For generations of Long Islanders, summers at the Hempstead Harbor Club in Glen Cove have meant long days on the water, children racing across docks and sunsets overlooking Hempstead Harbor.
Now, the historic waterfront club is celebrating 135 years on Glen Cove’s shoreline, continuing traditions that members say have remained largely unchanged since the club was founded in 1891.
Tucked away at the end of Garvies Point Road, the Hempstead Harbor Club is one of the oldest yacht clubs in the United States and is known for its historic clubhouse built directly over the water. The club offers sailing programs, racing events and social gatherings for members and their families.
The club’s waterfront location has long made it a destination for sailors and boating enthusiasts across Long Island. In addition to organized racing events and regattas, the club provides launch service to moored boats, winter boat storage and space for kayaks, paddleboards and small sailboats. The organization also operates a Junior Sailing program certified by the Junior Sailing Association.
Bayville resident Dave Rapelje said his family’s connection to the club spans four generations. His grandfather, Jacob Rapelje, joined the club in 1942 after moving from Queens to Glen Cove for work at Columbia Ribbon and Carbon Manufacturing Company.
“My father started his sailing career and later became a commodore of the club,” Rapelje said. “And then my brother also became a commodore as well.”
Rapelje said he practically grew up at the club during the 1950s and 1960s.
“The club was really our second home,” he said.
He recalled spending nearly every day at the waterfront clubhouse during the summer months, often from morning until night alongside dozens of other children.
“It was just a great place to be,” Rapelje said. “It was very family oriented.”
Rapelje said the club became deeply tied to his family’s identity and memories of growing up on Long Island. His brother’s daughter is now a fourth-generation member of the club.
“When I think of Long Island,” he said, “it’s the club.”
Past Commodore James Riordan, who led the club in 2009 and 2010, said one of the organization’s defining features is the strong sense of community among members.
“We’re a completely do-it-yourself club,” Riordan said.
Each spring, members volunteer during work weekends to repair, clean and prepare the property for the boating season.
“We have carpenters, we have plumbers, we have electricians,” Riordan said. “We keep the club and bring it back every year.”
Riordan compared the atmosphere during work weekends to “an old-fashioned Amish barn raising,” with dozens of members working together while others prepare meals for volunteers.
Unlike many modern yacht clubs that focus heavily on luxury amenities, Riordan said Hempstead Harbor Club has remained centered on boating, sailing and waterfront recreation. The club hosts weekly races throughout the summer and welcomes a variety of boating interests, including powerboats, sailboats, kayaks and paddleboarding.
During his time as commodore, Riordan said the club successfully secured landmark designation from the City of Glen Cove.
“Our club is a landmarked building, property and way of life, actually,” he said. “The club has operated the same way for 135 years.”
The clubhouse itself is among the club’s most unique features. Built over the water, the structure allows tides to flow directly underneath it.
“At high tide, the water comes up underneath the club,” Riordan said.
Current Commodore Christopher Gioia said preserving the club’s traditions while maintaining the aging property remains a major responsibility for leadership.
“It’s a gem on the North Shore,” Gioia said. “We owe it to the heritage to make sure that we keep it fresh and young and healthy financially and just steeped with the traditions that it has.”
Gioia said the club attracts members from communities across Long Island, many of whom are drawn to the natural beauty surrounding Hempstead Harbor and Garvies Point Preserve.
“We’re looking at a beautiful nature preserve,” Gioia said. “You see the osprey and the egrets and all the birds fishing and it’s all wonderful.”
