Yacht club

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Image:DirkvdM cienfuegos yacht club.jpg A yacht club is a sports club specifically related to sailing and yachting.

The term Yacht Club and Sailing Club tend to be synonymous. Historically a Yacht Club tended to focus on a membership composed of yacht owners and a Sailing Club tended to focus on a membership composed of owners of smaller boats such as dinghies. Some Clubs also include owners of powerboats

1 Members Club
2 Commercial Club
3 Traditions
4 Organization
5 List of well-known yacht clubs

[edit] Members Club

A private club organized and run by the membership to promote the sport of sailboat racing and cruising, as well as provide a meeting place for this social community. There is usually well defined and focused activities for the club such as sailboat racing or cruising or both and there is usually an active social program. There is often a focus on training and sailing for youngsters. Some clubs specifically exclude power boats and some do not. Clubs which have an active racing section often mandate that members participate in a fixed number of races or regattas each season.

The membership is a mixture of boat owners and also members who sail as crew, racing or cruising. The members decide on the objectives of the club to satisfy the membership and to attract other like minded individuals.

Members Clubs often have paid staff for catering, bar duty, boat yard duty, accounts, office etc. Control and organization of the club is done for the membership via members elected by the membership into roles such as Sailing Secretary, Commodore, Cruising Captain, Racing Captain etc. Smaller clubs typically have a condition of membership which requires active participation of the membership in activities such as maintenance of club facilities and equipment.

[edit] Commercial Club

Owned by individuals or a company to provide a service and generate a profit. Often associated with a particular marina or port. Objectives are usually very similar to members clubs but the social side maybe more dominant.

[edit] Traditions

There is a long historical tradition behind yacht clubs, sailing originating from being a sport for the wealthy. Most yacht clubs have a distinctive burgee (pennant or flag). Names are often abbreviated (eg Royal Yacht Squadron is abbreviated to RYS, New York Yacht Club abbreviated to NYYC etc). .

[edit] Organization

Yacht clubs are organized like any other club or organisation with committees, chairman, directors etc etc. Due to the connection with the sea and hence the navy, the various posts use naval terminology. For example the chairman/CEO is the Commodore. Usually, under the Commodore there are also the Vice Commodore and the Rear Commodore. In a few yacht clubs the Admiral, which is one rank above the Commodore, is the senior officer. Each of these ranks has specific responsibilities to ensure the smooth running of the club.