Pontiac Yacht Club was chartered in
1934 as a family club, exclusively for sailboats. We are
based on the shores Cass Lake, in Pontiac, Michigan with a
beautiful lake-side club house and well kept grounds that
are popular with all ages.
The club has an active membership that
are involved in sailing for pleasure and competition, with a
racing program that has over 70 races scheduled each season.
Lightning Class sailboats were chosen to represent the club
because of their strong class organization and suitability
to Cass Lake. Our Lightning Fleet, No. 54, is the largest in
the world with over 60 registered Lightnings. There is also
a competitive open-class single hander series (mostly made
up of Lasers, Sunfish and Windsurfs)
Today, the fine facilities, excellent
racing program, and frequent club activities combine to
offer a wholesome family experience. The beautiful shady
swimming beach with shallow clear water is available for
small children and non-swimmers, as well as a designated
deep water area for more experienced swimmers. Our shaded
grounds with many picnic tables, lawn chairs, and grills
make club picnics an enjoyable experience. And the large
sandbox, swings, and climbing equipment help children feel
welcome at the club.
A range of instructional programs are
offered to both adults and children, and the atmosphere is
friendly and informal. This year, 2009, marks the 75th
Anniversary of Pontiac Yacht Club, and there will be a
series of events throughout the year as the club celebrates
this achievement. New members are always welcome.
St. Clair Yacht Club
"THE FRIENDLIEST CLUB ON THE RIVER"
P. O. Box 14088
Detroit, MI 48214
(313) 331-3338
Web Site
St. Clair
Yacht Club
A group of men and women sailors who
enjoyed racing among themselves wanted to compete against
other clubs using the "CK" catboats, but found they were
ineligible to do so. They consulted a well-known yachtsman,
Harry Kendall, who suggested they form a yacht club of their
own.
This was done by an initial group of
24 sailors in 1945, and at their second meeting, Thomas
Blakey was elected Commodore, John Theurkorn, Vice
Commodore, and Alfred Schultz, Rear Commodore. The club was
originally named the "St. Clair Yachtsmen".
The new yacht club was shortly
accepted as a member of the Inter-Lake Yachting Association
( I-LYA), following in the spring of 1946 with membership in
the Detroit River Yachting Association (DRYA). The club was
formally incorporated as the "St. Clair Yachtsmen, Inc.", in
April of that year.
Cat-rigged "CK" sail boats were leased
from the St. Clair Sail Club, a commercial club operated by
Paul Hendrickson on Detroit’s near east side. The St. Clair
Yachtsmen also held their meetings there. Club members
sailed primarily in team races against Detroit Yacht Club,
Detroit Boat Club and Edison Boat Club, all which had club
owned fleets.
The first season, the St.Clair
Yachtsmen team was last in standings, but Maury DeClercq
represented us in the individual river championship – and
won it. He went on to gain fame in many of the Port Huron –
Mackinaw races over the years, becoming one of the "old
Dogs". In their second year the St. Clair Yachtsmen’s team
won over-all season championship.
Paul Hendrickson was forced to move
his sail club in 1952, because the city was taking over his
land to redirect the outlet of Fox Creek. The St. Clair
Yachtsmen purchased four of his boats, and moved their
operations to Kean’s Detroit Yacht Harbor. From the fall of
1952 to the spring of 1954, the club without a home, and
accommodations for meetings rented at the Whittier Hotel.
The club arranged a deal with Kean’s
under which several club members designed and built a second
floor addition to an existing building in Kean’s Marina at
the foot of Meadowbrook Street. Later the club become
generally known as the St. Clair Yacht Club, and this name
was officially adopted in 1959.
SCYC added the "St. Clair Room" to its
facilities at Kean’s in 1959, again designing and assisting
in the building of a dining room and kitchen on the second
floor of the building, continuing the friendly partnership
with the marina which SCYC enjoyed.
Since the early 1960’s, SCYC has
sponsored the highly regarded Commodore’s Invitational. Held
every January, this event allows new flag officers and Past
Commodores from all the DRYA clubs to get to know each other
on an informal basis.
St. Clair Yacht Club is now known
primarily as a power boat club, and sponsors cruiser
navigation contests (predicted log races) under the sanction
of the North American Cruiser Association (NACA) and Western
Lake Erie Cruiser Association (WLECA), with SCYC members
competing against members of yacht clubs and other
sanctioned bodies such as the United States Power Squadrons.
SCYC members have built an outstanding record in this
competition, including one national championship, several
national second and third places, and many regional
championships.
The 1986 National Predicted Log
Championships were sponsored by, and were held at, SCYC.
Sail activities picked up momentum in
the late ‘70’s, with introduction of the Thomas Blakely
Memorial race, a two day sailing event to the Thames River
(Ont.) and back. In 1981, SCYC introduced the annual "Blue
Nose Turkey Race," held the third week of November, and in
1982 we began the "Early Bird Race" in early April, giving
the club the distinction then of having both the first and
last races of the yachting season.
Due to a combination of increasing
rent and changes in the state liquor insurance and general
liability laws, SCYC faced the real possibility of either
going bankrupt or closing down altogether in 1986.
A decision was made to dissolve our
long standing relationship with Kean’s. St. Clair Yacht Club
entered 1987 as a "homeless" club, but was far from being
washed up. We went through a period of sharp decline in
membership and emerged as a stronger, healthier club which
today puts its emphasis on the real reason for being a yacht
club—boating activities, racing, cruising, and attending
rendezvous and social activities where members and guests
enjoy the fraternal fellowship of SCYC members, guests, and
members of other yacht clubs.
After several years of meeting in
borrowed and rented facilities, a promising relationship
with the Porterfield Wilson and John Carlo companies was
developed over several years of intense negotiations, which
led to SCYC again having a clubhouse.
SCYC moved into a 1,380 square foot
facility in the marina’s office building on September 1st,
1991. With a magnificent view of the marina and river it
boasted a full service bar and facilities for entertaining
up to 150 people.
What began as a very friendly
relationship soon soured, with marina management refusing to
grant more than a one year lease at any time. Much of the
time SCYC was operating on a month-to-month verbal extension
of an expired contract.
While there for only six years,
advances were made which would help the club grow and
prosper. Our membership grew and became much more diverse,
more nearly reflecting the multi-ethnic population of the
Detroit metropolitan area.
Discussions with Kean’s Marina led to
the offer of a long term lease, renewable for a longer term,
and the Board of SCYC decided that it would be in the best
interest of SCYC to move back to our original home. In the
summer of 1997, SCYC leased what amounts to its original
home, in the second floor of the marina store building
(which its members built in the ‘50’s.!).
Following much renovation and
rebuilding, and the addition of a completely new bar unit,
the "new" SCYC clubroom is again welcoming members and
guests to enjoy fellowship and comfort of an old-line yacht
club which enjoys wide-spread recognition.
SCYC is entering the "21" Century as a
strong and growing club, and is determined to live up to our
well deserved reputation as the "friendliest club on the
river."
Windsor Yacht Club
9000 Riverside Drive East
Windsor, Ontario,
Canada N8S 1H1
(519) 945-1748
Web Site
Windsor Yacht Club
Situated on the south shore of the
Detroit River, just off Lake St. Clair, the Windsor Yacht
Club enjoys a uniquely convenient location augmented by its
scenic view of wooded Peche Island. Commercial
establishments are relatively close-by.
Established in 1937, we like to refer
to ourselves as "The Best Little Yacht Club on the Great
Lakes". We are proud of our conviviality, hospitality and
warm welcome to our guests.
Guests from DRYA affiliated Clubs are
welcome; guest wells (with hydro/water), washrooms with
showers, Club facilities and Dining Room are available.
Reservations and information are available (519) 948-1863.
We look forward to hosting you