Club History
The Severn River Yacht Club was founded in 1966 by John H. Mears, Jr. and entered that year onto the Lloyd's Register of yacht clubs in Surrey, United Kingdom. In the fall of 1972, John Mears appointed the first Board of Governors and the initial slate of Club Officers. The appointments were made from among Mears Marina yachtsmen for the purpose of organizing the Yacht Club.
The present organizational structure of the Severn River Yacht Club became operational in the 1973 boating season. It was established as a result of the skill and dedication of the first Commodore, Eric Haars, the founding Board of Governors and Officers.
The Club actively pursues its goals of promoting and encouraging yachting, seamanship, and good fellowship among its members. The Severn River Yacht Club organizes special programs for racing, cruising, gathering at distant rendezvous spots, boating education and safety as well as extensive social activities. The Club is an active member of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association (CBYRA). The Club conducts sailboat races for its members and sponsors races for fellow yachtsmen who are members of CBYRA. The annual Bacardi Cup Race and the festive post race party at the Club are among the most popular events on the bay.
The Club's effectiveness is dependent upon the generous and voluntary services of members who serve as Governors, Officers and committee leaders. The key to the overall success of club events is the active participation of all members who are welcome in all Club activities. Each year sees new members and new leaders contributing dynamic new ideas and activities. The Severn River Yacht Club is a widely recognized Club on the Chesapeake Bay. Mears Marina, home of the Severn River Yacht Club, is considered to be among the best on the east coast and the Inland Waterways.
THE SEVERN RIVER YACHT CLUB BURGEE
The Club’s burgee was designed prior to the Club’s organization and the initial appointment of the founding Governors and Officers. John Mears, the Club’s founder, and Wally Stone, the long time manager of Mears Marina who is now retired, collaborated in the unique design of the Severn River Yacht Club burgee. They selected two main features to incorporate in the club nautical flag or burgee. The traditional American colors of red, white and blue were first selected. And, then they crafted an "S" curve to the colors to represent the Severn River which opens into the Chesapeake Bay near Mears Marina in Annapolis and which gave the club its name.
The color blue was chosen for the background field surrounding a red and white circle. The distinctive circle has a diameter of two-thirds the height of the burgee hoist and is divided by the Severn River "S" curve with the color white on the left and the color red on the right side of the "S". The "S" curve starts at the one o’clock position and flows gracefully through the center of the circle vertically in line with the twelve and six o’clock positions. The Severn River "S" curve terminates at the seven o’clock position.
The Severn River Yacht Club burgee like all nautical flags is properly viewed as if the wind was blowing it from left to the right.
Severn River Yacht Club
Selected Highlights, 1973 - 1993
(Gleaned from the Lookout)
1973
March Eric R. Haars accepted position as first Commodore of SRYC
May Spring Cruise - 8 days, 4 boats (Cruising Chairman - Ernie Agnes)
July Race to the Rhode River (29 boats) (MOUNTAIN BELLE -Tom Harvey, 1st in >30' class; OSPREY - Ernie Agnes, 1st, and BAY B - Bruce Bingman, 2nd in <30' class
October First issue of the SRYC Lookout
October STARBOUND, Gordon & Nina Stuermer's 51’ ketch, left for first circumnavigation of the world
1974
January Board of Governors voted to incorporate SRYC and set annual dues at $25/member
May Inaugurated new swimming pool and SRYC Clubhouse
September Week-Long SRYC Cruise: 6 boats "ate their way down the Bay"
1975
February Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Channel Inn, Washington, DC
June NEREUS, an O'Day 23, left SRYC for an 11-week cruise from Annapolis to Key West and return
October First SRYC Fall Cruise to the Wye River estate of Joe & Mary Peabody (continued annually through 1982)
1976
STARBOUND returned from circumnavigation of the world. Gordon Stuermer published "Starbound"
1977
January Deep Freeze: Back Creek frozen to a thickness of more than 14" out in the middle
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase
August Guidelines for "Log of the Year" developed and announced
1978
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase
June SRYC hosted Catalina 22 (Region 2) Championship Regatta
1979
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase
October SRYC Library open for business
1980
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Columbia Country Club, Chevy Chase
June Second Bermuda Ocean Race, co-sponsored by SRYC and St. George's Dinghy Club; SRYC yachts participating: PAESANO and ARISTOCRAT
October Gordon Stuermer published second book: "Deep Water Cruising"
1981
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Bethesda Marriott
June SRYC Blue-Water Cruise to Nantucket; 8 boats: ARISTOCRAT, CUCKOO'S NEST, FANCY FREE, FRIENDLY LADY, NOT TOO SHA-B, PENINA, SABRINA, SUNNY SIDE UP
August STARBOUND left for second circumnavigation of the world
1982
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Bethesda Marriott
June Bermuda Ocean Race; SRYC yachts participating: ARISTOCRAT, LIGHTFOOT, PAESANO, and YELLOW BIRD
1983
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance
March SRYC Weekend Away in Atlantic City and Cape May
July SRYC Blue-Water Cruise to Nantucket (4 boats)
August First Annual Ms. Skippers' Race (Commodore Skip Smith donned a deck mop and tried unsuccessfully to enter); race won by Taran Teague in SCORPIO; 2nd - Carole Campbell in SILKIE; 3rd - Gerri Smith in YELLOW BIRD
October First Annual Great Pumpkin Race; the wind died out before the finish -- boats on the final leg were FINE LION, CONDOR, and NO. 2 SESAME'S TREAT
1984
January Tenth Anniversary Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Crowne Plaza, Rockville
February SRYC Weekend Away in Williamsburg
July First Annual Bacardi Cup Race; 17 yachts participated. Winner was LICKETY SPLIT, with SCORPIO in second place, and CONDOR third
1985
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Bethesda Marriott
March "Show Tour" to New York City
1986
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Governor Calvert House, Annapolis
June SRYC Rendezvous in Rhode River; TRADEWINDS almost became a permanent (non-)channel marker
1987
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Annapolis Hotel*
June SRYC Barbecue and Theater Party broken up by rainstorm and Annapolis Police
July Annapolis Landing Marina virtually blocked entrance to Back Creek with its new pier -- finally torn out and rebuilt in its current location
August "Battle of Melvin Point" after Corn Roast in Aberdeen Creek
1988
February Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Radisson-Annapolis Hotel*
September Youth "Crabbing in the Rain" expedition from St. Michaels
October On-the-Water Rendezvous/Great SRYC Chili Contest
1989
January SRYC Virgin Islands Cruise (3 chartered yachts)
Fifteenth Anniversary Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Radisson-Annapolis Hotel*
June On-the-Water Friday Night Rendezvous aboard the ANNAPOLITAN
1990
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Radisson-Annapolis Hotel*
August First Annual Powerboaters' Sailing Regatta. First Place - CASSANDRA II (clocked at 19 knots past Annapolis Sailing School); Second - SONG; Third - PANACHE
September Non-stop Cruise/Race around DelMarVa peninsula; 7 yachts entered, ALMITRA and LONG PASSAGES completed circumnavigation
1991
February Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Loews Annapolis Hotel
July 8th Annual Bacardi Cup Race, for the first time in partnership with Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum; 65 yachts raced
1992
February Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Waterfront Marriott Hotel, Annapolis
May Memorial Day Rendezvous in Inner Harbor, Baltimore; 2 SRYC yachts arrived under tow
June Bermuda Ocean Race; Participating from SRYC: PANACHE crewed by theVice Commodore and several dozen other capable SRYC skippers
June First Annual SRYC Tennis Tourney; 20 players
1993
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Loews Annapolis Hotel
July SRYC Rendezvous in Herrington Harbor; Commodore's PANACHE amazed passing boats by backing halfway across the Chesapeake Bay under spinnaker
July 10th Annual Bacardi Cup Race; 101 yachts participated
1994
Fred Gloss, Commodore
1995
Bobby Hill, Commodore
1996
Bruce Bingman, Commodore
1997
Bob Kelly, Commodore
1998
Rich Lichty, Commodore
1999
Pat Thayer, Commodore
2000
JoAnne Norton, Commodore
2001
Ed Evans, Commodore
2002
Otto Grieshaber, Commodore
2003
Cristy Rocks, Commodore
2004
Gary Gensinger, Commodore
30th anniversary if the Severn River Yacht Club
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Loews Annapolis Hotel
Annual Commodore's Cruise went south to the Tides Inn
2005
Andrea Tursi, Commodore
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Loews Annapolis Hotel
Annual Commodore's Cruise went north
2006
Arnon Garonzik, Commodore
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Loews Annapolis Hotel
Annual Commodore's Cruise went south to Hampton, Virginia. First overnight cruise for the Club.
2007
Ken Griffin Commodore
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Hyatt Hotel, Cambridge Maryland
Annual Commodore's Cruise cruise the mid-Bay
2008
Gary Gensinger, Commodore
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Westin Annapolis
Annual Commodore's Cruise went south to the Tides Inn
2009
Jeanne Spofford, Commodore
35th anniversary of the Severn River Yacht Club
January Change of Watch Dinner-Dance, Loews Annapolis Hotel
*Now the Loews Annapolis Hotel