Dan's Papers - July 25, 2008 - Tradition XLVII

The Montauk Yacht Club exists as part of visionary Carl Fisher's legacy. Fisher, an Indiana native, created gas-compressed light bulbs for cars, the Indianapolis Speedway, Miami Beach and, in 1926, the blueprint for Montauk, including the Montauk Yacht Club.

Fisher not only opened up the then fresh-water Lake Montauk to Block Island Sound, he supervised its dredging and then made it possible to create a world-class yacht club for some of the country's richest men. Vanderbilt, Whitney, Rogers, Jack Morgan and their crowd made Montauk a destination to check out on sails out of Newport. The large, luxurious yachts docked at the club while the wealthy gambled at the Star Island Casino, the world-renowned speakeasy next door. Years ago Frank Sinatra parked his spacious yacht and wooed Mia Farrow from one of the Montauk Yacht Club slips. As a boy I remember watching Sinatra's larger-than-life yacht sit there at the Montauk Yacht Club, looking like an ocean-going cruise ship. President Nixon also stepped on and off the dock there to board buddy Robert Abplanalp's yachts. With a past so colorful as that it is amazing to realize that even in 1944, there were only two docks in Lake Montauk: Harbor Bonner's Fuel Dock (now Gosman's) and the Montauk Yacht Club.

The club tower has been majestically lighting up the harbor for 80 years. So it seems no wonder that the luxurious tradition of large, expensive yachts, fine dining, dancing and wonderful on-land accommodations continues at the Montauk Yacht Club. For the last two seasons, world-renowned businessman Andrew Farkas, CEO of Island Global Yachting (IGY), has been overseeing the restoration of the club to Carl Fisher standards. With the rooms being restored to a high level of chic cottage décor, to go along with the tremendous views, the club has regained all of its regal qualities that had Vanderbilt, Whitney and Rogers feeling so at home.

This summer, under the steady eye of sales and marketing director Keith Battaglia, the historic club has put together a series of events to celebrate its 80th anniversary. One such event is the Artist Wine Dinner series, which combines wines from acclaimed vineyards, works of local artists and the culinary skills of world-class chef Jarrod Potter. Each month a new artist, a new vineyard and a new menu theme is presented to all who call and make reservations for the special nights. The Montauk Yacht Club is also open to the public and welcomes first-time visitors who want to come in, take a look and perhaps go to the bar and sip a Yachtini, the club's own specialty drink. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served every day in indoor and outdoor dining facilities, with 40 or so multi-million-dollar yachts floating in slips, and the rest of the harbor, serving as a backdrop. The effect is surreal, sort of a relaxing reminder of a time when gentlemen lunched before departing back to Newport for a black-tie social.

Hearing the many international flags on the new enlarged deck flapping in the wind reminds one of the direction of the new international ownership. IGY has many such high-end facilities located in the highest of high-end markets, such as Dubai. In a conversation with IGY employee Erika Austin, it was fascinating to learn what level of training and expertise IGY goes to in making all of their facilities and staff world-class. After her summer at the Montauk Yacht Club, the Texas-born Austin is reportedly headed to Dubai. With a history of renowned tournaments like the "Brits and Yanks" shark tournament, the club has a social agenda for the very international crowd, as well as local families and visitors.

Battaglia said, "The Montauk Yacht Club truly is a grand tradition with a new beginning. The Montauk Yacht Club draws its traditions back to its founding in 1928 by Carl Fisher."

The Montauk Yacht Club is located on Star Island off West Lake Drive. For information, call 631-668-7701.