The North American Station of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club was founded in 1945. The purpose of establishing this Station was unusual in the sense that it was not expected to function as another yacht club but to promote very specific objects which can be best expressed as outlined in Article 2 of the Constitution, namely that the Station is formed to encourage the art of building, rigging and handling small vessels, and interest in seamanship and naval architecture, particularly in connection with promotion of a closer tie between North American and Scandinavian yachtsmen. “In order to do so, the Station will not primarily seek a large membership but especially welcome as members those distinguished by their activities in racing, cruising and naval architecture, and those who have sailed or contemplate sailing in Scandinavian waters or who have any special interest in Scandinavian yachting”. From this it follows that the organization here, while of course welcoming Scandinavian members, also is equally interested in enlisting eminent American yachtsmen who can be identify with the purposes mentioned above.
From a small group of about a dozen, the organization has grown to several hundred members. Many members, past and present, are well known naval architects and the foremost names in American yachting. At least four of our past and current members have completed circumnavigations. Untold numbers have been to Bermuda many times or on multiple Atlantic crossings.
Originally the Station was affiliated only with Sweden. In 1964 the Station expanded to become the North American Station of the Royal Scandinavian Yacht Clubs and Nylandska Jaktklubben. In 1977 the Gothenburg Station of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club came aboard.
The Station has sponsored many Trans Atlantic races starting in 1959 from Newport to Marstrand; 1960 – Bermuda to Skagens; 1966 – Bermuda to Skagens; 1972 – Newport to Virgo, Spain; 1978 – Bermuda to Christiansand; 1981 – Bermuda to Horta and on to Cowes.
A race/cruise called The Atlantic Round was organized in 1978 and became a one-time event. In 1991, an effort to establish more contact with the Home Clubs resulted in the plans for an annual regatta to be held in America every third year and in the off years in one of the Scandinavian countries. This event was named The Atlantic Round in honor of the organizer of the first race/cruise. The first regatta was held in 1993 at the Stamford and Noroton Yacht Clubs. Since then “TAR”, as it has become affectionately known, has become a main stay of the summer season, and the Home Stations use the event as the venue for their annual Commodores meeting both here and abroad.
Many organized cruises have taken place in Scandinavia starting in 1983 with a Baltic Cruise from Helsinki to Sandhamn; 1986 – Keil to Helsinki and back to Copenhagen; 1988 – Coast of Norway ending in Marstrand; 1990 – Kalmar to Saltsjobaden; 1993 – Danish Cruise; 1996 – Finnish Cruise; 1998 – Swedish Cruise; 2002 – Saltsjobaden to Kalmar to Gotland and ending in Sandhamn; 2003 – Helsinki to Mariehamn; 2005 – Swedish archipelago Cruise; and, in 2008, a Norway Fjord Cruise.
Another important activity of the Station is an annual exchange program. Teenagers from Scandinavia visit here with our members and American teenagers visit with families in Scandinavia. Many lasting friendships have stemmed from these visits.
In the early 1980s the Station had extensive involvement with SVERIGE and the America’s Cup in Newport.
On this side of the Atlantic, there have been many informal rendezvous in Maine, and one formal cruise in 1999 with 17+ yachts participating. On the social side there have been a variety of events sponsored including a “Sill Frukost”, the Munch exhibit in New York, and many dinners at the Clambake Club in Newport.
The Annual Meeting is held in early December - usually at The New York Yacht Club in New York. The Spring Meeting is held in May or June on Shippan Point in Stamford, CT, USA.