Even though we are named the Red Dragon "Canoe" Club, sailing has been an integral part of our identity since the 1930s.
The boating focus turned from canoes to sailboats when George Rhawn, a young man who lived on the Beverly waterfront, and a bunch of his friends brought their Comet sailboats to the Red Dragon. As you walk through our clubhouse, please note pictures on the wall of Comet, Lightning, Duster and Thistle regattas. At times, nearly 100 boats would race on the river. There have been many national and world champions produced by Red Dragon racing.
Notable examples are:
Jim Merrill (two time Comet National Champion) and Phil Somervell (four time Comet National Champion)
Placed in this context, the Delaware River Valley from Burlington to Camden became a major hot bed of early Comet activity and rivalry. The Merrills and Phil Somervell of the Red Dragon Canoe Club and the Lippincotts at Riverton formed the key players behind the rivalry. (Being invited to Red Dragon to compete in the Dixie Cup Regatta was a high honor in the career of Comet sailors.) With both camps represented by fine boat builders, the inclinations to build better boats were inevitable.
- John Brodsky (http://www.cometclass.com/)
Our club has a fleet of loaner sailboats for certified club members to use - these include Sunfish, Mariners, a Laser, and a Daysailer. Check out our Loaner Boats page for more information about this program and how to certify!