Yachting History

Past Commodores of the Norfolk Yacht & Country Club   R.L. Payne, M.D. 1936 – 1937 Oscar F. Smith 1938 – 1939 Hampton Sewell 1940 – 1941 Leigh G. Hogshire 1942 – 1944 L.J. Hardiman 1945 – 1947 D.D. Atkinson 1948 – 1949 Fred G. Swink 1950 – 1951 Allison J. Parsons 1952 Oscar F. Smith, III 1953 – 1954 John B. Maddrey 1955 – 1956 John H. Curtis, JR. 1957 – 1958 S.A. Shoemaker 1959 – 1960 E. Morton Harrell 1961 – 1962 Jack H. Vail 1963 – 1964 William C. Andrews, M.D. 1965 – 1966 Alex P. Grice, III 1965 – 1966 E. Pryor Wormington 1969 – 1970 J. Martin Willis 1971 – 1972 Roy L. Dudley 1973 – 1974 Lyman G. Vanin 1975 – 1976 W.G. Vansant, Jr. 1977 – 1978 Aubrey G. Graham, Jr. 1979 – 1980 C.L. Wright, JR. 1981 – 1982 W. Wayne Tiffany 1983 – 1984 James E. Etheridge, Jr., M.D. 1985 – 1986 R.J. Alfriend, III. 1987 – 1988 E.H. Igenei Eskey, Jr. 1989 – 1990 Edward W. Wolcott, Jr. 1991 – 1992 WM. W. (Bill) Church 1993 – 1994 Charles H. McCoy, Jr. 1995 – 1996 L.R. (Ray) Haywood, Jr. 1997 – 1998 Theodore Baker, Jr. 1999 – 2000 Ronald J. Primm 2001 – 2002 William J. Ripley 2003 – 2004 Armistead W. Dudley 2005 – 2006 Frank C. Stewart, M.D. 2007 – 2008 C. Arthur Robinson, II 2009 – 2010

YACHTING HISTORY

The yachting division at NYCC has been an integral part of club life since the earliest days. Although the club was not known as the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club until 1936, both power and sail boats have been docked at the Club’s site since its beginning. Among those members responsible for adding the word “Yacht” to the existing name of the Norfolk Country Club were Dr. RL Payne, Mr. Garland Miller, Mr. George Curtis, Mr. Lawrence Page, Dr. G Bentley Byrd, Dr. R Bryan Grinnan, Mr. Oscar Smith and many other prominent yachtsmen.

The club’s distinctive burgee was originally hand made by Mr. George Curtis, who brought it from the Hampton Roads Yacht Club after that facility burned and its members transferred to the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club. The red and blue burgee still flies proudly today on all NYCC yachts and flag poles.

Construction of the docks has occurred in phases and is testament to the growing popularity and success of the yachting division. The original portion of Pier 1 was built prior to 1936. Mr. Dunwoody Atkinson’s company dredged the first channel past the Club, along Tanners Creek. Mr. Atkinson was involved in both the development of the club’s marine improvements as well as many young sailors’ skills. In 1936, the United States Engineers (now called the Army Corps of Engineers) requested that “the channel be straightened, widened and deepened so as to afford safe anchorage with attractive settings for yachts and other watercraft.” Other piers were added as needed to accommodate the increasing number of boats using the facility.

REGATTAS

NYCC’s yachting division has played an important role in boating on the Chesapeake Bay and especially in Hampton Roads. Past club records reveal many families names that have made a tradition of participating in regional, national and international regattas. The first large regatta sponsored by the yachting division was the Labor Day Regatta of the Norfolk-Portsmouth Yacht Racing Association in 1939. Boats from the Portsmouth Boat Club, the Hampton Yacht Club and the Norfolk Yacht and Country Club participated. NYCC also hosted the Virginia Sailing Regatta, a Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association event, on numerous occasions beginning in the mid-1940s. The Maury Regatta, in which high school sailors from all over Hampton Roads sailed, was held annually during the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.

Perhaps the most important regattas to be held at the club have been the National Hampton One-Design Championships. Charles McCoy, Jr. won the title in 1961 and was responsible for bringing the regatta to NYCC in 1962, where he successfully defended his title. The club and its members have been instrumental in keeping this title class of boat active on the Bay. The club was once home to the largest fleet on the Chesapeake Bay and during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s was the most competitive one design class on the Bay.

JUNIOR SAILING

The yachting division began its junior sailing program in the mid 1950’s, when John Wade was employed to teach sailing in his Hampton One-Design. Member’s children have been taught to sail Penguins, Turnabouts, Optimists, and Hamptons among other craft. Ed Wolcott, Jr. helped to revive the program in the 1980’s, and today over 100 young sailors begin in the Optimist class and graduate to Flying Juniors, learning not only sailing and racing skills, but sportsmanship and independence. The club has hosted several national competitions and provides instruction for young sailors year round.