Tred Avon Yacht Club

In June of 1931 a small group of Oxford citizens established a bathing and sporting club on The Strand just above the Oxford Ferry dock. They named it the Kap Dun Club, which comes from an old English spelling of Town Point (or Cape). As the sea nettles moved in for the summer, the sporting activity quickly focused on yacht racing and the club held its first races for three boats on a Sunday in late June. The club name was changed to the Kap Dun Yacht Club. The fleet grew each week and by Labor Day of that year, the club organized a regatta with races for Knockabouts, Barnegat sneakboxes, Star boats, powered workboats, row boats, and a Free-for-All class including both square and sharp ended Log Canoes. The club also hosted a long-distance race to Thimble Shoals for cruising boats. There was an active social schedule with dinners and dances during the summer.

In January 1932, membership voted to change the name of the club to the Tred Avon Yacht Club. The same clubhouse was used but a proper flagpole was erected. By-laws were written specifying a variety of membership categories, including women and juniors. The racing program flourished with weekly races and a July 4th regatta for Stars, Log Canoes, 16’ and 20’ classes and two Free-for-All classes. Membership increased to 89.

Throughout the 1930s, the club grew and refined its racing. In 1934, the annual regatta was combined with that of the Chesapeake Bay Yacht Club and called the Oxford Regatta. By the late 1930s, there was a strong desire to build a dedicated yacht club for both improved boating and social activities. A new clubhouse was designed and built; a new constitution and by-laws were adopted; and the club was incorporated. The membership continued to grow, racing flourished and the TAYC was asked to host the Comet Nationals in September 1939. In 1940, the Club made an effort to increase Junior participation and leadership started the Junior Sailing program with the addition of a club fleet. During the war years, racing was progressively limited but regattas managed to stay alive in some form. During the 40s and 50s, the club developed rapidly in facility, amenities and membership engagement.  In 1950, the Junior Sailing Class was formally organized and subsequently grew over the years with many of its alumni returning to teach the next generation of juniors. During the latter 20th century many club families transitioned from racing one designs to racing cruising yachts. The club racing program included CCA and then PHRF handicap series. Teams of club members won many Bay championships and high point trophies from CBYRA.

In 1990, membership voted to build a new two-story house and in late 1991, the new club opened and in 2001, membership voted to install floating docks, which provided mooring for a club fleet of Ideal 18’s which were purchased for the use of members for racing, instruction and day sailing. This fleet, known as Focus on Sailing, has increased participation in sailing by members who are not yacht owners or who want to sail in one designs with other members.