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SEAWANHAKA HARBOR. 



TN common with all o' her mefropuilau yacht club?, the lvste.ry 

 X of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Y. C. shows a contiuual strug- 

 gles for a foothold oa the waterside, the olds against the. club in- 

 r,! easing every year with the growing importance of New y.irk 

 us a great railroad terminal. The "Seawaabaka Y acht niuh hi 

 Oyster Bay," as ihe club was first christened, was formed in 1871 

 by a pari vol ardent arid enthusiastic boat sailor* who resided 

 a born the waters from which the club took a part, of its name, 

 and raced constantly on Oyster Bay, Cold Spring Harbor and the 

 ac.hitiing part of the Sound. The organization of the club was 

 the direct result of the Corinthian racing already existing-, and 

 the immediate object was the encouragement and promotion of 

 the sport in the Oys'er Bay fleet; but within three rears the list. 

 of membership included the names of the leading Mew York 

 yachtsmen, and in the fleet of fifty yachts were enrolled a num- 

 ber of I hp largest. So popular and well known had the club be- 

 come by 1874: that the general had ou' grown the local interests 

 and its first move was made, from Oyster Bay to Mew York Bay, 

 a. torn uorarv station being secured below Tompkinsville, Staten 

 Island. 



Holding a high position among the ine'ropolitan yacht cities, 

 largely throuoh the high standard of membership and the suc- 

 cessful management of its races, the club continued to grow and 

 prosper, though from the first much hampered, by the lack of a 

 suitable anchorage and. shore station. In spite of this drawback 

 its fleet included the leading yachts of New York and theEa-t, 

 and its many races were marked by good en ry lists and close 

 competition. The encouragement of handling and racing by 

 owners rather than paid sailor men, which had naturally beci an 

 important point of the elub'i policy in its early days', was still 

 adhered to as larger yachts were added to the fljet, arid in 1880 it 

 took a permanent and definite form in the change of the name to 

 the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacbt Clnb. 



The club was the first in this country to adopt a s'rong and vig- 

 orous policy tor the advancement of Corinthian sailing, the fiist 

 club race under Corinthian rules b^ing sailed in 18711, followed by a 

 second club race, and an open regatta f >r schoolers off Newport 

 in 1874 Its work iu this direction, iu which it was the pioneer, 

 and its successful efforts for the improvement of measurement 

 and sailing rules, are now a part of yachting history, and au evi- 

 dence of the success which has attended both attemp's is found 

 in the rules of a great number of American clubs, which are 

 based directly' on those of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Y. C. 



While successful on the water, the club was never aide f> secure 

 a suitable home on shore; the basin leased at Staten island, with 

 the neat little house provided by the Anchorage Company, com- 

 posed of members of the club, was entirely inadequate, owing to 

 the shoal wa'ei: and the basin was Anally held by a newowner at 

 a rental so far beyond its value that the club abandoned it. An- 

 other site was found near by, and the house moved to it; but in 

 jouyenienees, a serious difference arose 

 i Insert the property, resulting in the 

 t This time— 1880— the question of a per- 

 draga owned by the club, had been lot- 

 ion, and the entire water f'ron" ot New 



addition to Its limited 

 within the club over tlv 

 loss of it o -the club. J 

 roanent station and and 

 a lung time under d' 



Yorkharbor had been examined and 

 cess. With the loss of tne existing basin, some new move was 

 necessary, and a vei y able committer early in 1887 went over the 

 eround already so well explored, from Sandy Hook through the 

 Upper and Lower Bays, and along both shores of the Sound as Jai 

 as Greenwich s nd Oyster Bay. 



In the long and exhaustive report which resulted, the '"ommit- 

 tee recognized tre impossibility of securing a site la low New 

 York, and at the same time showed that a successful station on 

 Long Island Sound, and at some distance from the cay, would b-i 

 possible only when carried out on a much n ore extensive scale 

 than then seemed desirable, The committee, was a bo disinclined 

 to abandon the harbor, the racing ground of 1 he other large clnb=. 

 and return to the Sound. The course recommended by them, and 

 finally carried out, was the establishment of a town house in New 

 York city and a further expansion of that part of the policy of the 

 club which Jolted to the instruction of its members. This new 

 plau was at once put into operation, and after a tr al of fi ve years 

 i tie result, has been a complete indorsement of the wisdom of the 

 committee. At the same time many changes ha ve taken place in 

 vaclidng, and two facts have been plainly e- ideut to the club: 

 First, that the Sound, and not the harbor, would he the future 

 racing waters of New York: and second, thai, save in one or two 

 special cases, a homeheside the water is absolutely indispensable 

 to the continued and healthy growth of a yacht club. 



For the past two years the question of a club station has been 

 under discussion in the club, with the result that a commit! tc 

 was aopointed early last spring to look for a location on the 

 Sound", the original idea being merely to htiild or lease a small 

 house in the vicinity of a harbor suitable for the small craft of 

 the fleet. Again both shores of the Sound were thoroughly ex- 

 plored iu the yachts of the committee, and after a long search a 

 site was selected at the birthplace and old home of the club, on 

 Oyster Bay. The natural beauty of this locality, and its many 

 advantages as a harbor and sailing ground, had in no way dimin- 

 ished since the time that the club had left there: but the two 

 great objections, the inaccessibility of the place by land and the 

 distance from the center of yacht racing, had in the meanwhile 

 disappeared. In 18S9 the railroad was extended to the water side 

 at. Oyster Bay, doing away with the six-ni'le stage ride of old, 

 and even before this the whole tide of racing had begun to turn 

 from below to above Hell Gate. 



The result of the committee's labors was the securing of a plot 

 of 85 acres on Center Island, located as shown by the shaded por- 

 tion of the chart, the land lying just inside of Plum Point, and 

 fronting on both portions of the harbor. This land has bten laid 

 out in building plots, several of which have already been pur- 

 chased by members of the club; and a portion has been reserved 

 the lot marked 1 in the plan, on which a handsome club house is 

 nearlv completed; and the new station will be ready for use some 

 time beforethe opening of the season of 1892. 



The first consideration in an undertaking of this kind is that of 

 mouey; and it was treated as follows in. the report of the com- 

 mittee on out-of-town site: 



•'The monev necessary to establish the station, and to pay for 

 the land, the club house and furniture, outhouses, pier, float, 

 launch, fl i g-staff , well, pump, windmill, water tank and improve- 

 ments to the grounds, has been carefully estimated and found to 

 aggregate |43,750, which, with the present bonds of the club of 

 $7,250, makes a total of $50 000. 



'•We suggest that a mortgage be placed by the club on the land 

 to be acquired, the house and furniture and all the property and 

 income of the club, to secure an issue of 5 per cent, first mortgage 

 bonds to the aggregate amount of $60,000, of which $50,000 shall 

 be issued at this time to pay for the proposed undertaking and the 



remaining $10*030 in bond's shall he reserved to be issued in the 

 fu'ure to yav for f dditi mat improvements if and when, in the. 

 judem^nt of the club, a nece^iu arises therefor. The $50,000 iu 

 oonds to be issued at this t me will make a total annual interest 

 charge upon the <yub of .-$2,500. That a sinking fund to redeem 

 the bonds be established by covenant in the mortgage, to consist 

 of the money received from initiation fees and from life member- 

 ships. The bonds to be of the denomination'; of $100. $500. and 

 $1,1100. The present issue of $50,000 of bonds to be offered to mem- 

 bers of the club for subscription. Bonds to the amount of $7,350 

 should be reserved to retire the present club bonds for that 

 amount by exchange, bond for bond, in the option of the present 

 hosiers Jt b^o si; '., of .Ik- ho', 'crs of the pr«s 



ent bonds that they would be willing to make the club a present 

 of their bonds, but the committee advises against the acceptance 

 of these offers We believe the club should meet its obligations 

 in a straightforward business way, and thereby maintain its credit 

 with its members. The security for the new bonds will be ample 

 and the mortgage can he so drawn as to make the bonds a per- 

 fectly safe iuves ment; and the committee confidently believe 

 that enough members will be found who have sufficient pride in 

 the club and confidence in its future to secure suoscriptions for 

 th» bonds." 



Oa the decision of the club to proceed with the undertaking 

 according to the recommendations of the committee, the above 

 scheme was at once put into operation, and bonds to the amount 

 of $50 000 were readily placed. 



The property has a frontage of about 2,400 feet on Oyster Bay 

 Harbor proper, facing a large and well protected anchorage with 

 ample depth of water and goad holding ground, the distance to 

 the open waters of Ling Maud Saund being bur two miles. The 

 courses for ihe larger yachts will be laid out on the Sound, where 

 an uulirni'ed extent of deep and ooan wafer is available, while for 

 the smaller craft good courses will be located inside, in full view 

 of the club hou^e. The land rises quickly from the main shore, 

 offering fine cottage sites, and the club house, though near the 

 beach, is ou high ground, commanding a view of the Sound and 

 the surrounding country from the windows of the second story, 



with a, still more extensive sweep from fhe deck on the roof. 



The house was designed by Mr. R. W. Gibson, a member of the 

 club, and covers, with the piazzas, about 119X53ft, The lower 

 floor contains a large main hall, with diniug hall, kitchen, billiard 

 ball and other apartments. On the second floor there are four- 

 teen sleeping rooms, and on the third are extra dormitories for 

 use when the house is full. The building is handsome and impos- 

 ing in appearance, and well located about, a hundred feet from the 

 low bluff, from which runs out the club landing, with afloat 

 stage. To the west of the club house the main roadway runs 

 down to the water, and at itsfooris the main pier, 800ft. long, 13ft. 

 wide, and with an L 30 x 30ft. At low water there is 8 to 9ft. and 

 at high water 15 to 16ft. at the end of "the pier. The average rise 

 of tide at Oyster Bay is 7ft. 3in., thus giving a chance to the 

 smaller craft to beach and scrub bottom with little difficulty. 

 The frontage ou West Harbor is 600ft,, this slope of the prorerly 

 commanding a fine view of the Sound across the neck. A large 

 tract of land adjoining the club property has been purchased by 

 two members of the club, and one handsome residence has al- 

 ready been built. 



While New York and Eastern yachtsmen do not need to he told 

 of the beauty and advantages of Oyster Bav, it may interest others 

 to know that it is one of the numerous indentations of the north 

 shore of Long Island, whose hills and headlands are divided by 

 g; ecu and beautiful valleys, each of which opens on a deep, nar- 

 row bay, as at Manhansett, Hempstead and Huntington. Oyster 

 Bay has long been noted among all the harbors of tne Sound for 

 its natural beauty, its deep water and excellent shelter; and in 

 these requisites it fully comes up to the ideal of a yachting sta- 

 tion, its only rival on the coast being Marblchead. Its location is 

 specially favorable, being within an hour of New York by rail, 

 and yet far enough away from the head of the Sound to secure 

 broad and open water, and to give a wide range for cruises in all 

 directions. The distance from the Battery, New York, to the 

 club pier is about 30 miles, and the distances from the mouth, 

 of the harbor 1o the different yachting ports are shown 

 on the chart; City Island, with its shipyard and railways, being 

 12 miles; New Rochelle, 11 miles; Larchmont, 9 miles; Greenwich 

 and Indian Harbor, 5 miles; Black Rock, 19 miles. The natural 

 advantages, both as a harbor and point of rendezvous, are all that 

 could be required, and the work cow in hand wdl make Oyster 

 Bay the most complete, if not the only real, yachting station 

 between New York and Boston. 



The club will put in a steam pump and watertank, from which a 

 pipe to the end of the main pier will supply fresh water to yachts, 

 the supply being free to all vessels of the club. An icebouse will 

 be built near the heach. with a boat house and storage house for 

 yacbt gear. Coal for steam, yachts can be obtained at the village 

 of Oyster Bay, and a storekeeper there will supply the best of 

 groceries and provisions, avoiding the necessity of sending to 

 New York for such supplies. The marine railways at Cold Spring 

 offer facilities for the smaller yachts and general repairs, while 

 for larger yachts the distance to City Island is but twelve miles. 



The great, drawback to Oyster Bay in the past was the lack of 

 transportation facilities, but iu place of being six miles from a 

 railroad station, it is now the Sound terminus of the new route 

 between Brooklyn and Boston, the express trains being ferried 

 across between Oyster Bay and Wilson's Point, Conn. The road- 

 bed and the local service are being improved, and the road has 

 promised to reduce the running time between New York ami 

 Oyster Bay to forty minutes next summer. The club p'er is about 

 114 miles, from the wharf at Oyster Bay, and a 45ft. cabin 

 launch will be used by the club to carry its members and visitors 

 across from each train. 



It has been an unfortunate thing for yachting that the many 

 beautiful harbors along the Sound on each shore have always 

 been practically inaccessible to business men, beine reached only 

 by a drive of three to six miles from some small station of a 

 branch road to the water side, as at Milton Point. Oyster Bay, 

 Northport, Huntington and Glen Cove. With its present facilities, 

 however, Oyster Bay compares favorably in time -from the Citv 

 Hall with any, and the probabilities are that as this part of Long 

 Is' and becomes better known the serv'cn will be much improve )". 

 There is also a steamer from New YorK three times per week by 

 which freight and supplies may be shipped, 



With such a home and harbor at its command, the Seawanhaka 

 C. Y C. will be in aposition todo far more forits members, and for 

 yachtiug interests in general, than has ever been possible in the 

 past. The vicinity of the club house ou Center Island promises 

 to become the summer home of a colony of j-achtsmen; while on 

 the opposite shore is already a large contingent of yachtsmen, 

 formerly constituting the Oyster Bay Y. C . wuieh has just been 

 consolidated with the S. C. Y. C, adding 75 new members. The 

 club will supply a good restaurant, tennis courts, bathing house., 



LiiicIui'Mft. - 



I. 1. O Y n " S X E C Jt 



CHART OF OYBTER BAY AND VICINITY. 



