It’s the kind of challenge that Chris Lee welcomes. With growing membership, Edgewood Yacht Club could soon face the need to look at expanding slips for more boats.

Lee, Club Commodore made the observation Sunday at the club’s open house. The club’s large meeting room with vistas of the Providence River on three sides was packed. Groups of four, five and six people sat at tables chatting and nibbling from a spread of cheeses, fruit, breads and cookies. Many were members there to introduce newcomers to friends and the club.

Those seriously thinking of joining and seeking information on dues, assessments and activities from the sailing school to Sunfish frostbite racing, the club cruise and social events gathered around membership chair Nancy Plumb. A retired Warwick elementary school principal she  and her late husband, Bill, played key roles in rebuilding the clubhouse that was  built in late 1800s that burned  the pilings in a fierce thunder, lightning, wind and snow storm in the early morning hours  of January, 12, 2011.. The docks were marginally damaged and fortunately none of the boats hauled for the wintered and stored on the property were damaged. Club operations shifted to a small cottage on the property. The Brown Sailing team that is located at Edgewood  moved to a trailer, but remained committed to the location and played a significant financial role in rebuilding the clubhouse. The Brown team occupies the top floor of the new building that captures the Victorian elegance of the clubhouse it replaces with added amenities including a design to withstand the storm surge and winds of a major hurricane.

Not only did the club rebound from the fire, but also from the pandemic.

Lee said the pandemic put a dent in people gathering  and social activities.  There was a silver lining, however. Interest in outdoor activities, including boating increased.

Lee sees a resurgence with the waning of the pandemic. Whereas six or seven boats competed for Sunday frostbiting there are now consistently ten and there have been as many as 20. Frostbite  sailors needn’t be club members to compete. EYC plays host to a number of regattas from small dinghies – Opties - raced by kids to the high tech WASZP  that can whiz along at more than 20 MPH when they get up on foil to the wooden Beetle cats that are considered fast if they’re doing half that speed.

While sailing is a trademark of the club, by no means is it exclusively a sailing club. Many members are power boaters.

The club will take on a new role this season as the boarding location for the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, just offshore from Riverside barely a mile away. The friends who care for a museum at the light will start offering two hour  tours June 1 with the launch leaving EYC at 9:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. according to the website.

“We’re excited to have them,” said Lee.

Opening day at the club is May 13. The season officially comes to a close on Oct. 31, but that doesn’t mean the club goes to sleep.