About the HMYC

 

 

The Housatonic Model Yacht Club sailed informally for several years before being organized more formally in Stratford, Connecticut in October 1983. It was then sanctioned into the American Model Yachting Association (AMYA) as club #117 on November 18, 1983.  The club sailed at Brewster Pond in Stratford, CT until the beginning of the 2002 season.  At that time, the club moved to our present location at Hop Brook Lake in Middlebury, Connecticut.

 

We currently sail the “summer season” at Hop Brook Lake from mid-May until early September. We sail spring and fall seasons from early April (or when the ice is off the pond) to mid-May, and from mid-September until about Thanksgiving if the weather is good at Bethany Veterans Memorial Park in Bethany, CT.

 

The five classes we sail are Soling One Meter, Star 45, DragonFlite95, EC12, and US One Meter. Races are held each Thursday and Sunday with two classes sailed each day.  Our morning races are 10AM-12PM (one class) and afternoon racing is 1PM-3PM (second class). A complete schedule is posted at the beginning of each season.

 

Our membership has fluctuated over the years, averaging about 24 active sailing members. We have experienced model sailboat skippers and those who are just learning. Yes, we are a racing club but it is all a friendly competition.

 

In addition to our regular season series racing, we normally hold several one day club regattas, and we usually will host a National or Regional Championship Regatta during each sailing season.

 

At our annual dinner in the fall, trophies are awarded to the top three skippers in each class, and officers are elected for the coming year. We also hold a winter business meeting where a full range of subjects of interest to members will be discussed, including our racing schedule for the new year.

 

Visitors are always welcome to visit us at the ponds, and during lunch (12-1) or after racing skippers can always be found to let you try one of our boats and answer any questions you might have.

 

This year (2021) we are celebrating 38 years for sailing, and hope to continue well into the future.