A major, 3 alarm fire at Annapolis Yacht Club broke out over the weekend causing damage to the clubhouse. No members were in the club at the time and staff was on premises but no one was injured in the fire. The culprit was determined to be an artificial tree on the third floor. Art, trophies, models important to the history of the club were reported to have been lost or damaged. The clubhouse is closed indefinitely as it will likely take more than a year to rebuild. There is talk of a temporary station for the club to continue racing, but nothing official has been set yet.
With the annual big lights parade put on by Eastport Yacht Club scheduled for the day of the blaze, it was officially cancelled after the fire broke out. Despite the cancellation though, most boats had lights up and around the harbor, a surreal experience with the fire still smoldering on the roof of AYC. Severn Sailing Association members welcomed AYC members to the club to watch the lighted boats.
From Annapolis Yacht Club:
Annapolis, MD (December 13, 2015) — Yesterday the membership of the Annapolis Yacht Club found itself in an extraordinary situation with the fire damage to its main clubhouse. We are grateful for the quick response of both our staff and the first responders, which helped avoid any serious injuries.
The outpouring of support from around the world has been overwhelming and is greatly appreciated. While the extent of the damage to the main clubhouse is still being assessed, in the forefront of our minds is the extraordinary AYC staff, a dedicated and professional group who are at the center of the AYC community.
Annapolis Yacht Club is more than the bricks and mortar of a clubhouse; it is a community. We are committed to re-building in the current location and in the interim are exploring opportunities to re-locate elements of its operation
Thank you for your support at this challenging time.
