The Place to Be for Racing or Cruising, Power or Sail
From Spring to Fall
The AYC is the place to be in the summer. We see this in the attendance of more than a hundred people at major social activities. We see this in the large turnouts on the water for the small boat and PHRF races. We see it in the nearly sold-out sign-ups for our sailing school.
Similarly, the club serves as a launching point for members reaching beyond our home waters. The dusty cars in the parking lot and empty moorings bear witness to members who are off cruising. AYC boats have wintered in the Caribbean and even the Mediterranean. The club has also hosted an invitational regatta to raise money to battle cancer.
Perhaps the most telling sign of what makes this Club so great is the informal gathering of folks on the deck overlooking the water to socialize, watch the boats and races, and share the natural beauty of the club’s setting.
And Good Times in the Clubhouse
Annual and special events throughout the year
The get-acquainted party is held in June for new members and old members alike to reconnect.
Save a Sailor Regatta is held in June to help raise money for the Melanoma Research. The American Yacht Club has raised and donated tens of thousands of dollars in support of this and other great charities.
Our Fourth of July party is a giant cook-out with four or more big grills tended by our volunteer grillmasters.
The Merrimack River Regatta and party are held annually in July. This is a two-day regatta and dinner on Saturday night, followed by the Yankee Homecoming fireworks.
Rum Runner Regatta first weekend in August to coincide with Newburyport’s annual Yankee Homecoming week.
The Chet Young Regatta and dinner are held annually late in the season.
There are many informal events from our Activities Committee
Hardly a week goes by without something interesting on the calendar. The AYC hosts a wide range of weekday events that bring members to the club to enjoy evenings in the clubhouse and on the deck and docks. For example:
Themed potlucks where we may travel to other places: Mexico, Cuba, Italy, France, Germany and Asia.
Our Movie Night where we turn the historic clubhouse into an intimate theater.
Lobster Night where volunteer cooks intake your lobsters and cook them to perfection. And yes, you’ll get the exact lobster you brought with you!
Our fall Chilifest where members and spouses compete for top honors alongside others competing with apple pies.
Short cruises, picnics and much more.