New-York tribune., 1902-07-20
OCEAN RACING CLUB.
FINE HOME OF A WE'LL
KNO WIN ORGANIZAT TION
AT SEA GATE.
COMMODORE TOD AND THE OTHER
OFFICERS - DISTINGUISHED LIST
OF HONORARY MEMBERS.

one Of the FIRST flags that meets the eye of the
ocean traveller when he enters the port of New
York is a broad white pennant bearing upon it a
scarlet letter "A" It flies from a tall fagstaf
on Coney Island Point which fashionable folk have
aptly named Sea Gate. The flag is the emblem
of the Atlantic Yacht Club-one of the Oldest and
best organizations of its kind America Upon its
list Of members may find the names of some
Of the most prominent in financial and COM
mercial circles, and enrolled in its fleet some
Of the finest steam and sailing yachts in the world
Standing a broad plateau near the tall flag
STAFF is the clubhouse 1t is of the Colonial style
OF architecture Broad piazzas and large rooms,
spiendidIy furnished make it an ideal summer
home for the yach;sman. Facing the Atlantic
Ocean on one side and Gravesend Bay on the other
Il OF the coolest spots on the Atlantic coast
Besides this large house. which contains thirty
five sleeping rooms. and all the requisites to make
the yachtsmaIs life, while sojourning there. a
happy one, there is an annex. or bachelors quar-
ters. a hundred feet east of the main clubhouse.
This the Atlantic Yacht Clubs original house
It was moved from their old quarters Bay Ridge
two canal boats. and then reerected in its pres
ent position.
The officers Of the club. elected for 1902. are:
Commodore Robert E. Tod, schooner Thistle;
vice-commodore, Edwin Gould. steamer Aileen;
rear commodore, Frederick T. Ames; secretary,
Louis F. Jackson; treasurer. Charles 7. Pierce;
measurer. George Hill; trustees. J. Fred Acker-
man. Frederick T. Adams, Robert p Doremus,
Frank Mckee, Alfred w Booth and J. Rogers
Maxwell; regatta committee. George Hill. Edgar
F. Luckenbach and Frederick Vimar: member
ship committee, J. H. Hallock. George D. Provost
and William E. Sperling; library committee J. NJ.
Foote. T B. Allen and S. L. Blood; entertainment
committee. Edwin Hollis Low. Runyon Pyatt and
Frank Bornn; nominating committee. E. B.
Havens Walter H. Nelson. s. E Vernon. Henry
Robert Spencer Swain and Alexander H. Tiers
Robert z. Tod the present commodore Of the At
lantic Yacht Club. and owner of the steel top
sail schooner yacht Thistle. is one Of the most
popular executive officers the club has ever had
Besides being a thorough yachtsman, he is an eX-
nert navigator He studied for several years IN
der The tuition OF Captain Howard Patterson at
the New-York Nautical College, and was grad
uated with the highest honors. He was in the
same class with Commodore r. P. Doremus, of the
Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club. Not con-
tent with this he went through a further examina-
ton before the American Shipmaste-s Associa-
tion. and passed with flying coors. 1t awarded
him a masters certificate, which entities him to
navigate any vessel which sails the seas.
Commodore Tod has owned several yachts be
fore he had the Thistle built His first was the
famous sloop Katrina. He had her rigged as
yawl and later as a schooner. In ocean race
from Montauk TO Gravesend Bay, a few years ago.
the Katrina won against the Sachem and other
yachts His latest yacht was the yawl Fidelio in
which he sailed many a
The principal dimensions of the Thistle One
hundred and fifty feet all 10 feet water line,
IS feet beam and Il feet draught- She was de-
signed by Wintrlngham, and DCit by the Town
send & Downey Shipbuilding Company. at Shoot
ers Island. She has made extensive cruise 10
The West Indies Bermuda,
Edwin Gould. the clubs efficient vice-commodore,
Joined il in 1894. He has been yachtsman for
many years. and is at present the owner Of the
fine steam yacht Aileer. and the one design boats
Midget and Fidget-one Is enrolled in the Ardsley
Yacht Club and the other in the American Yacht
Club. The Aileen built few years ago for
Edwin Stevens to replace the yacht Of that name
which was sold 10 The government for a gunboat
during the Spanish-Amercan War. The principal
dimensions Of the present Aileen are: Length over
all I54 feet water line. 126 feet beam. % feet s
inches: draught, 9 feet. She Is fitted with triple
expansion engines and has a speed Of eighteen
knots
Frederick F. Ames, rear commodore Of the club,
has been a member since 1898. He is stock
broker Of prominence, and the owner Of the steam
Yacht Halcyon. the ss-foot schooner Varuna, and
the sloop Wat1ga. Mr.. Ames is also a member
Il the New-York Yackt Club, the Colonial the
New-York and tfe New-York Athletic clubs
Louis F. Jackson the present secretary Of the
club is No. 80 or the list Of life members. He
Joined the club in May, 1893. and has served the
club as a member Of the regatta committee in 1888.
and as secretary in 1901 and this year. He is an
enthusiastic yachtsrnan and popular in social cir
cles.
The first commodore Of the Atlantic Yacht Club,
when ii was organized, in 1866 T c. Lyman.
He was succeeded in 1853 by Sheppard Homans.
The other cornnodores TO date are William VOor-
his William Peet J. Rogers Maxwell, George A.
herr Hogins F. c. Swan, J. i. Marcelius. Jeffer
son Hogan. NeWbury D Lawton. David Banks,
George J. Gould, Frederick T. Adams ana Robert
The trustees of the club in the first year OF it's