navigational) landmark adjacent to Greenwich Harbor.

The Belle Haven Yacht Club

Around the same time as the Indian Harbor Yacht Club was established, the Belle Haven Land Company established “The Greenwich Casino Association.” It was hoped that this would help attract people to buy property on the peninsula. The term casino may be misleading since it was initially used to refer to a place for social interaction (i.e. meetings, entertainment, dancing but not gambling.) A clubhouse was opened on July 4, 1892. Activities included boating, swimming, tennis, horse shows, live music, and theater. In 1926, the name of the organization was changed to The Beach Club. It was only open for part of the year. Club boating didn’t become popular until 1953 when a member introduced a new fiberglass sloop. This seemed to pique interest, and more people joined the club. By 1961, the name was changed to The Belle Haven Yacht Club.

The Byram Shore Boat Club

The Byram Shore Boat Club was founded in 1938. It was formed for people who enjoyed yachting, sailing, fishing, and boating, as well as education in seamanship and navigation. The clubhouse was built in 1935 and 67 marina berths were added in 1970. Club events included a Seafood Bakeoff, St Patrick’s Day Party, movie nights, Rock the Docks concert, and New England Clambakes. There were approximately 270 members.

Greenwich Boat and Yacht Club

The Greenwich Boat and Yacht Club (GBYC) was established on Grass Island in 1938. Several businessmen formed it so that residents could enjoy boating. They also worked closely with the Town to enhance the harbor area. The current boathouse was built in 1955, and the docks provided 65 slips.

Old Greenwich Yacht Club

At the eastern end of Town, the Old Greenwich Yacht Club (OGYC) was formed in 1943. It was formed to provide sailing education and social interaction. Walter Pendleton served as the first Commodore. A boathouse was built as the first clubhouse, and a deep-water dock extended out toward Sand Island. The Town purchased Tod’s Point in 1945 and planned to convert a “three-car garage” building into a clubhouse. It had double doors that opened to a work pit for trucks and automobiles. A coal-fired boiler provided hot water heat. Future additions included a porch and shed. In 1938, the Great Hurricane destroyed the dock. Small boats had to be pulled up on shore and tied to stakes. Large vessels anchored offshore. Club boats were pulled into the clubhouse for maintenance.

Going Down To The Sea In Ships

So the Riverside Yacht Club beat out the Indian Harbor Yacht Club by a year. I’m happy to say that each of the boating and yachting clubs appears to be healthy and vibrant today. I love to take the ferry out to Island Beach and see all the boats on Long Island Sound on the weekend. It reminds me of the important role boating and sailing (and Long Island Sound) have played in the history of Greenwich. Although commercial boating has waned, recreational boating flourishes. There’s something about a sail filled with wind, carrying a boat quietly across the water. It’s somehow magical.

May the residents of Greenwich continue to “go down to the sea in ships,” and keep the spirit of adventure alive.

Jewell, K:  “The History of the Greenwich Waterfront”; History Press, Charleston SC, 2011.

Build your family tree, dive into the history of your historic home, and discover photos and articles of days gone past with the Library’s collection of 5,000 books, 800 Oral History transcripts, yearbooks, historical maps, vertical files, pamphlets, periodicals, and microfilm and microfiche. Plus, access resources like American Ancestors, AncestryLibrary, and more with a Library card. Learn more at greenwichlibrary.org/genealogy .

Get the latest about the Library’s History & Genealogy events and offerings sent to your email:  greenwichlibrary.org/enews .

Questions? Contact:

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Classic Yacht Challenge Series Regatta

Indian Harbor Yacht Club Classic Yacht Regatta

September 16 - 17 - Greenwich, CT

Division Region:

Number of Races: 1

Founded in 1889, Indian Harbor Yacht Club has a distinguished history of yacht racing and boating. Located in Captain Harbor on western Long Island Sound in Greenwich CT, the club  provides members and guests an ideal setting for year-round enjoyment. Whether racer or cruiser, sailor or powerboater, blue water enthusiast or coastal cruiser, Indian Harbor is the perfect family-friendly place to relax, have fun, compete and build friendships.

Participating CYOA Yachts: 

(Click a boat to see the profile. Owners: you can update your profile under the  Portal ).

Thanks to our Diamond and Gold Partners

Interested in becoming a partner of the cyoa join as a partner online or contact us at info @ classicyachts.org for details..

SPERRY SAILS

The Classic Yacht Owners Association is an exempt organization as described in Section 501(C) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations and membership fees are charitable contributions and tax-deductible. Employer Identification Number: 81-285925

© Copyright 2024. All Rights Reserved. Website by risingT, LLC.

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THE VIEW FROM: THE INDIAN HARBOR YACHT CLUB IN GREENWICH; In Sail of a Second Century of Seamanship and Camaraderie

By Dennis Fawcett

• June 18, 1989

LEAD: A BOOK called ''A Century of Sailing'' was recently published and is available only in Greenwich, and only at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club. The book, published privately by the club, is, in fact, a history of the club, which this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

A BOOK called ''A Century of Sailing'' was recently published and is available only in Greenwich, and only at the Indian Harbor Yacht Club. The book, published privately by the club, is, in fact, a history of the club, which this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

While its age does put Indian Harbor in the elite fleet of the oldest yacht clubs (it is predated by more than 70 American organizations, including the 101-year-old Riverside Yacht Club in Greenwich), Indian Harbor ranks among the most influential institutions of its kind in the country.

Its members have strongly supported many America's Cup defenses, including that of the Intrepid in 1967 and 1970. A model of the Intrepid, used as a permanent trophy for one of the club's many annual races, is on display in the clubhouse. A Prominent Roster

Understandably, the club's membership includes many prominent business people from the area; the list of ex-commodores at the club's recent anniversary celebration was headed by Thomas J. Watson Jr., the retired chairman of I.B.M. Other members are a part of yachting history, most notably the father-and-son team of Richard S. and Richard B. Nye.

Between 1951 and 1982, in three Indian Harbor-registered boats named Carina, the Nyes became two of the most successful yachtsmen in the world, winning dozens of major international races. In the Newport-to-Bermuda race, which Richard S. Nye won a record three times, Indian Harbor has recorded more entries than any other yacht club, according to the ''Century of Sailing'' book.

''Certainly one reason for the club's success dates back to its incorporation,'' said William E. Cook, Indian Harbor's commodore and a professional boat designer. ''It was the club's stated purpose to foster and encourage the sport of yachting, seamanship and even boat design. They were listed before recreation and amusement, which are more typical of such charters.''

Actually, Indian Harbor (which is on Steamboat Avenue overlooking Greenwich Harbor rather than its namesake to the east) was incorporated in 1889 in New York and held its early meetings in New York City; it was not until 1901 that the club achieved nonprofit corporate status in Connecticut.

''Most of the founders were New Yorkers,'' Mr. Cook explained. ''At the time, Greenwich was mainly a seasonal resort. In fact, several early members commuted by boat to their jobs in the city during the summer.''

Now, the large majority of the club's nearly 600-member families are area residents, but more than 100 are nonresident or winter members.

During the club's heyday in the Gilded Age prior to World War II, huge steamers and two- and three-masted schooners crowded the channel to the west of the club and the harbor area to the south. While there are two large ketches - both over 100 feet - still on the Indian Harbor roster, they would have been small compared with the 233-foot schooner Migrant or the 243-foot steamer Aras, which were registered at Indian Harbor in the 1930's and were representative of their day. The Club's Fleet

Looking out from the club's veranda window, the fleet consists mainly of smaller (under 40 feet) power cruisers and ''one-designs,'' which are sailboats built to uniform specifications throughout the world. The one-designs make up more than half the current roster and include the current standard J-24 and an increasing number of Mr. Cook's own popular Impulse 21's. ''Larger cruisers are becoming more popular again, though,'' Mr. Cook said.

While he acknowledged that some of the club's members belong ''entirely for social reasons,'' Mr. Cook pointed out that ''there are relatively few nonsailors.'' In part, this is due to the fact that while the club has a restaurant, bar, meeting rooms and the boating facilities, it has no tennis courts, exercise rooms and swimming pools.

This last deficiency may perhaps be remedied when the club decides what to do with the small piece of land it recently reacquired (having sold it during the Depression) on the opposite side of the small inlet to the east. 'Family-and-Friends Sailing'

''Many of the social activities are organized around sailing,'' Mr. Cook said. ''During the season, there are regular races, both here at the club and in the Sound in cooperation with other clubs in Connecticut and New York. There's a weeklong cruise every summer - this year up to Nantucket - that's specifically for family-and-friends sailing.''

Another of Indian Harbor's major summertime activities is its annual junior sailing program, started in 1924. The program, running from mid-June through mid-August, trains boys and girls aged 8 to 18 in various levels of sailing from novice through junior. The program is open to qualified youngsters whether or not they are the children of members.

''In recent years,'' Mr. Cook said, ''as many as three-fourths of the kids in the program have been children of nonmembers. We go to the local schools every year to encourage kids to apply. We see it as a service program designed to teach not only sailing skills, but also self-reliance and good sportsmanship.''

For all the summer activity, Indian Harbor is not becalmed during the colder months. ''In the winter, there's frostbiting - short races in one-man boats out here in the channel,'' Mr. Cook said. Last year, the club sponsored its first winter cruise - 34 people on eight boats for a week in the Virgin Islands. ''Most of the boats were chartered,'' Mr. Cook said. ''But several people have already said they want to take their own boats down next year for the cruise in the Windward Islands.''

Another recent first for the club was the election last year of a woman, Carolyn B. Fisher, to the 18-member board. ''While we certainly felt it was time to have a woman on the board,'' Mr. Cook said, ''she was an excellent choice, regardless of her sex. She's young, an outstanding sailor, and her father is a past commodore of the club.''

Mr. Cook defined the club's greatest challenge as attracting younger members. To that end, the club scales down its dues and initiation fees for members under 35. Initiation fees are $200 to $400 for members ages 21 to 30, and $700 to $2,000 for 31 and over. Annual dues range from $295 to $595 for ages 21 to 30, and $890 to $1,485 for 31 and over. ''We also organize special events - cookouts, races - specifically geared to younger members,'' Mr. Cook said.

Commodore Cook, 49, is himself indicative of the club's desire to encourage a more youthful image. ''I guess I am probably the youngest commodore Indian Harbor has had in anyone's memory,'' he said. ''Partly that's because the average age of the members is probably lower than it was 10 years ago. But it's also hard to take on such a time-consuming responsibility when you're in the prime of your career and have other volunteer activities demanding attention.''

Mr. Cook's design firm, located downtown, allows him the flexibility to maintain his duties as commodore. ''It's one of those things that pays in the satisfaction of doing a good job,'' he said. ''As the joke goes, if you do a good job this year, we'll double your salary next year.''

A guide to Indian Lake, hammered by Thursday's storms

The Indian Lake area of Ohio was torn by storms Thursday night . Here's a guide to the lake:

Where is Indian Lake?

Indian Lake is in Logan County, about 70 miles northwest of Columbus.

How big is Indian Lake?

The lake is about 5,100 acres, making it the third largest lake in Ohio, behind Grand Lake St. Marys (13,500 acres) in Auglaize and Mercer counties and Mosquito Creek Lake (7,850 acres) in Trumbull County, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources. In addition, Pymatuning Reservoir, which straddles Ohio and Pennsylvania, covers 14,000 acres.

Is Indian Lake natural?

Indian Lake is man-made. According to the ODNR , it began in 1851 as "Old Indian Lake," a feeder lake for the Miami & Erie Canal. A bulkhead completed in 1860 allowed the lake, then called Lewiston Reservoir, to grow to more than 6,300 acres. Although Indian Lake is very shallow, with an average depth of 6 feet, it has largely been spared the algae that has stained other Ohio lakes because of the Indian Lake Watershed Project, established in the 1990s to keep the water clean.

How many people live on Indian Lake?

About 1,300 people live in the lake's largest town, Russells Point, and another 1,200 live down the road in Lakeview, both on the lake's southern shore. Hundreds more live around the lake, many of them in seasonal trailer parks and campgrounds, making the area vulnerable to storms.

What is Indian Lake best known for?

For decades, an amusement park and dance halls along the lake's southern rim drew visitors from miles around and provided the lake's nickname, the "Midwest's Million Dollar Playground." The last bits of the amusement park were torn down in the early 1980s; only the I ndian Lake Rollarena in Russells Point provides a hint of the lake's entertainment past.

Was the 1960s hit "Indian Lake" about this lake?

No. The Cowsills' 1968 Top 10 hit "Indian Lake" is thought to be based on a lake in Upstate New York.

What is housing like around Indian lake?

Much of Indian Lake's homes remain trailers in campgrounds, especially on the north and west sides of the lake. But a growing number of large new homes have been built on the lake this century, especially on the lake's multiple islands and eastern shore. Many of the older, modest homes still sell under $100,000, but newer homes can command more than half a million dollars. The lake's real-estate landed it a spot on the HGTV shows "Island Life" and "Island Hunters."

What impact did the storms have on the lake's state park?

The ODNR has closed Indian Lake State Park, on the west side of the lake, until further notice. "ODNR staff and other emergency crews will assess the impact of the storm and reevaluate the status of the park later today," the department posted Friday . The 8,400-acre park is one of Ohio's four original state parks, created in 1949.

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