Our History
Cambridge Yacht Club was founded in 1911 by Alfred I. du Pont and other prominent Cambridge residents who shared a passion for yachts and racing.
World War I caused the club to close temporarily in 1919, and it re-opened in 1933. The first clubhouse still stands on High Street, where the club operated until it moved to its current location in 1938.
Announcement of the Club’s Founding in The Baltimore Sun, February 4, 1911
Alfred I. Du Pont, first Commodore of Cambridge Yacht Club
Original Clubhouse
CYC’s first clubhouse was the Goldsborough mansion on High Street, with water access onto Cambridge Creek. That building still stands, and it is now a private residence.
Click image below to expand
Original Cambridge Yacht Club building on High St
Early postcard of the original Cambridge Yacht Club on High St, Cambridge MD.
Original Yacht Club on High St
The original Cambridge Yacht Club was located on High Street. This postcard probably dates to 1915-1920. Love the outfits!
Dancing Pavilion
The Dancing Pavilion stood behind the clubhouse on High St. The original clubhouse is still there, but the pavilion is gone.
Original CYC Clubhouse on High St (Today)
This was the original clubhouse when CYC was founded in 1911. It is now a private residence.
Award-Winning Clubhouse
In 1937, Frank du Pont funded the construction of the current clubhouse at the foot of Mill St, on the Choptank River.
The clubhouse was perhaps the first in the nation designed by a woman, Victorine du Pont Honsey, and the modern design won awards for its modern aesthetic modeled after the bridge of Alfred I. duPont‘s yacht, Alicia.
Click image below to expand
A.I. DuPont’s Yacht, Alicia
A.I. DuPont’s Yacht Alicia was the inspiration for the clubhouse’s glass-enclosed “bullet”
CYC Postcard ca. 1939
CYC Postcard ca. 1939
Colorized Postcard of CYC
Colorized Postcard of CYC
CYC Marina Postcard
CYC Marina Postcard ca 1940
CYC Clubhouse ca. 1939
CYC Clubhouse ca. 1939
CYC Marina Postcard
CYC Marina Postcard
CYC Clubhouse, from Architectural Forum, 1938
CYC Clubhouse, from Architectural Forum, 1938
A Legacy of Racing
Cambridge Yacht Club has been the home of racing on the Choptank River for over a century. Early in our history, powerboat racing was an exciting new pursuit for Cambridge’s elite. Races ran up and down the river, finishing at the Yacht Club’s new clubhouse at the foot of Mill Street. Over time, those races evolved into the current Cambridge Classic, which features sleek hydroplanes and throwback Jersey skiffs.
Sailors were attracted to the broad waters of the Choptank River, which has excellent sailing regardless of wind direction. Admiral Byrd was a regular patron of sailboat races in the 1940s, and the Club’s annual regatta now bears his name.
Our tradition of racing excellence continues to this day, and CYC is proud to host the Admiral Byrd Regatta, annual Log Canoe races, Wednesday Night Races, and our beloved Junior Sail Program.
2023 Flag
Trevor Carouge
Commodore
Graham Ward
Vice Commodore
Jackie Whisman
Rear Commodore
Kevin Diaz
Fleet Captain
Rev. Susan Leight
Fleet Chaplain
2023 Board of Governors
Rege Butler
Jo Chapman
John Donegan III
Tom Hannan
Tom Kranz
Teresa Troll
Bill Clyde
Immediate Past Commodore
Lorna Greene
Club Manager