Puttin' on the Ritz: Annapolis Among Most Exclusive Yacht Clubs in America

Annapolis, MD — If owning a yacht is the symbol of uber wealth and exclusivity, what does your yacht club say about you?

A website that caters to the financial world recently ranked the 11 Most Exclusive Yacht Clubs in America, and the historic Annapolis Yacht Club at 2 Compromise St. is on the list.

And that’s after the structure sustained an estimated $9 million damage in a three-alarm fire that broke out at the Annapolis Yacht Club on Dec. 12, 2015, before being extinguished by nearly 100 firefighters.

• Subscribe to and Like ANNAPOLIS Patch: email | Facebook |news

The website InsiderMonkey.com placed the Annapolis club, founded in 1886, at No. 7 on its list of ritzy yacht hangouts.

Here’s their description of Annapolis: “Annapolis, America’s Sailing Capital, is home to several yachting and boating clubs, but the premier spot goes to the Annapolis Yacht Club. Among other races, the club organizes the traditional Annapolis to Newport race, one of the most iconic races in America’s yachting history. Although the effects of a devastating fire that ravaged the clubhouse in 2015 are still visible, the club’s 1,600-strong membership body has come together to mend the disaster.”

Rounding out the top 5 yacht clubs are:

• No. 1, New York Yacht Club, New York, NY
• No. 2, St. Francis Yacht Club, San Francisco, CA
• No. 3, The San Francisco Yacht Club, Belvedere, CA
• No. 4, San Diego Yacht Club, San Diego, CA
• No. 5 Carolina Yacht Club in Charleston, SC

“Some would argue that a membership in the right, preferably highly exclusive, yacht club is just as important as the actual ownership of a boat,” writes the website. … “For instance, the most prestigious yacht club in the world, Royal Yacht Squadron, didn’t accept women until 2013. … (The) gentlemen of the RYS took it one step further by not accepting the queen as a member, despite the fact that Her Majesty is the patron of the club, supplying them with the Royal adjective in their name.”

»Photo from December 2015 fire at Annapolis Yacht Club by Annapolis Professional Firefighters Union