Groton Long Point Yacht Club
Encyclopedia
| Burgee |
|
| Founded | 1934 |
|---|---|
| Clubhouse | Groton Long Point, Connecticut |
| Country | |
| Website | http://www.glpyc.org |
Groton Long Point Yacht Club (GLPYC) was charted in 1934 in the beach community of Groton Long Point, Connecticut
Groton Long Point, Connecticut
Groton Long Point is a political subdivision of the town of Groton, on Long Island Sound in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 667 at the 2000 census...
and remains active today. Functioning during the summer as something akin to a summer camp, the Yacht Club runs classes in sailing (Blue Jay
Blue Jay Sailboat
Blue Jay is a class of sailboat used primarily in the Northeastern United States. It is generally sailed with two people and features a mainsail, a jib, and a spinnaker. It is approximately 14 feet long, usually the next step in junior dinghy racing from Optimists. Sailors between 12 and 18...
s, Optimists, Sea Shells, Laser
Laser (dinghy)
The International Laser Class sailboat, also called Laser Standard and the Laser One is a popular one-design class of small sailing dinghy. According the Laser Class Rules the boat may be sailed by either one or two people, though it is rarely sailed by two. The design, by Bruce Kirby, emphasizes...
s and A-Boats), swimming, tennis and sports. The Yacht Club also organizes a number of events in the evening for both children and adults including dances and movies for children, and parties and festivals for adults.
Sailing
The GLPYC is heavily involved in sailing and organizes a number of different classes and events:- Seashells are small one or two person dinghyDinghyA dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or towed for use as a ship's boat by a larger vessel. It is a loanword from either Bengali or Urdu. The term can also refer to small racing yachts or recreational open sailing boats. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor,...
s with a single mainsail taught in weekday morning classes to children between 6 and 13 years old. There are three levels of classes, from beginner to expert, A, B and C. Students in C and B classes sail with two children per boat, a captain and a crew. Students in class A sail the boats single-handed. Each class is one hour long, five times a week, and is run in the Inner Lagoon. Seashells cannot sail in the open ocean.
- Optimists (Optis) are very similar to Seashells in that they are small one or two person dinghys with a single mainsail. Optis are sailed single-handed. Children ages 9 to 15 can sail in Opti classes which run for several hours at a time on weekdays. Optis are more hearty boats and classes are taught in the ocean in front of Main Beach. Students can also take part in regattaRegattaA regatta is a series of boat races. The term typically describes racing events of rowed or sailed water craft, although some powerboat race series are also called regattas...
s around the country and the world.
- Blue JaysBlue Jay SailboatBlue Jay is a class of sailboat used primarily in the Northeastern United States. It is generally sailed with two people and features a mainsail, a jib, and a spinnaker. It is approximately 14 feet long, usually the next step in junior dinghy racing from Optimists. Sailors between 12 and 18...
are larger boats than Optis and Seashells. They are approximately 15 feet long and generally are sailed with two people, a captain and a crew. The boats have a mainsailMainsailA mainsail is a sail located behind the main mast of a sailing vessel.On a square rigged vessel, it is the lowest and largest sail on the main mast....
, a jibJibA jib is a triangular staysail set ahead of the foremast of a sailing vessel. Its tack is fixed to the bowsprit, to the bow, or to the deck between the bowsprit and the foremost mast...
and a spinnakerSpinnakerA spinnaker is a special type of sail that is designed specifically for sailing off the wind from a reaching course to a downwind, i.e. with the wind 90°–180° off the bow. The spinnaker fills with wind and balloons out in front of the boat when it is deployed, called flying. It is constructed of...
. Classes take place in front of Main Beach on weekday afternoons for several hours. Classes are often split into beginners and more experienced sailers. Students can take part in regattas around the state and the region, as well as Blue Jay Nationals.
- JYs are similar to Blue Jays but they have a rounded hull and are becoming more popular around the area. Classes in JYs have not been very popular yet, but a movement is growing to include them more in the future.
- 420's420 (dinghy)The International 420 Class Dinghy is a double-handed monohull planing dinghy with centreboard, bermuda rig and centre sheeting. The name describes the overall length of the boat in centimetres . The hull is fibreglass with internal buoyancy tanks. The 420 is equipped with spinnaker and optional...
are similar to JY's and are more popular for racing purposes than Blue Jays. The Yacht Club has an ever- growing 420 program.
- A-Boats or Class-A Boats are a fleet of wooden hull sailboats built in 1923 for the sailing community of Fishers Island, in the Long Island Sound. The correct name for the boat is a "Fishers Island One-Design". Some of the boats have been lost or destroyed over the years and there are only 14 boats remaining in the world today, all of them are located in Groton Long Point. These boats are raced on Saturdays throughout the summer, with races starting in front of Main Beach.