Eight Bells: Charles M. Barclay

Charles M. Barclay of Hilltown, PA and Bay Head, NJ crossed the bar March 14, 2024 at the age of 88. Charlie was a member of the Bay Head and Corinthian (Philadelphia) Yacht Clubs.

He was a natural athlete, playing football, soccer, and tennis at William Penn Charter, St. Andrews Academy, and University of Pennsylvania. He lettered in each sport. Charlie joined Delta Psi fraternity (St. Anthony’s) and graduated in 1958.

Charlie followed a long family tradition serving in the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, a historic National Guard unit, and the last non-mechanized cavalry regiment. Joining in 1954, he rose to the rank of Sergeant before retiring from the active roll in 1963. While active, he competed in the cavalry competition for the Border Plate. Charlie cherished the annual Troop memorial service for General Washington.

Charlie worked for INA then CIGNA. He did post graduate work at the Wharton School and earned Professional Engineering (PE) designation. As a Fire Protection Engineering specialist, Charlie worked to mitigate risks for commercial properties. He retired in 1997.

Charlie’s lifelong passion for sailing spanned eight decades. At age 11 he a leaky wooden Sneak Box. He would go on to win Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Championships in the Sneakbox in 1952 and 1953, the Comet in 1961, and the Sanderling B-Cat in 2012 with his daughter Jean as crew. He was nationally competitive in the Comet class for a decade. Charlie raced Stars and offshore. On a stormy Annapolis to Newport Race, Charlie saved a crew member from being swept overboard by a breaking wave.

Charlie loved smaller boats including a 24’ Corinthian Yacht Club One Design, s/v Blue Cloud, which now resides at the Independence Seaport Museum. He became a Sandpiper and Sanderling enthusiast in his 60’s. Deep into his 70’s, he even took a turn in Tech dinghies much to the chagrin of his wife and race committee partner Nancy.

Charlie embraced both tennis and sailing at Bay Head Yacht Club (BHYC). He competed throughout Barnegat Bay, and fittingly won his final Sanderling series at Bay Head last October at age 87 with his daughter Jean.

Charlie promoted sailing widely. This included coaching new comers, loaning his boat to people interested in the class, buying boats for others, hosting a high school team at his home along with visiting sailors. He was a certified race officer and trained club members to be race officers.

Charlie served as Rear Commodore at the Bay Head Yacht Club. He served as committee chair for junior sailing, senior sailing, and race committee at BHYC.

Charlie’s volunteer contributions extended beyond the yacht club. He was national Secretary for the American Society of Fire Protection Engineers. He was national Secretary for the Delta Alumni Association. He was a 25+ year member/Chairperson of the Hilltown Township Planning Commission.

Charlie is survived by his five children and their spouses, a bunch of grandchildren and gaggle of great grandchildren.

Services are scheduled for April 5 at Deep Run Presbyterian Church in Dublin, Pennsylvania, and the Bay Head Chapel in New Jersey this summer. In Lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Independence Seaport Museum of Philadelphia where Blue Cloud resides.