Charter & History
Founded in 1933
Charter
The Off Soundings Club is a yacht racing organization with a membership of approximately 500 experienced racing sailors. Most of the membership is based in Connecticut, Rhode Island, Long Island, Massachusetts, New York State, and elsewhere in New England. The club does not operate a shore facility, but concentrates on managing two high-quality weekend race series per year, spring and fall, for its members and their invited guests. Spring racing, held in mid-June, occurs in Block Island Sound. Fall racing, held in mid-September, occurs in eastern Long Island Sound and Gardiners Bay.
About the Competition:
“If you don’t know how to lose, the penalties for past winners will teach you humility and the social graces of getting beaten. It’s a wholesome and fun weekend for everybody racing. You go out and race harder next time. Whether it’s fog or rain or calm or gale, it’s smiling faces in slicker suits, or shorts or sweater; it’s old friends and new; it’s something very special; it’s Off Soundings and it’s got an awful lot of very good sailors and good sportsmen.”
Past Commodore: Eliot H. Porte
History
Early in the fall of 1933 the Off Soundings Club was founded by Edward Southworth. He saw the need of a club comprised of members interested in sailing and sailing only, meeting once a week, thereby enabling the members to enjoy themselves ashore as well as afloat. He launched the club by getting together his friends and cruising companions, E.S. Bradford, Sandford Lawton, and John L. Blake. They were all most enthusiastic about the idea, and within a few weeks Ed Southworth, with the help of Stan Bradford, had drawn up the club’s constitution and by-laws.
On November 7, 1933, an organization meeting was held at the University Club in Springfield, Massachusetts. The constitution and by-laws were adopted and the following officers were elected.
Edward Southworth
Commodore
E. Standish Bradford
Vice Commodore
Sandford Lawton
Rear Commodore & Measurer
John L. Blake
Secretary & Measurer
During the first year, the following were elected members: Robert Irwing, Parmly Hanford, Arthurr Johnson, Melvin D. Southworth, Walter C. Evans, and Don McClench.
In February, 1935, the club was fortunate in having its burgee drawn by on of its members, Gluyas Williams.
