  | Chatham Yacht ClubTEACHING LOVE OF SAILING ON PLEASANT BAY SINCE 1921 |
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- Spinsheet June 26th, 2026
S P I N S H E E T
SAILING SCHOOL BEGINS Monday, June 29th OPENING COCKTAILS Friday, June 26th 5:30PM* SATURDAY SERIES First race June 27th OPENING MEETING Saturday, June 27th 3 PM | June 26, 2026
IT'S HERE! The 2026 Chatham Yacht Club season is finally upon us and we are all looking forward to another spectacular season on the Bay. THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR MEMBERS WHO TURNED OUT TO OPEN THE CLUBHOUSE AND PREPARE IT FOR THE SEASON OUR MUTUAL ENJOYMENT. Our first week is a busy one! Sailing School begins MONDAY June 29 and will continue through August 20. Races begin SATURDAY and will follow the same schedule as past summers. Please see the updates below from the Sailing School and the Racing Corner for more details. The Opening Cocktail party will be held at CYC on FRIDAY, June 26th 5:30 PM. Our Opening Meeting will be held SATURDAY at 3:00pm on June 27 following the first of the Saturday Series race and will be held in-person outside the Clubhouse. A Patrol Training Session will also take place Saturday morning at 10am. Other important dates for social events, the CYC Regatta, beach days, and other activities can be found on our website calendar. I would like to thank members Jeanne and Dick Berdik for opening their beautiful home to us and hosting our kickoff luncheon. CYC is also indebted to Jeff Howell and Rebecca Horn who spent an entire day in an on the water working to get our floating docks installed. We could not do this without his assistance- an awesome display of the CYC volunteer spirit! We are thrilled with the team that will be managing the Sailing School program this coming season and welcome Beth Herbst as our new Sailing School Program Director There are many other exciting developments at CYC. Led by Gwen Shipley, the highly popular Adult Sailing program returns with options on Mondays and Saturdays, offering more opportunities to participate on the water. Thanks to the work of Courtney Bishop, CYC once again has a fantastic gear store to get everything and anything you could want for CYC merchandise. Led by Liz McNeely, CYC has expanded the number of ways you can volunteer and get involved at the Club. Please see the volunteer page to review the new simplified process to sign up! Finally, we have a number of fun social events planned for the summer thanks to our amazing Social Committee, chaired by Jennifer Gilmartin. Please see below for details on all these topics. The opening of the season is always a good opportunity to remind our members of parking access and safety while crossing the golf course. Please read below on the pertinent reminders and dangers! We look forward to seeing you at the Clubhouse soon!
The Flag Officers of the Chatham Yacht Club Bart Wesp, CommodoreGwen Shipley, Vice Commodore |
Please see the reminders and notices section below the Commodore's Message.
| FIRST DAY OF SAILING SCHOOL IS JUNE 29Th!Welcome to or welcome back to CYC! The staff has been working hard this past week to get everything ready, and we are so excited to get the summer started! A few reminders before we begin:
Our morning classes run from 9:00-12:00 on Monday, Tuesday, and Friday. On Wednesday and Thursday we have our sailing school races, so please pack a lunch and stop by if you want to watch. Classes will end at 1:30 pm on those days. Please allow for some variability in our pick-up times. The sailors are responsible for putting away their own boats, so classes can run a little longer sometimes. |
FROM THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR's HELM: |
Our staff is the foundation of our program. This year, we have a mixture of returning and new staff. The 2025 instructors are racing enthusiasts, sportsmanlike competitors, and passionate teachers. They are a truly inspirational group for younger sailors to learn from. We are lucky to have Sophie Dart as our 420 Race Coach. She just graduated from Tabor academy were she sailed on the varsity team all 4 years racing both nationally and internationally. She will be heading to Tufts next year, joining the one and only Cody Lamoreux on their sailing team. She will be passing on her impressive knowledge and experience. Sophie is joined by Julia Scipione, Brooke Bartlett, Rosie Benson, Jamie Eslick, and Alex Wesp. Alex Wesp and Jamie Eslick will lead our Helmsman 420 class with help from Sam Bartlett. Julia Scipione will be the Opti Race Coach and lead our Advanced Opti Class with the help from Eli Gertsberg. Jessica Scipione will lead our beginner and intermediate Opti Class with help from instructors Leah Parker and Jack Kurtowicz. Brooke Bartlett and Rosie Benson are the enthusiastic leaders of our Crew Class. This beginner class sails in borrowed Beetle Cats, generously donated by CYC members. The students will also receive individual attention and feedback. | Our fantastic Recreational Program, which sails in Sunfish, will be run by Brooke Bishop and Ada Hubbell and will excel in encouraging the learning of sailing in a non-racing environment. All of our fabulous classes will be assisted by our instructors: Annmarie Hubbell, Chase Berner, Jake Parker, Lucy Lipson, Lucy Richmond, Maret Downs. Finally, our classes would not be complete without the help of our Substitute Instructors: Ainsley Reydel, Millie DiRocco, Ellie Downs, Emery Benson, Jude Luciano, Lillian Stoddard, Lucas Proia, Roque Coelho, Sean Cahaly. Our Summer 2026 staff will build on CYC’s reputation as a yacht club valuing sportsmanship, competition, and learning. Every student has a place in our program. We hope that they will leave sailing school each day having learned something.As program director, my goal is to foster a safe, fun, and inclusive environment for every sailor. I hope to encourage learning, growth, sportsmanship, friendship and partnerships. Let’s go sailing! Beth Herbst Top |
Please see the Sailing School Overview page for detailed information on:
The Weekly Schedule, Parking & Drop Off Guidelines, What to Bring to Sailing School and much, much more!
WORK HARD BE KIND MAKE WAVES |
SUNDAY, JUNE 28thJoin us for an evening of sailing and onshore activities at CYC! Participants can enjoy free sailing, followed by a final race for each fleet. Sailors are welcome to head ashore early or stay on the beach to take part in games and activities. Parents are encouraged to stay, socialize, or volunteer as well. Email lucasaproia@gmail.com with any questions. We hope to see you on the bay! |
JULY 4th |
| July 4th is going to be upon us in a snap! One of the memorable events each year is the Chatham parade!! Sailing School kids should plan to march (families are welcome to join), and we are going to need some parents to help corral the decorating and marching!!! If you are interested in being an Event Captain (or Co-Captain) for this activity (or part of it), please reach out to Gwen Shipley or Emily Richmond! The theme for this year's historic Independence Day celebration in Chatham is "Anchored in Freedom: Timeless Tides & Traditions." CYC's float will reflect our theme: "Anchored in Pleasant Bay since 1921." Sailors and families are once again invited to march alongside our CYC float (details will be sent in a dedicated email next week). We plan to emphasize the anchor and boat decor.
Float Decorating Party: July 2nd, immediately after the Sailing School Races. All interested sailors and families are invited to join us to decorate the Opti that we'll pull on our trailer. Show up with enthusiasm and any 4th of July, CYC, and theme items to share. Please do not bring personal treasures that you don't want to lose. Add to your shopping list now any candy or other items that you might want to hand out during the parade! |
| We are looking for volunteers for set up and clean up for ALL events, Event Captains and to welcome new social committee members!Let's share the load and ensure we have member volunteers to chair and assist with the events that make our summer so darn fun. Grab a partner to assist - We need your help! CYC SOCIAL FOR DETAILS Contact our chair : Jenn Gilmartin VOLUNTEER |
Captains needed FOR THESE EVENTS: |
 | CYC Beach Days - family fun. Captain(s) are need to coordinate details and meeting plans. In a perfect world we have two opportunities to gather - one Sunday in July and another in August. Slow down and soak up the beauty of summer with a relaxing day on the beach at Chatham Yacht Club or our gathering on Outer Beach. All ages welcome! Dates TBD CAPTAIN(S) NEEDED |
| CYC Ladies Happy Hour- Join us for a casual and charming evening with the ladies of CYC. Enjoy time together in one of our favorite seaside settings — from a local beach gathering to cocktails on our beautiful club deck. Bring a beverage of your choice and a shareable appetizer while we relax, reconnect, and celebrate summer friendships by the shore. Dates TBD CAPTAIN(S) NEEDED |
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Last Hurrah Cocktails - August 21. Before we lower the sails on another wonderful season, join us for one last evening together at CYC. Gather with friends to share stories, laughter, and memories as we celebrate the moments that made the summer special. Bring your favorite beverage and a shareable appetizer as we raise a glass to a great season and cheers to the friendships and traditions that bring us back year after year. CAPTAIN NEEDED
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Mid-Summer Luncheon - a great way to gather and socialize with fellow female members dry and salt free. Tentatively scheduled for July 15th. Take a moment to relax and celebrate the heart of the season with an elegant mid-summer luncheon. Join us for a beautiful afternoon of delicious food, great conversation, and time spent connecting with friends. Enjoy a slightly elevated dining experience at a local restaurant (location to be announced) as we gather together and toast to the season in full swing. CAPTAIN SECURED! We do need volunteers to assist.
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Sailing School Karaoke evening - we are moving this event out of the Social Committee to Sailing School. Parents, we will be sharing that information as the season gets closer with a request for "Class Parents" to captain and chaperone. Anticipated to be near the evening of July 28,29 or 30th.
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| Volunteer sign-ups moved to within our CYC website!Our CYC activities and events depend on your vounteer efforts. There is a new VOLUNTEER CALENDAR page where you can view sign up opportunities. Events are color coded for easy viewing and more volunteer shifts and needs are in the process of being added. Signing up is easy. Simply visit the VOLUNTEER CALENDAR and select the event on the date of your choice. This will take you to an event 'registration' page where you can learn more about the shift or needs. Once you sign up, you will receive a confirmation email as well as reminder emails as your shift date nears. (Parent-On-Duty sailing school parents, secure your favored spot now!) Because these sign ups are structured within our "EVENTS" system (similar to RSVP's for social events) - you have the ability to view all registrations on your profile page. These include Sailing School registrations, Social RSVP's and now Volunteer sign ups. Amazing! *Parent On Duty shifts and a few Social Committee opportunities are already on the Volunteer Calendar. Other volunteer needs are forthcoming and notifications will be sent when those are available. Thank you in advance for your willingness to help out! |
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| There's an app for that!Wild Apricot (our web host) has a MEMBER APP AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD On this app you can view our member directory, register for events, view your "tickets" (all events and registrations), add events to your device calendar, view and edit your profile - and likely more capabilities that we have not yet discovered! As of yet, we do not have the ability to change the App 'album cover' and it remains the Wild Apricot orange logo. |
| Happy summer everyone! The Chatham Yacht Club racing season is almost upon us - the first race is Saturday, June 27th and we expect to continue to have some of the most active one-design racing in the US.Sailors compete each week for pennants and their performance over the entire summer can lead to winning the season series (and adding their name to one of our trophies). You do not have to own a sailboat or motorboat to participate. Often sailors and patrol boaters need people to crew with them. Students in the Sailing School can ask the instructors to help them find a way to participate. The CYC Season Series document, which is posted on the CYC website, contains the key information that you need for the weekly schedule. The CYC Sailing Instructions, also posted on the website, has specific rule modifications for the CYC races. On TUESDAYS, we begin racing at 1:00pm and run starts for 420s, Sunfish, Optimists, and Beetle Cats. We run two starts for each class with each start being a different season series. The second Beetle Cat start is our Women's Series. On WEDNESDAYS, the Sailing School race for that day's students begins approximately at 12:30pm. The Junior Races – in which all skippers must be under the age of 16 – begin at 2:00pm with starts for 420s, Sunfish, Optimists, and Beetle Cats. For novice adult sailors who are members of the adult sailing program, the Junior race is open to and welcomes your participation! Only the skipper in each boat must be a novice adult sailor. On THURSDAYS the Sailing School race for that day's students begins approximately at 12:30pm. Family members are welcome to come watch all these races! The SATURDAY SCHEDULE will follow the same format as in recent years for C-14s, Lasers, 420s, Sunfish, Optimists, and Beetle Cats. Just like Tuesdays, we begin racing at 1:00pm and will run a second race immediately following the first. However, both races will count for the same Saturday series. Because we are running two races, we will NOT try to make up any races that are cancelled due to weather or other factors. On the first and last Saturday of the season we will only run one race because of the opening and closing meetings. We look forward to seeing you on the water soon! Marshall Bartlett and Ted Dickson, CYC Race Committee Co-Chairs |
| PATROL TRAINING - Saturday, June 27th 10:00amCYC has a tradition of powerboat patrol which keep our sailors safe while racing. If you have a motor boat, or have experience driving a power boat, or are willing to accompany a boat on patrol, then we have an opportunity for YOU! Please join us for an informative training session and learn where you can be most helpful. No prior experience is necessary. Training and guidance will be provided to anyone new to these roles, and experienced volunteers will be happy to help you get started. |
| CYC Gear Shop UpdateWe’re gearing up for an exciting summer with a full selection of new hats, apparel, and accessories arriving throughout the start of the summer! In celebration of America’s 250th birthday, you’ll also see special red, white, and blue CYC designs available on many of your favorite items. We’re hoping our 2026 Sailing School Shirts arrive in time for Cocktails on Friday. If they do, we’ll have them available for pickup at the table, so be sure to stop by say hello and get your 2026 shirts. |
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| PLEASE take this time to review ALL of your information to ensure it is up to date.Renewing and editing is easy, simply go to the CYC website and log in. You can edit your profile from your computer, digital device or from the app. In the upper right hand corner of your computer or upper left from a mobile phone, you will find your profile name - click on your name and this will take you to the member renewal page where you can review your information, update and select membership level. (Remember, CYC is a registered 501(3)c and we depend on your support!) NOTE: Memberships must be fully paid and renewed for social events, online purchases and (if applicable) to register for any sailing school program. |
| Member SurveyIf you have not had five minutes to contribute to our poll, now is the time! Please take a moment and fill in our member poll on life experiences. You are a valued member of our community and our experiences enhance the quality of our membership. |
| CYC Trophy Engraving & ReturnWe are asking trophy holders to return them to the Clubhouse early this season so they can be displayed for everyone to see! Reminder - If you won one of the CYC Awards or Season Series trophies last year, you are responsible for getting your name engraved onto the trophy. Try CCI Engraving at 474 Station Ave, South Yarmouth - take old Exit 8 and go South - it will be in a shopping area on the left (across the parking lot from Marathon Sports). Their phone number is 508-398-4433. There is a one-time set-up charge of $25 for each trophy, but once it is in his system the same trophy can be engraved each year without that additional charge. - Thank you! |
Getting your boat to CYC: No boats or sailboards may be carried over the hill to be launched at CYC.Launching may take place at Jack Knife Harbor, the Town Landing on Crow's Pond, Ryder's Cove or in Round Cove. Please pay attention to any permitting needs for launching any boat. Transportation of 420s and Optis over the hill for the purpose of attending regattas during the summer may occur ONLY before sunrise and after sunset per our lease with Eastward Ho! (If you have purchased an Opti for your sailor and are depositing or removing your Opti for the season, these same Eastward Ho! requirements apply.) Thank you in advance for your cooperation! |
CYC Parking
The parking lot configuration allows for multi-directional Fox Hill Road access from three points as illustrated in the diagram below. It is essential that all CYC traffic use the third entrance on Fox Hill road to minimize the access traffic and pedestrian hazards in the other parts of the parking area.
Sailing School morning classes
CYC instructors will be available to help students to and from the CYC club house so parents can enjoy the convenience of “drop and go” noted by the yellow cross-hash area.
Before 11:30 am, parking may be available on a 
first-come, first-serve basis in the designated area, highlighted in green box, for parents to bring their children to classes, meet the instructors and fellow parents. Please be aware this area is not exclusive to CYC but shared with EHCC. If there is a shortage of parking spaces in the designated area, please park on the shoulder of Fox Hill Rd.
“Pickup and go” will also be available for your convenience at the conclusion of morning classes at the Pick-up spot shown in the diagram. This is a safer and shaded location where our students can be ready for pick-up. Please be mindful of cars who need to get around you while you are waiting.
Mid-day
Parking begins to get busy around 11:30 when Eastward Ho! Lunch service begins. After 11:30, We ask that CYC members park on the Fox Hill road shoulder during lunch if the CYC area is busy.
Afternoon classes and races
Due to the limited amount of parking spaces, Parents are encouraged to enjoy the convenience of “drop and go” where appropriate for the children. Parents who would like to see your kids in action during the afternoon races can check for available parking spots in the designated (green) area after 2 PM. If there is a shortage of parking spaces at any time, please park on the shoulder of Fox Hill Rd.
Eastward Ho! will have parking lot attendants available to assist with traffic flow and direct CYC members to the designated (green) area. Please don’t hesitate to speak with them if you have any questions or need assistance.
As always, safety is paramount as we balance convenience and consideration for a shared parking resource with our friends at Eastward Ho!
Thank you for your cooperation as we begin a new exciting season at CYC! Top
| Courtesy & Safety on the Golf CourseAn average golf ball leaves the tee traveling 115 mph or more, and our path to CYC takes us right in front of the first tee. ADULTS & CHILDREN NEED TO TAKE CARE AS THEY CROSS IN FRONT.
Eastward Ho! and CYC have a great working relationship, but it depends on CYC members being courteous to and respectful of the golfers. Please wear shirts and shoes when crossing the hill, and do not use your cell phone. It is best to be quiet when golfers are on the 9th green. You may stop and wait, or move quietly by, but try not to distract those focusing on their putts. |
| See this prior announcement. All boat operators will need a MA Boating Safety Certificate. CYC has offered to host a class for members (you can bring a friend). We need to get registrations for this in place by June 15th in order to hold our spot with the instructors, please register ASAP. We have invited the COAST GUARD AUXILIARY again this summer to offer a chance to earn your Boater Safety Certificate.Class will run for 2 consecutive nights (Tuesday July 21 & Wednesday July 22nd from 4-7pm). Topics include Boating Law, Safety Equipment, Safe Operation and Navigation, Boating Emergencies, Trailering, Storing & Protecting your Boat, Sports and Boating. For more information and to register For those that can't make it, or prefer to obtain your certification earlier, there are great online courses that are informative and do fulfill the state requirements. "These online versions of our Boater Safety education courses are self-paced and the same course content you’d find in our classrooms." |
Chatham Yacht Club | P.O. Box 531 | North Chatham, MA 02650
CYC is a 501(c)(3) Non-Profit Organization. Your donations are tax deductible!