History of Snipes at Cottage Park Yacht Club

The Massachusetts Bay Snipe Fleet came into being in the late 1940’s. The first time that our fleet, #244, was listed in the Snipe Class Rule book was in 1947. The original address associated with the fleet was in Quincy, across Boston Harbor. but by 1954 the Mass Bay Snipe Fleet #244 address was in Winthrop.

By the late 1950’s Snipes were the largest one design fleet at CPYC. The Commodore Arthur Bliss trophy, first commodore of CPYC, hangs in the ballroom next to the entrance door. It was awarded to the top sailor in the largest CPYC fleet. In 1959 that sailor was Dan Mullane, longtime Snipe and Star sailor, and race committee chairman. For the next six years, until there was no room left on the trophy, it was awarded to Snipe sailors including Joe Zambella, Carmen Pastore, the Hardy Brothers, Steve Hazeltine, and Ray Smith

A new Massachusetts Bay Fleet #244 Snipe trophy was carved by Richard Honan and inaugurated in 1974 when John Kelly won it. The fleet remained strong throughout the 70’s and 80’s. Winners included, Edward (pudgy) Lally, Randy Wood, John Kelly, Leonard Doherty, Dianna Healy, and Susan Tabor.  There was fleet racing almost every Saturdays. Sunday’s sailors traveled to other area clubs in South Boston, Hingham, and Savin Hill among others. This trophy was not awarded during the 90’s but made a resurgence in 2000 when it was won by John MacRae and John Lally.

One of the strongest supporters of Snipe sailing at CPYC was Chuck Loomis. Chuck was the ultimate proponent of helping youth sailors and getting them into the class. Many of the past and current sailors at CPYC crewed for Chuck over the years.  Inaugurated in 1998 in his memory, the Loomis Trophy is awarded annually to a youth sailor for outstanding sportsmanship. Chuck was for many years, the Snipe Class Chief measurer and traveled about the world  to major regatta to assure the consistence of this one design class. Anecdotally, when I first started crewing for Ernie in the 60’s, Chuck was not a proponent of women crews. As more and more women started racing Snipes, Chuck changed as Alice Petrucci became his permanent crew.

For many years CPYC was home to the Snipe New England Championships and to multiple District #1 Championships.  The Regatta to Benefit Make a Wish has always had Snipe participation. In 1972 we hosted the Northeastern championships.

CPYC has always had a close relationship with the Winchester Boat Club Snipe Fleet and the Medford Boat Club Snipe Fleet that sail o the tiny Mystic Lakes, 10 miles northwest of Boston.  Many of the Winthrop Frostbite Association are also Snipe sailors. Over the years, CPYC Snipers have also traveled to and raced on the Mystic Lakes. Thanks to this relationship, we held the North American Championships in 2008 when a tractor trailer arrived from Florida filled with Snipes. With all hands-on deck the trailer was unloaded in about an hour.

We hosted the North American’s again in 2014.  That year we also hosted the Women’s National Championships in which two of our youth sailors were able to compete, Emma Montgomery and Cecelia Moreira and were the 2014 Snipe Women’s Junior Champs.

Because of this long and rich history of Snipe racing at CPYC, the club is excited about holding the 2021 Western Hemisphere and Orient Championships. We are planning an exciting, fun event for all.