2019 YACHT CLUB/ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

MARBLEHEAD YACHT CLUB

Marblehead Yacht Club was founded in 1878 and has a long tradition of boating out of beautiful Marblehead Harbor. The club has a great history of being run by volunteers, and this even extends to racing. In years past their pursuit race was held as a low key event for members only. In 2014 the race was opened up to the public, put on the Mass Bay Calendar and it had 14 participants it's first year. In 2015, the race was renamed the Clemson Chase Race after long time member Newt Clemson. At that time it was also included in the Mass Bay Pursuit Championship for the first time. That year the race had 17 boats. In recent years the race continues to do well, with good participation in both cruising and spinnaker classes.

But that's not all. In 2018, the club, recognizing the need for more long distance racing as qualifying events for races like Marblehead to Halifax and Newport to Bermuda, decided to resurrect the Downeast Challenge Race from Marblehead to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. There was good participation in 2018 and in 2019, it included the largest number of shorthanded racers in an event throughout New England.

So it is with great pleasure I would like to award Marblehead Yacht Club Mass Bay Sailing's Yacht Club of the Year award for 2019. Here to accept the award are board members from MYC.