Long before the Yacht Club was founded in 1912, fishing and pleasure boats used the quiet shores and deep protected waters of Quissett Harbor located just north of Woods Hole on Buzzards Bay. Herreshoff 12½s have been racing in Quissett Harbor continuously since the boat was designed and built in 1914-15 by Nathanael Herreshoff.
These classic wooden boats are now combined with their newer replica, the fiberglass Doughdish, into the H Class. With wooden spars and colorful spinnakers the large fleets racing three or four days a week during the summer are a beautiful sight. The larger 28 foot Herreshoff S boat, originally raced in Quissett waters from 1928 to the 1940s, has been reintroduced and a small fleet can be seen racing on Saturdays. The Club is committed to its family centered tradition, blending a friendly social environment with a variety of racing and teaching programs and social events in which member families participate with pride and enthusiasm.
The club offers instructional programs for adults and youth. Our popular Junior Sailing Program offers youth sailing lessons for ages eight and up. Students sail club owned 420s and Optimist Prams and participate in local regattas throughout the summer. They are also guests from time to time on member-owned Herreshoff 12½s and larger boats. Adult instructional sailing programs have become favorites. The Waterlilies program for women of all ages provides an opportunity for instruction in H Class boats. Volunteer instructors return year after year to share their knowledge and love of sailing.
The beauty of the natural resources provided by our location, the closeness among our members who share common interests, our goal of preserving our harbor and its surround, and our delight in welcoming new sailors have helped maintain a close-knit community. Our members are committed to continuing time-honored traditions, exploring news ways to expand their love of sailing and classic wooden boats in particular and to preserve our unspoiled environment.
The club atmosphere is friendly and informal. All member families are encouraged to take advantage of opportunities for sailing, racing, learning, and socializing at special events built around our on-the-water activities. An old-fashioned “Ball” is a high point of the summer.
The club is a member of the Southern Massachusetts Sailing Association.