seattle yacht club history

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Seattle Yacht Club

Founded in 1892, Seattle Yacht Club is one of our country’s most active and long-established yacht clubs. With facilities ranging from the historic main station on Portage Bay, to ten outstations located along the shores of Washington and British Columbia, the club offers an outstanding group of properties for use by its more than 2,500 members.

From the Commodore:

It gives me great pleasure to confirm the commitment of the Seattle Yacht Club Board of Trustees and its members to the goals and mission of the National Sailing Hall of Fame. Our Fleet Captain Sail, Dave Ferguson and his committee, and Past Commodore, Chris Otorowski, will be working together on the member matching fund program that I expect will exceed the Founding Club level.

We look forward to watching the progress of the NSHOF and its home in Annapolis.

The Pacific Northwest waters, aristocratic pines and views of Mt. Rainier, Baker and the Olympics provided inspiration for Chief Sealth’s (Seattle) native peoples and SYC respects this heritage while developing its own traditions and stewardship. In the 1880s Puget Sound’s Budlong’s Boat House was the locale of the first gathering place of SYC yachtsmen followed in 1882 by the moorage on Battery Street at Brighton’s Boat House. The first Clubhouses built for a formally organized Seattle Yacht Club were in 1892 and 1909 in West Seattle.  Presently the Portage Bay clubhouse (1919) between Lakes Union and Washington offers a colonial style with classical elegance and uncovered and covered moorages. It has been on the National Register of Historical Places since 2006. In addition, there are ten beautiful outstations extending from south Puget Sound through Canadian waters. They are Gig Harbor, Elliott Bay, Port Madison and Eagle Harbor on Bainbridge Island, Henry Island and Friday Harbor in the San Juan Islands, and Ganges, Ovens Island, Garden Bay and Cortes Bay in Canada. The marine environment is protected by SYC’s Code of Ethics and negotiations with the City of Seattle. Reciprocity with U.S. and international yacht clubs exists.

Since 1928 SYC has participated in powerboat predicted log racing’s annual International Cruiser Race, the Capital to Capitol Race. Hosted by SYC in 1936, the attendance was the highest of any U.S. cruising event to that date. In the 1940s the IPBA made it a family event. Today SYC hosts the IPBA Stimson Cup and participates in other IPBA and local races.

The belief that “everyone who wants to be on the water should be” underlies programs for the community such as the 1935 Shut In Cruise when 50 SYC boats took patients in wheelchairs and on stretchers for a Lake Washington cruise. World War II veterans were taken on similar cruises. Today’s Annual Special People’s Cruise was inspired by SYC women who arranged Christmas cruises for the Fircrest clients. SYC’s Opening Day, modeled in part by the city’s 1911 Potlatch celebration has the largest boating parade and international crew races in the world. SYC sponsors the largest fund raising event in boating, the Leukemia Cup Regatta and the SYC Foundation provides funding for Youth Sailing classes and community boating projects.

Protection of maritime waters and racing abound. SYC formed the first Pacific coastal squadron to teach motorboat navigation and to cooperate with the U.S. government in 1916. During World War II SYC’s Flotilla 24, the largest civilian squadron in the U.S., patrolled Pacific inland waters with private small and large luxury yachts. Pleasure boating was dormant but racing continued. The hydroplane races with SYC’s Slo-Mo IV and V won the Gold Cup 1950-1954 and put Seattle and Seafair on the map. The hydroplane era continues with the SYC burgee on winning boats and thousands of spectators watching the races on Lake Washington and on television.

Pleasure boating resumed after World War II. In 1964 SYC was invited to join the Cruising Club of America and continues to host several of their events. The latter’s goal of promoting cruising by amateurs and its interest in seamanship, navigation and handling of small vessel is in keeping with SYC’s philosophy and support of what the juniors call “people who like to mess around in boats”. Boating education at SYC has always been a priority for youth and adult members and non-members. Currently it is provided in Lasers, Vanguard 15’s, and Optimistist dinghies. Pleasure boating for adults, families and the public is provided in Club and private member boats.

Competing in international races in the 1980s again demonstrated SYC’s racing skills. Olympic gold, silver and bronze medals were brought home. The SYC burgee flew on One World in the 2003 America’s Cup Race. SYC women have won world championships in rowing and the Adams Cup for sailing.  World involvement is further demonstrated by hosting of the International Council of Yacht Clubs Forum in 2011. This is the first time it was held in the United States and 14 countries were represented by numerous delegates.

To insure “the most fun for the most of us” the SYC committee system allows for diversified interest groups and activities for all members. The Men’s and Women’s groups have luncheons with speakers and programs to educate and entertain. Parties, balls, dinner dances and children’s events occur regularly. The annual Commodore’s Ball with the Grand Fourteen Yacht Clubs in the area is a gala event. Potlatch, a weekend of water games, races and feasting at Port Madison, is an example of the family centered events for juniors, intermediates and regular members.

Seattle Yacht Club has a tradition of pride in its members who come from every socioeconomic level. Many have made significant contributions to navigational science and member volunteerism is basic to the Club. The 1937 Board of Trustees stated: the club should cater to the average class of gentlemen yachtsman” attempting to please the aristocrats and also the members with small boats regardless of financial position. SYC also has pride in its clubhouse and the city it is named after. The beacon light on top of the Portage Bay clubhouse was installed by SYC members and the Coast Guard and its spire is shown on nautical charts as a private stationary aid to navigation. It beckons you to join the fun of a cultural icon and continue to make history.

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Seattle Yacht Club

History of seattle yacht club.

From its shabby beginning at a rickety boathouse dock, Seattle Yacht Club has prevailed over the rough seas of wars and endured the battering winds of economic storms. Along the way, the Club has adapted to our changing culture over the decades and centuries. Today, at 126 years old and housed in its elegant Mainstation on Portage Bay, the Club is one of the premier yachting organizations in the world. Its Clubhouse and moorings, 10 Outstations, services, and social activities are second to none, and its financial position is strong. SYC is one of Washington State's oldest and most enduring institutions and in 2010, the National Register of Historical Places listed the SYC Mainstation as a historic resource.

Membership has grown from the original 250 "yachting gentlemen" in 1892 to nearly 5,000 boaters in 2018. The Seattle Yacht Club burgee is recognized around the world because of the Club's continuing contributions to the maritime community, its record of competitive success, and its collaboration in local and international yachting organizations. SYC has been founding members of the Northwest International Yachting Association, the Pacific International Yachting Association, the International Powerboat Association, the International Council of Yacht Clubs and maintains reciprocity with more than 225 other boating groups around the world.

Accomplished boaters, both sailors and powerboaters, have won hundreds of championships and awards, including Olympic medals. The Club hosts a world-class junior sailing program, which has given a start to numerous generations of Northwest sailors. Members come from every socioeconomic background and the SYC Foundation provides funding for youth sailing classes and community boating projects.

The Portage Bay Mainstation buzzes with activity most days of the year. From its beginning, it's where members have celebrated their boating life and community. Today, the Club calendar records weddings, life celebrations, sail and powerboat events, family picnics, holiday parties, and committee meetings. It hosts Women's Group activities, Men's Lunches, Junior Group activities, gourmet quality dinners, sailing classes and more. Boating and the love of being on the water are the center of every activity, including community service. Opening Day, the Club's annual spring celebration, is the region's premier on-the-water party. The internationally known Unlimited Hydroplane Seafair Race week was originated by SYC in conjunction with the City of Seattle.

Members cruise to 10 spectacular Outstations dispersed on the waters of Western Washington and British Columbia. The Club enjoys these amenities thanks to members' significant efforts and contributions over the years.

The Club's strong leadership depends on the efforts of hundreds of dedicated volunteer members involved in 90 committees. In fact, industrious committee members evolve into upper leadership levels, encompassing the bridge officers and the Board of Trustees. These committed and enthusiastic volunteer members also work with the Club's experienced staff to sustain the Club's holdings and to create enjoyable activities.

Being a good neighbor is essential, as is working for a better environment. We continue to spread the gospel of good, even masterful, seamanship through competition, cruising, and rendezvous with other boating groups, and through our respected sailing school. We continue the warm tradition of treating our staff members like family, with the reward that they stay with us for decades.

And, as always, by being good stewards of our splendid Seattle Yacht Club, we prioritize joyful and fulfilling experiences for its members who share the love of all things boating, and the pride of belonging to TBGDYCITWWW - "The Best Gol' Darn Yacht Club in the Whole Wide World!"

Seattle Yacht Club is proud to be a member of the International Council of Yacht Clubs.

Our App enables the sailors to have the boat´s performance tracked live and to be able to review the performance later on. The app can be complemented by a tracking device that you can have on your boat.

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Established 1904

The Olympia Yacht Club

Sailboat Racing in the 1930's By Frank & Lisa Mighetto The OYC’s historical archives received a windfall in 2010: as Gary Waldherr stood outside the clubhouse, an unidentified car pulled up and he was handed a stack of mimeographed bulletins called "Starboard Tack" from the 1930s. The historical committee is grateful to him for passing them along. These turned out to be delightful accounts from the "sailboat committee" of the OYC. The masthead, which is reproduced here, established a whimsical, casual tone, noting that the bulletin was "published once in a while." But a review of the articles throughout the 1930s reveals a spirit of commitment and great enthusiasm for sailboat racing.

The boats seemed smaller back then, and there was much talk of a new flat-bottomed vessel called a "flattie," designed by Seattle Yacht Club commodore Ted Geary. Interestingly, the Seattle YC’s history identifies Geary as a strong supporter of their saltwater outstations, as the fresh water mainstation in Seattle did not, in his view, encourage racing of sailboats. Olympia had the edge in this respect, which perhaps accounts for the Seattle boats that participated in the sailboat races organized by the OYC in the 1930s. In any case, the relative merits of the flatties were described throughout the pages of the bulletin. "We have it on good authority," noted one bulletin in 1931, " that [our commodore] has offered to bet anyone any amount of money (against a lead nickel) that his dad could take a flattie out for the first time and with it beat any…sailboat on the bay." Thus challenged, some OYC sailors responded, "We, the undersigned owners of homemade suicide sloops, not yet convinced of the superiority of flattties and not yet convinced of the superiority of gray hairs at the helm, hereby wager …that one or more of us can out sail any flattie whatsoever; said wager to be settled in a sailing race off Boston Harbor…"

Weather was also a big topic throughout the pages of the bulletin. "Boisterous west winds…predict a lively time at the races off Boston Harbor this Sunday," read one entry from 1931, while another from that same year reported "one knock-down and four capsizing within an hour. A wind that was a wind!" Additional events chronicled in the "Starboard Tack" include a "Lady’s Day Race," which required a woman at the helm for the entire race. Among the records is the first invoice for the bulletins, indicating that the cost to print 55 issues was $3.71, which might have been a significant amount during the Great Depression. In summary, much about the history of the OYC as well as boating in the 1930s can be gleaned from these bulletins, now a part of our rich historical archives.

Leading Yacht Clubs • Working Together • Sharing Experiences

Restoring the Bones of Seattle Yacht Club’s 100-year Club

John Brenneis

Seattle Yacht Club

September 22, 2023

When your yacht club’s mainstation building has weathered a century of storms and rain, it might be time to see what lies beneath the outer skin. This is exactly what the Seattle Yacht Club decided it was time to do. Complicating this was the fact that the Old Grand Dame is on the National Historic Register, so it can have no significant exterior changes to the appearance of the building or the footprint. SYC Architect and Club member describes how SYC undertook this project.

As with any wood-framed structure that has withstood the ravages of a century’s worth of wind, rain, sun and occasional neglect, the grand dame of Seattle’s Montlake neighborhood was showing her age. Designed by former Commodore and renowned Seattle architect, John Graham, Sr., and completed in 1920, the Seattle Yacht Club’s clubhouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Places 86 years later.

Three years ago, Commodore Ted Shultz asked me how much it would cost to “re-side” the building. In my experience, I have learned to never offer an opinion about how much something will cost without serious study, consultation and discussion, so I proposed that all exterior finishes be replaced or restored instead of replacing only the skin of the building. Because these new surfaces would likely not be disturbed for another hundred years, it made sense to go one step deeper now and do a seismic upgrade of the structure beneath.

First, we decided to bring the structure up to current building code standards for an earthquake-resistant design. We then drafted a list of things that we wanted to improve, limiting it to just exterior work so that the interior of the Club remained fully functional and operational during the construction period. A committee representing all constituent interests was then formed to decide how we would accomplish this.

Once we agreed to a defined scope of work, we decided that this should be a winter-time project so as not to disturb the summer’s events, but would have cost implications beecause the work would have to be fully enclosed during periods of inclement weather to keep the building dry. While the building is about 19,000 square feet in floor area, it’s just a big house. So, I contacted a trusted contractor who had extensive experience building large, intricately detailed homes. They looked at the project and developed a detailed cost analysis.

The SYC by-laws require a majority vote of the membership for capital improvements of this magnitude. I developed a detailed narrative and made presentations to the Club while working to gain the approval of the Seattle Landmarks Board because they enforce the development restrictions for any building designated as “Historic.” Once we cleared that hurdle, the project was put to a vote of the membership in June of 2022, and passed by a 9 to 1 margin.

With the funds approved, I set to work preparing the construction drawings, hiring the engineer to perform the seismic retrofit design and writing the project specifications. I also began the arduous process of wresting a building permit from the City of Seattle. This was all done under the auspices of the Club’s House and Building Committees. In addition to the siding, the project also included the removal and replacement of the original ship-lap sheathing; the oldest of the original single-glazed windows, doors, and trim; a deteriorating and non-code conforming deck railing and flat roof; and the refurbishment of the soffit above the porch below. Costs were updated as the scope developed with the design. In July 2023, we executed a contract with Walter F. Toth Construction to begin work on August 1.

Phase I of the work began with the erection of a weatherproof scaffolding on the east side of the building, and demolition of the old siding and sheathing to expose the un-insulated stud cavities. To our great fortune, the framing was found to be rot-free, including the sill plates (the horizontal 2x6s that come into direct contact with the concrete foundation), a true testament to the qualities of older buildings.

• Pacific NW Magazine

Seattle Yacht Club’s 1926 Montlake reception had a crowning touch

ROYALTY FUELED THE roar of the 1920s in Seattle on Nov. 4, 1926. That day, the city welcomed a woman whom The Seattle Times called the “most beautiful and gracious of all Europe’s feminine monarchs,” Queen Marie.

For the 51-year-old regal representative of Romania (then spelled Rumania), Seattle was but one destination on a cross-country tour. Accompanied in an open touring car by our first female mayor, Bertha Landes, the queen zipped through an afternoon of stops initially intended for a full day.

She drew record crowds, and the city delighted her: “In all the towns I have visited, I have found none so beautiful as your Seattle. In each corner today, I have found a place where I should like to live.”

The fitting finale was the home of the Seattle Yacht Club. Its clubhouse, perched on Portage Bay, south of the University of Washington and north of today’s Highway 520, had opened six years earlier, on May 1, 1920. For a reception put on by “club women of the city” to honor the queen, the building burst with autumn blooms, its veranda rails draped in dahlias.

Only 200 of the 1,500 assembled women could greet Marie, however, because what was to be a one-hour stay lasted “scarcely more than 15 minutes.” This did not prevent 60 women — bonneted, like the queen — from posing outside with three youngsters, as our “Then” photo shows.

It’s no accident that a lighthouse-shaped cupola topped the clubhouse, which The Times called “the finest on the Coast and one of the finest in the United States.” Famed architect John Graham Sr. certainly intended for the Colonial Revival/Shingle Style structure to complement the recently opened Lake Washington Ship Canal, including nearby Montlake Cut, which connected Portage Bay to the lake.

The parcel, formerly marshland and a landfill for the 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition at the UW campus, became available for the club’s purchase after a casino proposed for the site fizzled. The club deemed the calm, freshwater setting a buoyant change from the rough weather, railroad noise, oil dumping and swells of passing steamboats that its boaters and craft had endured at saltwater bases on Elliott Bay and along the West Seattle shore since its founding in 1892.

Today, with 2,800 member families and myriad programs for all ages, Seattle Yacht Club is the oldest and largest such local organization.

The coronavirus scuttled its traditionally sponsored early-May merriment for Opening Day, but the club optimistically has rescheduled an elaborate celebration of its clubhouse centennial for Sept. 26. Sailing and motor vessels from the 1920s are to be on display, including one that participated on Opening Day in 1920.

One might envision the pending party as fit for a queen.

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The Centennial History of the Seattle Yacht Club, 1892-1992 Hardcover – January 1, 1992

• Publisher Laing Communications Inc.
• Publication date January 1, 1992
• ISBN-10 0963196006
• ISBN-13 978-0963196002
• See all details

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Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Laing Communications Inc.; First American Edition. (January 1, 1992)
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0963196006
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0963196002
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.85 pounds
• Best Sellers Rank: #6,464,214 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books )

About the authors

Patricia romanowski bashe.

Patricia Ann Romanowski Bashe was born in Wichita, Kansas, where her mother owned a nightclub and her father was an ironworker. From age seven until sixteen, she moved often, attending fourteen different schools in Oregon, California, and Florida before settling in the North Bronx. A graduate of Christopher Columbus High School, with a BA in English Literature from Herbert H. Lehman College (CUNY), she embarked on a career in publishing, first at a local newspaper, The Parkway News, then a legal publisher, and the trade house E. P. Dutton before becoming the first editor of Rolling Stone Magazine's book division, Rolling Stone Press. There she edited and contributed to several books, including "The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll," which she co-edited through three editions and for which she received an ASCAP-Deems Taylor Award. Her work on pop culture and music has appeared in "The New York Times Book Review" and "Rolling Stone," among other publications. After leaving Rolling Stone, she was preparing to apply for law school when she was asked to help cowrite two celebrity autobiographies: Mary Wilson's "Dreamgirl" and Vanna White's "Vanna Speaks." After both hit the bestseller list, law school was forgotten. Since then, Patty has cowritten twenty-three books spanning several genres: celebrity autobiography (with Annette Funicello, Temptations founder Otis Williams, Donny Osmond, Teddy Pendergrass, Nichelle Nichols), self-help ("Helping Children Cope with Divorce the Sandcastles Way," with M. Gary Neuman; "You Get Past the Tears," with Patricia Broadbent), health and fitness (with Joannie Greggains, Billy Blanks), paranormal psychology (the "George Anderson" trilogy and "Love Beyond Life" with Joel Martin), and special education and autism. The Emmy-award-winning miniseries "The Temptations" is based on the book with Otis Williams, and Annette Funicello's "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" was also a miniseries. After her son was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, she earned as master's degree in special education and became a certified special education teacher, Board Certified Behavior Analyst, and consultant to parents and school districts on students with autism. Her first book about autism spectrum disorders, cowritten with Barbara Kirby, is "The OASIS Guide to Asperger Syndrome," now in its second edition. She is preparing for the publication of "The Parents' Guide to Teaching Kids with Asperger Syndrome and Similar ASDs Real-Life Skills for Independence," due out on October 25, 2011, from Three Rivers/Crown. She lives on Long Island with her husband, the author Philip Bashe, and their son, Justin. For more about her book projects (including the chance to participate in research for them) or to contact her, please visit www.pattyrbashe.com.

Vanna White

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MYNORTHWEST HISTORY

Opening Day of Boating Season is one of the Seattle area’s oldest traditions

Apr 27, 2022, 9:06 AM | Updated: 10:42 am

The Seattle Yacht Club's "mainstation" on Portage Bay was built in 1920. (Feliks Banel/KIRO Newsradio)

(Feliks Banel/KIRO Newsradio)

BY FELIKS BANEL

Local historian

Great cities are home to events that carry on traditions that resonate far beyond their official boundaries. Think strawberries and cream at Wimbledon, or mint juleps at the Kentucky Derby.

There may not be a sugary dessert or cocktail of choice, but the Seattle Yacht Club’s  Opening Day of Boating Season – with its members’ dress code of blue jacket, white shirt, tie, white pants or skirt and white shoes – may be the closest the Pacific Northwest comes to having an annual tradition along the same lines as what happens each year at the All England Club or Churchill Downs.

After being canceled by COVID in 2020 and held virtually in 2021, the waterborne party in Montlake is back, with festivities planned for most of the day on Saturday, May 7.

Boating is part of living in the Northwest and has been since the dawn of time. In Seattle, Opening Day has been a big deal for more than a century. The event features a boat parade, and the University of Washington crew hosts races  against other teams from around the world, and the celebration is centered around Portage Bay and the Montlake Cut. Watching the parade and races is free, and it’s all organized by the Seattle Yacht Club.

The club was founded in 1892 – though the concept of recreational boating and things like boat races in Elliott Bay date to the 1870s. In a city that sometimes struggles to sustain traditions, SYC is among the oldest of old-school Seattle institutions and is very steeped in the ceremonial – from the dress code, to the Navy-like ranks of the ‘Commodores’ and ‘Admirals’ and other club leadership, to the flags and other pomp and circumstance of Opening Day.

With its lighthouse-like tower, the club’s headquarters are visible on the east shore of Portage Bay and easily spotted from the Portage Bay Viaduct of SR-520. It’s a stately old building with docks and moorage for hundreds of boats. The complex is officially known as the “mainstation” because it’s part of a network of moorage spots from Puget Sound to the north of Vancouver Island called “outstations” – where SYC members can meet up with other members, tie up their boats and take care of basic maintenance.

Admiral Pete Rosvall and Michele Shaw are members of the Seattle Yacht Club who earlier this week led a tour of the Portage Bay facility and shared details about this year’s festivities. Admiral Rosvall is part of what they call “The Trio” – which also includes an Admiralette and a Vice Admiral. The titles are honorary and the appointments are year-long for this three-person volunteer team whose job is to lead all the planning and run the show on Opening Day.

The events stretch out for nearly a week, and it’s an all-hands-on-deck operation. This isn’t surprising, since Seattle’s event, says Pete Rosvall, is considered one of the biggest celebrations of boating anywhere in the United States.

But, Rosvall and Shaw say, the beginnings were somewhat inauspicious.

“The notion would go back to about 1895 and the Fourth of July,” Rosvall said. “It didn’t actually happen, but there was a notion.”

In those years, Fourth of July was one of the only civic holidays celebrated widely and with great regularity each year in the United States, so it made sense in Seattle to add an element of recreational boating to the mix of parades and picnics and fireworks.

In 1895, Rosvall and Clark told KIRO Newsradio, the Seattle Yacht Club was just three-years old. They planned to contribute to the Independence Day celebrations by staging a boat parade and a “sham” – or simulated naval battle between yachts armed with fireworks – in Elliott Bay.

“But it got rained out,” Rosvall said.

The sham “was really in honor of history, but this was just Roman candles that were on either side of this area for the parade,” Michele Shaw said. And, along with the rain – which, apparently was a Fourth of July thing in Seattle even as long ago as the second Grover Cleveland administration, “they had a wind that came up that blew out all the Roman candles,” Shaw said – sham over.

Shaw knows her Seattle Yacht Club history. She’s been a member since 1962, and she helped write the centennial book that was published in 1992.

Shaw says that the late 19th century and early 20th century were busy and growing years for the club – it was a time when the very idea of recreational boating was emerging in an area with a lot of water and not much in the way of roads. In the early decades of non-Indigenous settlement, maritime travel was something rarely done for “fun.” It had been a necessity for moving people and goods from one place to another, so recreational boating was truly a novel concept, and in the late 19th century was mostly for the wealthy.

Widespread recreational boating would come later, and would really take off after World War II, and, a few years after that, would get a further boost with the Gold Cup hydroplane races coming to Seattle. Early boat races and Gold Cup winner Slo-Mo-Shun IV were, in fact, sponsored by the Seattle Yacht Club, though Seafair was, and still, is a separate event.

But long before all that, the really big year for SYC was 1920. That was when they relocated from West Seattle and Elliott Bay and built the facility which still stands on Portage Bay. The timing made sense because the Ballard locks and Montlake Cut had recently been completed, connecting Puget Sound to Lake Washington . When that first big Opening Day was held in 1920, the First World War had recently ended, and the Spanish Flu pandemic had subsided. Seattle boaters were ready to celebrate.

Participation grew steadily in the 1920s, and Opening Day was held each year throughout the Great Depression and even during World War II, though festivities and participation during the war years were curtailed somewhat by the absence of so many boaters who were busy overseas. Following victory in Europe and Asia, the first post-war Opening Day in 1946 is believed to have been one of the largest in the event’s history.

In those decades before the Sonics, Mariners and Seahawks brought nearly year-round professional sports to Seattle, Opening Day captured attention far beyond Portage Bay, and recreational boating played a near-central role in the area’s civic and leisure culture. But, even in those years, a boat parade didn’t necessarily translate to television like some other sporting events. Though Michele Shaw says at least one TV station – who shall remain nameless – tried to make it work.

“They did a TV show of the entire parade,” Shaw said. “I was the person that worked with them on that and I warned them. I said, ‘There’s lots of space between boats going down [the parade route]. I can’t remember [which TV host] I was with, [but] we ended up talking about the dog over here on the lawn” and similar topics to fill up the time.

“They did one year of the full broadcast of the parade,” Shaw said. “And that was it.”

For an event that’s best experienced in person, either aboard a boat in the parade or watching from the shore, Pete Rosvall and Michele Shaw are clearly delighted that Opening Day is back in non-virtual form this year.

And Rosvall says that with all the similarities to a century ago – in particular, the parallels between the Spanish Flu and COVID – the theme the committee chose for 2022 is “Roaring 20s.”

“There’s a lot of pent-up energy,” Rosvall said. “One of the things The Trio does [is] go out to the yacht clubs, basically Royal Vancouver and Royal Vic all the way down through Olympia, and we talk about the theme, we talk about Opening Day and what’s going to happen.”

What kind of response did they get to plans for 2022?

“Clubs that [in the past] said ‘We’ll send four or five boats,’” Lundvall said. “They’re asking if they can bring up 18 or 20.”

“So it’s going to be something else,” he said.

And, for the record, while the Seattle Yacht Club organizes Opening Day every year, there is no similar event in November called “Closing Day.”

Boating season “never closes, it just reopens,” Rosvall said. “If you live in the Pacific Northwest and you’ve got a boat, you boat a lot during the course of the year. You just have to be more careful [in the autumn and winter] because the wind and the weather do dictate where you can go and when you can go.”

Speaking of weather, this is Seattle, after all, and it’s been a very cold and wet spring so far – plus, who could forget 1895? Will attendance or other numbers help measure whether or not this year’s Opening Day of Boating Season is a success?

“It’s always a success,” Rosvall said, laughing. “Even when it rains, it’s full. People make their plans early. I’m already looking at the weather for next week – so far, so good. But it’s fun even if it’s raining.”

Regardless of the forecast, it’s clear that Rosvall and Shaw believe in the Seattle Yacht Club and Opening Day, especially in the sense of community that members continue to find at the club’s Portage Bay home more than a century after it was built.

Still, though, whatever the weather on May 7, it’s probably best to leave the Roman candles at home.

TRAFFIC NOTE: On Saturday, May 7, 2022, the Montlake Bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic from noon until about 4pm.

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Seattle Yacht Club Hopes Family and Familiarity Equals Success at 2024 Resolute Cup

When it comes to sailing, experience and chemistry are key—and Seattle Yacht Club’s (SYC) two-couple team is bringing both in spades to this week’s Resolute Cup. Benjamin Glass, Dalton Bergan, Jennifer Morgan Glass, and Lindsay Bergan—four names synonymous with sailing excellence—are geared up for a fierce competition starting September 11 at the New York Yacht Club’s Harbour Court in Newport, R.I.

These four have been a sailing powerhouse for over 30 years, dating back to their junior sailing days at SYC. Their unique blend of experience and family ties sets them apart in this prestigious event. Dalton Bergan, a former Collegiate Sailor of the Year, and Lindsay Bergan, whose Olympic pedigree is as impressive as it gets, add serious star power. Meanwhile, Ben Glass boasts multiple national titles, and Jen Morgan Glass has an Olympic history of her own, having campaigned a 470 ahead of the 2000 and 2004 Games.

“We’re all about the comfort and camaraderie that comes from sailing together for so long,” says Morgan Glass. “It’s not just about the race; it’s about the fun and familiarity we share on the water.”

The Resolute Cup, a key qualifier for the Rolex New York Yacht Club Invitational Cup, kicks off September 9, with races running until the 14th. This year’s competition will feature Sonars with provided sails and an equalized rig tune, ensuring every team has a fair shot. With support from Helly Hansen, Hammetts Hotel, Safe Harbor Marinas, and Peters & May, the event promises top-tier racing in the idyllic setting of Newport.

“The Sonar’s hull-speed limitation should make for some exciting, close racing,” Bergan, who will skipper the SYC team, notes. “It’s all about tactics and enjoying the game. We’re here to have fun and make the most of this unique experience.”

For Glass, who’s now selective about her sailing calendar, the Resolute Cup stands out as a must-attend event. “Week-long regattas like this are a real treat,” she says. “With top-notch facilities and race management, it’s the perfect balance of competition and enjoyment.”

Carolina Yacht Club’s Robert Wilkins, another seasoned competitor, is also eyeing success. With a history of strong performances in Newport, Wilkins is banking on his local knowledge and skilled crew to make a splash.

“Newport is special, and we’re looking forward to a great week of sailing,” Wilkins says. “It’s a blend of competition and a fantastic vacation spot.”

The racing kicks off Wednesday, September 11, with the fleet trimmed down on Saturday for three final double-point races. Expect action on Narragansett Bay, with ideal late-summer weather setting the stage for an unforgettable regatta.

Competing Teams:

• American Yacht Club – Rye, N.Y.
• Austin Yacht Club – Austin, Texas
• Bay Waveland Yacht Club – Bay St. Louis, Miss.
• Bayview Yacht Club – Detroit, Mich.
• California Yacht Club – Marina del Rey, Calif.
• Carolina Yacht Club – Charleston, S.C.
• Charleston Yacht Club – Charleston, S.C.
• Chicago Yacht Club – Chicago, Ill.
• Corinthian Yacht Club – Marblehead, Mass.
• Corinthian Yacht Club of San Francisco – Tiburon, Calif.
• Eastern Yacht Club – Marblehead, Mass.
• Edgewater Yacht Club – Cleveland, Ohio
• Fort Worth Yacht Club – Fort Worth, Texas
• Lakewood Yacht Club – Seabrook, Texas
• Larchmont Yacht Club – Larchmont, N.Y.
• Little Traverse Yacht Club – Harbor Springs, Mich.
• Mystic River Mudheads Sailing Association – West Mystic, Conn.
• New York Yacht Club – New York, N.Y. & Newport, RI
• Newport Harbor Yacht Club – Newport Beach, Calif.
• Pensacola Yacht Club – Pensacola, Fla.
• San Diego Yacht Club – San Diego, Calif.
• Seattle Yacht Club – Seattle, Wash.
• Shelter Island Yacht Club – Shelter Island Heights, N.Y.
• Southern Yacht Club – New Orleans, La.
• St. Francis Yacht Club – San Francisco, Calif.
• Stamford Yacht Club – Stamford, Conn.
• Storm Trysail Club – Larchmont, N.Y.
• The San Francisco Yacht Club – Belvedere, Calif.

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WSYC hosts many cruises throughout the boating season and beyond. Check out our cruise schedule and photos.

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Members become longtime friends. Social Events are held year round.

Connect with fellow boaters at our monthly meetings.  Held every 3rd Friday at the Alki Masonic Lodge - 4736 40th Ave SW, Seattle WA 98116

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Discover the Best Yacht Clubs in Seattle: A Guide to Top Amenities, Membership, and Social Activities

Table of Contents

Introduction to Yacht Clubs in Seattle

Seattle, also known as the “Emerald City,” is a popular destination for boating enthusiasts. With its stunning waterfront views, diverse boating opportunities, and vibrant boating community, it’s no wonder why Seattle is a popular spot for yacht clubs.

Yacht clubs offer a range of benefits to boaters, including access to exclusive events, networking opportunities, and boating resources and services. Whether you’re a seasoned boater or a novice looking to get started, joining a yacht club in Seattle can enhance your boating experience and provide you with a sense of community.

But with so many yacht clubs in Seattle to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to start. In this series of blogs, we’ll explore the best yacht clubs in Seattle, the benefits of joining a yacht club, and factors to consider when choosing a club. We’ll also provide a detailed review of the top yacht clubs in Seattle, and a comparison of their features, amenities, and membership fees.

So whether you’re looking for a yacht club to join, or simply curious about the boating scene in Seattle, this series of blogs will provide you with all the information you need. Let’s dive in!

Benefits of Joining a Yacht Club in Seattle

Joining a yacht club in Seattle comes with a range of benefits for boaters. Let’s take a closer look at some of the advantages of becoming a yacht club member:

Networking opportunities

Yacht clubs provide a platform for boaters to connect and network with other like-minded individuals. Whether you’re looking to socialize, share boating tips, or discuss your latest boating adventures, a yacht club can provide you with a community of fellow boaters.

Access to exclusive events

Yacht clubs often host a range of exclusive events, such as regattas, boat shows, and social gatherings. These events provide a great opportunity to meet other boaters, learn new skills, and enjoy the boating lifestyle.

Boating resources and services

Many yacht clubs offer a range of boating resources and services to their members, such as boat storage, maintenance, and repair. This can save boaters time and money, and ensure that their boats are always in top condition.

Discounts and perks

Yacht club members often enjoy discounts and perks on boating-related products and services, such as boat rentals, fuel, and dockage fees. This can help offset the cost of membership and provide additional value to members.

Overall, joining a yacht club in Seattle can enhance your boating experience, provide you with a sense of community, and offer a range of benefits and services. In the next blog, we’ll explore factors to consider when choosing a yacht club in Seattle.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Yacht Club in Seattle

Choosing the right yacht club in Seattle is an important decision that can have a significant impact on your boating experience. Here are some factors to consider when selecting a yacht club:

Location and accessibility

The location of a yacht club is an important factor to consider, especially if you plan to use your boat frequently. Look for a yacht club that is conveniently located and easily accessible, with ample parking and transportation options.

Membership fees and requirements

Yacht club membership fees can vary significantly, so it’s important to find a club that fits your budget. Additionally, some clubs have specific membership requirements, such as a minimum age, boating experience, or sponsorship from an existing member.

Amenities and facilities

Yacht clubs offer a range of amenities and facilities, such as restaurants, bars, swimming pools, and fitness centers. Consider what amenities are important to you, and look for a club that offers the facilities you need.

Social activities and events

Yacht clubs often host social activities and events, such as parties, dinners, and guest speaker series. Look for a club that offers a range of activities that align with your interests and hobbies.

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Culture and atmosphere

Each yacht club has its own unique culture and atmosphere, so it’s important to find a club that aligns with your values and personality. Consider visiting the club and speaking with members to get a sense of the culture

Review of the Seattle Yacht Club

The Seattle Yacht Club (SYC) is one of the oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs in Seattle, founded in 1892. Located on Portage Bay, SYC offers a range of amenities and services for boaters, including boat storage, maintenance, and repair. Here’s a closer look at what the Seattle Yacht Club has to offer:

The Seattle Yacht Club has two locations, one in Portage Bay and the other on the shores of Lake Union. Both locations offer easy access to popular boating destinations in Seattle, with ample parking and transportation options.

The Seattle Yacht Club has a tiered membership structure, with different levels of membership based on boating experience and age. Membership fees start at $550 per year and increase based on the level of membership. The club also requires sponsorship from existing members for new members to join.

The Seattle Yacht Club offers a range of amenities and facilities, including a restaurant, bar, fitness center, and swimming pool. The club also has a full-service marina, with 180 slips for boats up to 70 feet in length.

The Seattle Yacht Club hosts a range of social activities and events, including regattas, cruises, and guest speaker series. The club also has a youth sailing program, offering sailing lessons and camps for children and teenagers.

The Seattle Yacht Club has a strong sense of community and camaraderie, with a focus on boating and water-related activities. The club also has a rich history and tradition, with a commitment to preserving the maritime heritage of the Pacific Northwest.

Overall, the Seattle Yacht Club is a top choice for boaters in Seattle, with its range of amenities, services, and social activities. However, the club’s membership requirements and fees may not be suitable for everyone. In the next blog, we’ll explore another top yacht club in Seattle.

Review of the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle

The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle (CYC) is another top yacht club in Seattle, with a rich history and a strong commitment to boating and water-related activities. Here’s a closer look at what the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle has to offer:

The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle is located in Shilshole Bay, with easy access to popular boating destinations in Seattle. The club has ample parking and transportation options, including a shuttle service to and from downtown Seattle.

The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle has a range of membership options, including full membership, social membership, and junior membership. Membership fees start at $500 per year and increase based on the level of membership. The club does not require sponsorship from existing members.

The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle offers a range of amenities and facilities, including a restaurant, bar, fitness center, and swimming pool. The club also has a full-service marina, with 150 slips for boats up to 65 feet in length.

The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle hosts a range of social activities and events, including regattas, cruises, and guest speaker series. The club also has a youth sailing program, offering sailing lessons and camps for children and teenagers.

The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle has a strong sense of community and camaraderie, with a focus on boating and water-related activities. The club also has a commitment to environmental sustainability, with initiatives to reduce the club’s carbon footprint and promote sustainable boating practices.

Overall, the Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle is a top choice for boaters in Seattle, with its range of amenities, services, and social activities. The club’s flexible membership options and commitment to environmental sustainability make it an attractive choice for boaters who value these qualities.

In conclusion, Seattle is home to several top-notch yacht clubs, each with its own unique history, culture, and amenities. Whether you’re a seasoned boater or just starting out, there’s a yacht club in Seattle that’s right for you.

The Seattle Yacht Club is one of the oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs in Seattle, with a range of amenities and services for boaters. The Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle is another top choice, with flexible membership options and a commitment to environmental sustainability.

When choosing a yacht club in Seattle, it’s important to consider factors such as location, accessibility, membership fees and requirements, amenities and facilities, social activities and events, culture and atmosphere, and overall reputation.

No matter which yacht club you choose, you’ll have access to some of the best boating and water-related activities that Seattle has to offer. So grab your boat, gather some friends and family, and join one of Seattle’s top yacht clubs for an unforgettable boating experience.

For more information on Yachts, we suggest reading this article !

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