For over 130 years, Edgewood Yacht Club has been an inviting place for families to enjoy boating
Edgewood Yacht Club, located in the uppermost portion of Narragansett Bay, was first organized in 1885 by a group of families who erected bath houses on the waterfront. It was originally named Edgewood Boat Club, but was changed to Edgewood Yacht Club when a clubhouse was built in 1889.
After a fire destroyed the original structure, the club was rebuilt in 1908 with a large and magnificent shingle-sytle building sitting on 132 pilings over the water. The building had a second floor ballroom, water facing porches, and a long dock that took members out to their slips.
Over its lifetime, the club has withstood a number of hurricanes - including 1938 and the most serious in 1954. The ’54 hurricane caused substantial damage to pilings, docks, marina slips, and flooded the entire first floor. A plaque on the wall of the Darby Room (the members meeting space) hung for many years, marking the height of the waterline reached during this damaging event.
In January of 2011, the club was dealt a serious blow when another fire started in the uppermost portion of the structure during a snow storm with high winds. Despite the valiant efforts of fire crews from several cities in the surrounding area, the main clubhouse was not saved. However, the docks and slips remain and are in use today. EYC membership has sustained significant disasters in the past, but in true fashion, will continue to strive forward keeping the spirit of the club and seamanship alive in the Edgewood area.
Many activities mark the start and end of the season for the club. Opening Day in the spring, followed by numerous social events and activities throughout the summer to keep members connected. Our active Race Committee hosts races two nights a week followed by a social dinner and pub night on the T-dock. There’s an annual Club Cruise, re-instated in 1979, offering an opportunity for boaters of all kinds to cruise together for a week, exploring Narragansett Bay or surrounding areas in Massachusetts or Connecticut.
Edgewood Yacht Club has a spirit of seamanship and camaraderie that transcends the years and various challenges it has experienced. Through our membership we continue to transform and contribute to the tradition and history of the neighborhood and Club. We look forward to the coming decades.