Edgewood Yacht Club - Beetle Cats

Edgewood Yacht Club

www.edgewoodyachtclub.com

After about 40+ years I had the pleasure of re-visiting the Edgewood Yacht Club, which is located on Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island. As a child, my grandfather would take me there to go sailing on his boat. Hard not to remember the yacht club. It sat at the bottom of this steep hill right on the water and I mean on the water. From his home on Wentworth Ave, we would drive down in his station wagon packed with sailing gear and food. Once we got there, it was a challenge to carry all the stuff. However, he did have a locker where he kept a few items. He would grab the oars for his dingy. Somehow, we managed to fit everything, including ourselves, into the dinghy and row out to his boat. His boat was cluttered with all kinds of things including dozens of hats and fishing gear. I honestly don’t know how he ever made room on the bunks when it came time to sleep.

Long before my experiences at Edgewood Yacht Club, he had sailed in a large catboat. It was a family ritual of my grandparents and all of their eight children to be seen sailing on a weekend around Narragansett Bay. The cat boat was ideal as it provided a large cockpit where there was room for numerous people to sit. As a teenager, my dad and his brother found eight small Beetle Cat sailboats washed up on the beaches that were destroyed by the hurricane of 1938. They brought the remains of these eight boats home and built one good one. They called it Pieces of Eight. For several years, my dad raced Pieces of Eight, but his sisters were the ones that made history. Marjorie and Genevieve Brown raced Pieces of Eight to victory in a Beetle Cat Regatta in 1946. I have to believe the “boys” that got beat were quite shocked to be beaten by young girls.

I had previously written a story of the history of Pieces of Eight and how it became a major factor in shaping so many lives of my extended Brown Family. Sail Magazine was kind enough to publish the story in their July/August issue.

Sail Magazine July/August 2022 issue.

Edgewood Yacht Club has faced some serious challenges over the years. The hurricane of 1938 did some serious damaged, but the most serious hurricane in 1954. There was damage to pilings, docks, marina, and first floor. Then in 2011 a major snow storm with high winds caused a fire. The clubhouse could not be saved. Finally in 2017 the new clubhouse was built.

I learned that on Wednesday nights the Beetle Cat Fleet have a series of races off Edgewood Yacht Club. Through some communication with the club, I requested if it was possible for me to visit and take some photographs of the Beetle Cat races. They could not have been more welcoming. What made it so special is they had a member and his wife drive me out to the races in a power boat. The evening was simply spectacular. Beautiful warm breeze, sunny skies, and a number of Beetle Cats with vibrant colored sails. My only wish is if my father, aunts, and grandfather could have been there. It would have been a joy for them to see the activity still shaping the culture and spirit of Edgewood Yacht Club.

Edgewood Yacht Club is a true sailing club that offers sailing and racing for all age groups and skill levels. It is so important to expose young kids of all backgrounds and cultures to the joy of sailing. I sincerely hope it continues for many generations.

Edgewood Yacht Club is hosting the Leo J. Telesmanick Beetle Cat Championship regatta from August 6-7, 2022. I certainly hope they have great weather. Should be lots of fun for the participants and on-lookers.