The Corinthian Afterguard
Since its founding in 1933 by Carleton Cooke, Ted Delano and Skipper Smith, while drinking ‘bathtub gin’ aboard the 72 ft. schooner ‘Carlsark’ in the Hudson River, The Corinthians organization has expanded its reach from New York City to cover much of the east coast of the USA. With the addition over time of the Mystic, New England, Philadelphia and Annapolis Fleets the reach of The Corinthians has expanded to cover all points from Maine to Maryland, with some members from even farther afield. However the center of gravity of the organization has always been anchored in New York where, up until this year, all of the Annual Meetings had been held
This year The Corinthians came to Annapolis to hold their 2013 Annual Meeting. Hosted by the Annapolis Fleet 130 Corinthians assembled on November 9th in Annapolis for a full weekend of meetings and social events. The Saturday schedule included narrated tours of the city aboard ‘Discover Annapolis’ trollies, a guided tour of the Naval Academy museum, and a cocktail party at The Federal House Restaurant overlooking the City Dock. Many members had passed through Annapolis to visit fleetingly while heading south, and many others had never been at all. Few had had the opportunity to explore the city at their leisure, and based on the complementary comments received it seemed the group was impressed and well entertained.
On Sunday the entire group headed for the eastern shore, crossing the 4.3 mile Bay Bridge (Verrazano Narrows Bridge is 2.6 miles), for the 2013 Annual Meeting which was held over a sumptuous lunch at The Kent Island Yacht Club. Master of the Corinthians, Dick Woods, presided over the election of the new 2014 Corinthian Afterguard including the new Master, Lisa Jewett from Darien CT. During the meeting Woods also presented the Cooke Memorial Trophy, a glass enclosed model of the ketch ‘Seven Bells, the yacht owned by co-founder Carlton Cooke, to David Siwicki of the New England Fleet. This award is made annually to the member who is best recognized for distinguished and unpublicized service to the association, and this was the first time the presentation had been made outside the New York area.
Following the Annual meeting the Annapolis Fleet held its own Annual Meeting and unanimously reelected Julian Bigden as Fleet Captain for a further year.
