The History of Buccaneer Yacht club
Why the Name Buccaneer?
Buccaneer Yacht Club was not formed by pirates, but rather by a small group of men who fell in love with sailing and wanted to share that passion. Leon Delaplaine, Foster Pfleger, John Mandeville, and Ben Mayfield joined together in 1928 to have a 30 foot gaff-rigged, cabin sloop built. The boat was christened the “Buccaneer” and the men who christened her spent nearly all their spare time sailing, often taking friends along.
It wasn’t long before the group decided to create a more formal assembly. By July 1928 officers were elected, a constitution was drawn up, and Buccaneer Yacht Club was born – named after the sloop that brought them all together.
Remember the Resolute
From its humble beginnings, Buccaneer Yacht Club grew steadily until was determined a club facility was necessary. In 1932, the club bought a four-masted cargo schooner called the “Resolute” after she carried her final load of lumber to Mobile. The “Resolute” was moored at Arlington Pier and retrofitted as a clubhouse, and she served this purpose well for many years.
During WWII, the Army Air Corp requested the use of the “Resolute” as a storage facility. Eventually, the Corp purchased the “Resolute” outright, but to this day, when you say “Remember the Resolute” to a Buccaneer member, it brings visions of our first, well-loved clubhouse.
The Present
From a 30 foot sloop to a four-masted cargo schooner, Buccaneer Yacht Club eventually grew into a larger complex. In 1947 the club purchased a plot of land known as Foster’s Beach and built a new facility. We’ve gone from towing Fish boats out of Dog River for club racing to our membership constructing harbor facilities, a bar, pool, cabana and a clubhouse. We value and promote sailing and competition above all else, and every Buccaneer member lives by the motto, “One for all and all for one.”
