Knickerbocker Yacht Club

Coordinates: 40°49′45″N 73°42′06″W / 40.829138°N 73.701659°W

Knickerbocker Yacht Club
Formation 1874
Extinction 2009
Type Yacht club
Purpose to encourage "Yachting and the cultivation of Naval Science and Seamanship"
Location
Key people
  • Lon Myers, world-record-holding runner
  • Bus Mosbacher, skippered two winning teams in America's Cup races
  • Robert Mosbacher, world champion sailor

The Knickerbocker Yacht Club was a yacht club in Port Washington, New York.[1]

The club was founded in 1874, on the Harlem River at 130th Street in Manhattan, to encourage “Yachting and the cultivation of Naval Science and Seamanship”.[1][2][3]

In 1907, it moved to Port Washington. It started the Knickerbocker Cup race in 1982, which became internationally recognized.[3][4]

At its peak in the early 1980s, membership consisted of approximately 290 families with 165 boats.[1]

World champion runner Lon Myers began his track career running for the club.[5][6] Bus Mosbacher, who skippered two winning teams in the America's Cup races, and world champion sailor Robert Mosbacher were members of the club.[7][8][9]

As of 2009, it was the second-oldest yacht club on Long Island Sound.[1] Due to the recession and waning membership, the club ceased to exist in 2009 and was sold for $3.2 million to Cord Meyer Development. In July 2012 demolition of the club began, the developers are about to build an age-restricted condominium complex designed to evoke a cruise ship, with own moorings and slips for the residents. [10]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Peter Applebome (February 11, 2009). "The Recession Takes Down a Yacht Club". The New York Times (Long Island Sound). Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  2. ↑ Brooklyn daily eagle almanac. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1901. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bob Hogan (February 23, 2007). "Port's Nautical History Exhibit in Port Library". Antonnews.com. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  4. ↑ Diane Ketcham (September 24, 1995). "LONG ISLAND JOURNAL". The New York Times. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  5. ↑ Frederick William Janssen (1888). A history of American amateur athletics and aquatics: with the records. Outing Co. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  6. ↑ Joe D. Willis and Richard G. Wettan (1975). "L. E. Myers, "World’s Greatest Runner"" (PDF). Journal of Sport History. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Emil Mosbacher Dies at 75; Yachtsman and Nixon Official". The New York Times. August 14, 1997. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  8. ↑ "MOSBACHER'S CREW WINS JUNIOR TITLE; Takes Sound Sailing Cup for Knickerbocker by Point, With Black Rock Next Pequot Unlucky Defender Causes Wind Trouble". The New York Times. August 18, 1939. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Mosbacher Takes Three Firsts To Win Midget Title". The Christian Science Monitor. August 21, 1940. Retrieved October 27, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Bon Voyage to a Gilded Club". New York Times. July 26, 2012. Retrieved June 17, 2013.

External links