CYOA Formalizes Board of Directors as Membership Grows

Newport, Rhode Island- July 20, 2016 – The Classic Yacht Owners Association (CYOA), based out of one of sailing’s most iconic boating communities, has established a Board of Directors to guide the member driven organization. The diverse, thirty-member Board of Directors is reflective of the association’s impressive membership base and includes:

Board of Directors

Executive Committee & Officers

Matthew Brooks—Secretary

Simon Davidson—Treasurer

Joseph Dockery

Clark Poston—President

Harry Rein

Timothy Rutter—Vice Chairman

Charles Townsend—Chairman

Directors

Stephen Benjamin

Donn Costanzo

William Druckemiller

Gary Jobson

Thorpe Leason

Joseph Loughborough

William Lynn

Giovanni Carestia, Panerai, NA

Suma Plowden

Gregory Stewart

Donald Tofias

Stephen White

Paul Zabetakis

Jim Taylor

“The Classic Yacht Owners Association’s mission is to promote the ownership, knowledge and appreciation of classic yachts and those yachts built in the spirit of tradition of classic yachts. It is the direct intention of the CYOA to preserve and champion these yachts to ensure their survival and enjoyment for future generations while encouraging, partnering and unifying the cruising and racing opportunities these yachts are able to participate in throughout the whole of the United States. The CYOA aims to accomplish this through the inclusive membership of the owners, builders, restoration yards and related craftspeople, supplier partners, archives and related maritime history community, and the regattas host authorities, and yacht clubs in which the yachts live and compete.”

The Classic Yacht Owners Association membership has reached over 150 individuals and partnering organizations. Fifty seven percent of the new memberships are individual yacht owners and sailors. Thirty four percent are partnering organizations that provide specialized professional services to the classic yachting community. The CYOA has Affiliate Partnerships with cultural institutions including the MIT Hart Nautical Collection, Mystic Seaport Museum and the Herreshoff Marine Museum. The CYOA has established Regatta Partnerships with race organizers and yacht clubs including the Opera House Cup, the Newport and Corinthian Classic Yacht Regattas, the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta, the Camden Classic Cup, and the New York Yacht Club.

Many of the most beautiful classic yachts were produced as “one-off designs” or very small groups of sister yachts. At no time in America’s maritime history have these classic examples of maritime art and function ever enjoyed the support of an overall class association, and to this day no club or association has taken responsibility for advancing the interests of this historic fleet of boats. The CYOA was formed to help fulfill this need.

The CYOA is a member driven, nonprofit organization with offices at the Newport Shipyard in Newport, Rhode Island.

For more information, or to become one of the 150-and- counting members, please contact Clark Poston at [email protected] or visit our website www.ClassicYachtOwnersAssociation.org Membership in the CYOA during its inaugural year will be free.