Teaching children to sail since 1950.
How it all started…
Begun in 1950 as a loosely organized gang of kids congregating at 'Flyer's beach', it soon became apparent to a number of parents that boats, a sailing program and a proper facility were needed. Francis Santos, Larry Richmond, Richard Santos, Frank Rogers, Joe Andrews, George F. Miller, Jr., Charles Shilowitz and Will Hurlbert joined together to solidify a common goal. To give kids on the Outer Cape an opportunity to learn how to sail and enrich their lives with nautical knowledge and boating experience. During the winters several handy fathers built small boats called 'Weasels' from kits and the fleet began to grow. Calling on the generosity of local artists, paintings, drawings and sculptures were donated and raffles were held raising enough money to buy the waterfront property where the organization is located to this day. On June 21, 1957 the building was completed by builder Joseph C. Patrick for the princely sum of $4,126.40. As the kids grew, so did the fleet with the addition of five Blue Jays built by Larry Richmond, Dick Santos and Lloyd Atwood.
Regularly scheduled hours were instituted, and Richard Santos became the instructor. Kids learned everything from swimming and sailing to knot tying as well as team building, leadership, and good sportsmanship skills. Wendy Everett, inspired by all the sailing activities going on daily, designed and crafted an annual calendar that was sent to all kids registered in the program the previous season to remind everyone of the summer's noteworthy events. The accompanying illustrations on this page are photos of a breadbox that Wendy Everett hand-painted depicting various characters and memories of the early days at the West End Racing Club, re-named in 2017 West End Racing Children's Community Sailing.
The organization has endured and been nurtured through the continued efforts of 'Flyer' Santos, his family, and many, many others. Enrollment has never been higher. Thanks to former neighbor Ann Maguire, teeshirt sales became a huge success. With a legacy that includes multiple generations of families, the West End Racing Children's Community Sailing (formerly the West End Racing Club) is proud of its heritage and its contribution to this small coastal town. In an effort to reunite many of us who have fond memories of our years growing up at the West End Racing Club, a celebration was held commemorating the 50th REUNION on Sunday, August 13, 2000, designated West End Racing Club Day in a proclamation by the Provincetown Board of Selectmen.