Club History
Founded in 1871, the North Shore Yacht Club has a rich history of sailing, racing, and community. The Club continues to thrive with an active membership, strong traditions, and a commitment to volunteerism and racing.
Founded in 1871, the North Shore Yacht Club is one of the foremost pioneers of yachting in America. Since 1933, it has been located on the northern shore of Manhasset Bay with a panoramic view and exceptional protection from most heavy winds. The Club’s red burgee with its single horizontal white strip is simple because there were only about 35 clubs in the United State when it was approved.
The Club’s name was changed from the New York Canoe Club to the North Shore Yacht Club in 1951. It is one of the two oldest yacht clubs on the Long Island Sound, with the other being the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club at Oyster Bay.
The New York Canoe Club started with William L. Alden, a member of the New York Times editorial staff, who enjoyed sailing canoes very much. The first meetings were held at Hickman’s Restaurant in Manhattan, which was popular with writers of Printing House Square.
Early on, canoeing took place on the Hudson and East Rivers and New York Bay. An August 1872 New York Times carried accounts of Club racing in “the Narrows,” long before the Verrazano-Narrows bridge was built.
During those early years, canoes were used for cruising, sometimes overnight, and for racing. The New York Canoe Club established an International Challenge Cup in 1885, and the first challenge came the next year from the Royal Canoe Club. New York won. Raced in canoes, the International Cup is reportedly the second oldest international race trophy after the America’s Cup.
In 1879, the New York Canoe Club moved into its first clubhouse on Staten Island (which was also Seawanhaka’s first location). Canoe racing had become very popular in the U.S. and England. The Club moved to Gravesend Bay in Brooklyn from 1892 to 1920.
Victor Ostling, who was a very involved member of the Club, acquired a barge from Moran tugs, which served as clubhouse at a government dock at Fort Totten until 1933 when it was towed to Port Washington and tied up at Copp’s Boatyard. (Today the site of Safe Harbor Marine.) The barge held to its mooring during several hurricanes, but a 1959 fire caused damage that resulted in its being demolished.
Ostling had purchased property from Copp, just to the east, the Club’s present address. He offered $30,000 if members would raise $10,000 for walkways and a dock with provision for a generous renewable 25-year lease. Members willingly did, and Vice Commodore F.R. Gruger designed the present clubhouse. It was dedicated in 1960 when Gruger was Commodore.
Victor Ostling passed away in 1988, and in 1990, members purchased the Club from his widow, Linnea, with terms as generous as the lease. She died in 1992 and bequeathed $50,000 to the Club, earnings from which have provided floats, a galley, a launch, and gangplank.
Even before the Club moved to its present location, many cruisers and sailboats were in the fleet. Racing became popular, and today the Club conducts several races, and members take part in Long Island Sound and Manhasset Bay races.
Current members-only club races include Borden Cup, Smith Cup, Epstein Trophy and Commodore’s Cup with the McCartney Trophy awarded to the club boat with the best racing record in three of these four races. The separate Snyder Cup race is combined with the June Target Cruise with the objective to generate racing interest among cruisers.
The club also sponsors two open regattas (Day Race and Moonlight) open to members of all clubs. In 2002, Past Commodore Yehuda Rosenstock initiated our annual “Moonlight Regatta,” overnight race to Connecticut with breakfast at the Club the next morning. Often hosted by the winner, this race has become a perennial favorite.
The Loda Trophy, is awarded to a club member for noteworthy distance cruising achievements within a given year.
The Matthews Service Award is in recognition for outstanding service to the Club. The Captain Dave Goldsmith Perpetual Award is given for “exemplary contributions to the sport of sailing.” The Archie Bumper Award is given to a sailor who has strayed too close to the bottom and should have known better!
Members continue to maintain the clubhouse, docks, parking lot and launches. They are asked to volunteer eight hours a year or pay an assessment. For years, their skills have been impressive. Among the volunteers are accountants, doctors, engineers, lawyers, writers and photographers who serve on the Bridge and many committees.
During busy summer weekends, two first class, beautifully maintained launches named Victor and Linnea after the Ostlings, are operated, assuring prompt, reliable service. With the 2025 commissioning, the North Shore Yacht Club marked its 155th season.
