Yacht Clubs

Bayview Yacht Club

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Bayview Yacht Club was founded in 1915 by four sailors, E. Lloyd Kurtzwarth, P.C. Williamson, Floyd Nixon and Paul Diedrich. Back then the club had only one boat, the 18-foot (5.5 m) Wrinkle, which P.C. Williamson sailed with the three other founders. Bayview’s first clubhouse was a two-story tin shanty built atop a floored-over boat well at the foot of what was then known as Motor Boat Lane, adjacent to Water Works Park. Bayview moved to its present clubhouse and harbor, at the foot of Clairpointe, in 1929-30.

Stories from Bayview Yacht Club

Situated on the banks of the Detroit River, Bayview is known as the Midwest’s “Shrine to Nautical Culture.” Many graduates of the junior sailing program have gone on to sail at the high school and collegiate level, and some have even reached the Olympics. Their Adult Learn to Sail Program, offered to members and non-members alike, has been so successful over the past few years that they have had to increase the number of classes to accommodate the demand. The club also offers courses in Race Management, US Sailing Judging and Safety at Sea. In past years, Bayview Members have brought home awards in the Moth Worlds, Richardson Cup, Cal 25 Nationals, Pineapple Cup, Beneteau 36.7 Nationals, U20 Nationals and DN Ice Boat Worlds. The club is responsible for organizing and sponsoring more than 15 regattas throughout the course of the year, including the famous Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race, now known as the Bayview Mackinac Race.

Bayview Yacht Club in Detroit, Michigan has a motto that all its members live by – “Sailing, it’s who we are. It’s what we do.” This is why we are so proud to become one of the Founding Member Clubs of the National Sailing Hall of Fame. This endeavor to preserve the history and to promote the sport of sailing is something that is long past due in the United States. Sailing is an integral part of our American Heritage which will now be preserved forever within the Hall of Fame. The Sailing Center will also enable individuals from all walks of life to be introduced to this sport that we at Bayview Yacht Club are so passionate about. We are very excited to have been provided the opportunity to play a role in this wonderful project and look forward to being involved in this endeavor to promote our sport for years to come.

John C. Burke

Commodore