Squalicum Yacht Club
- Thread starter Foswick
- Start date
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,613
You would probably want a sailing/cruising club near you. The activities are where you boat.
If you are thinking just about the travel benefits a club membership might provide (e.g., reciprocal moorage), then the question may be more about the cost of joining and the club's affiliations.
The Corinthian is a club with a long history and reach.
If you are thinking just about the travel benefits a club membership might provide (e.g., reciprocal moorage), then the question may be more about the cost of joining and the club's affiliations.
The Corinthian is a club with a long history and reach.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,613
It is seridipity. I just got a message from the folks at Waggoners Guide about a yacht club.
I do not know anything about the club. It may be worth your looking into it.
I do not know anything about the club. It may be worth your looking into it.
Yes,
The Puget Sound Cruising Club has a lot of activities. A friend of mine was a commodore there for a couple years and I have attended some of their events both on the water, and some of the online events they have had with speakers and such from time to time during the winter.
As somebody else mentioned, a lot of this depends on what you are looking for out of a club.
BYC: I have been member there since 1991. My girlfriend and I were (by far) the youngest members back in the mid-90s when she joined. In the 60s/70s/80s, it was very much THE place to have a fancy dinner. By the mid 90s it was on the verge of bankruptcy. It got much more focused on boating/sailing, changed the clubhouse to fully separate off the restaurant side, etc. and completely turned around. It is now kind that traditional 30/30/30 balance of power, sailing and social.
Today it is kind of trending back towards more social activities, but still active with both power and sailing. The sailing events tend be oriented around the Wed/Thu night racing scene, and the cruising events are both power boats and sailing leaning heavily towards the power boats.
Bellingham CYC: Never been a member, but was a member of Seattle CYC for some years. In my experience in Puget Sound and visiting elsewhere during work travels, Corinthian clubs in general tend to be very much sailing focused, with a heavy dose of racing. For Bellingham, from my recollection from 'back in the day' - lots of racing events in coordination with BYC, and some but much on the cruising side of things.
Squalicum YC: I don't know much about it. When I was younger a friend of mine rented their space for band events some times. As others have surmised, I think they are more power boat oriented.
PSCC: Lots of cruising events, heavily sailboat focused. If from Bellingham though, they tend to be more South Puget Sound. Also, they do not have reciprocity with other clubs for free moorage and things like that.
Sloop Tavern YC: If from Bellingham, too far away, but an awesome club, lots of activities, and cheap membership. I have been a member there for about 10 years. If these guys were in Bellingham I would say hands-down, the best club for activity/events/fun vs. dollars and 95% sailors with a few folks that switched over to the dark side due to age.
I would suggest simply reaching out by e-mail to both Bellingham YC and CYC Bellingham. Tell them about your yourself, your boat, and that you are curious about membership. Get an invite by somebody off the membership committee to go on down to Bellingham YC either on 'jam night' - or either club on a Wednesday after the races, and meet some people, hang out, and check out check the vibes?
If I was up in Bellingham I would invite you to meet at BYC anytime already, but I am in Poulsbo mostly now and won't be around until mid-summer.
EDIT: Re-read original post. PSCC might be the fit if heavily cruising focused, but again most of their events and members are South Puget Sound.
The Puget Sound Cruising Club has a lot of activities. A friend of mine was a commodore there for a couple years and I have attended some of their events both on the water, and some of the online events they have had with speakers and such from time to time during the winter.
As somebody else mentioned, a lot of this depends on what you are looking for out of a club.
BYC: I have been member there since 1991. My girlfriend and I were (by far) the youngest members back in the mid-90s when she joined. In the 60s/70s/80s, it was very much THE place to have a fancy dinner. By the mid 90s it was on the verge of bankruptcy. It got much more focused on boating/sailing, changed the clubhouse to fully separate off the restaurant side, etc. and completely turned around. It is now kind that traditional 30/30/30 balance of power, sailing and social.
Today it is kind of trending back towards more social activities, but still active with both power and sailing. The sailing events tend be oriented around the Wed/Thu night racing scene, and the cruising events are both power boats and sailing leaning heavily towards the power boats.
Bellingham CYC: Never been a member, but was a member of Seattle CYC for some years. In my experience in Puget Sound and visiting elsewhere during work travels, Corinthian clubs in general tend to be very much sailing focused, with a heavy dose of racing. For Bellingham, from my recollection from 'back in the day' - lots of racing events in coordination with BYC, and some but much on the cruising side of things.
Squalicum YC: I don't know much about it. When I was younger a friend of mine rented their space for band events some times. As others have surmised, I think they are more power boat oriented.
PSCC: Lots of cruising events, heavily sailboat focused. If from Bellingham though, they tend to be more South Puget Sound. Also, they do not have reciprocity with other clubs for free moorage and things like that.
Sloop Tavern YC: If from Bellingham, too far away, but an awesome club, lots of activities, and cheap membership. I have been a member there for about 10 years. If these guys were in Bellingham I would say hands-down, the best club for activity/events/fun vs. dollars and 95% sailors with a few folks that switched over to the dark side due to age.
I would suggest simply reaching out by e-mail to both Bellingham YC and CYC Bellingham. Tell them about your yourself, your boat, and that you are curious about membership. Get an invite by somebody off the membership committee to go on down to Bellingham YC either on 'jam night' - or either club on a Wednesday after the races, and meet some people, hang out, and check out check the vibes?
If I was up in Bellingham I would invite you to meet at BYC anytime already, but I am in Poulsbo mostly now and won't be around until mid-summer.
EDIT: Re-read original post. PSCC might be the fit if heavily cruising focused, but again most of their events and members are South Puget Sound.
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PSCC looks like about my speed - just a bit far south for us. I like CYC folks, but have no interest in racing and that seems to be the main focus, albeit more friendly/casual than BYC race night.
BYC ... not sure what to say except that it isn't for me. I generally haven't had positive interactions, though admittedly I have mostly only seen the racing side of things. I had a conversation with an officer, years ago, that was encouraging me to join. I expressed some reservations about the pretentious culture and they assured me I was "exactly the kind of person" they were recruiting.There's a lot of subtext, there, and none of it sits well with me. If that had been an isolated experience, I would brush it off, but it wasn't. I said something to the effect of Groucho Marx's, "I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members." There are plenty of good folks, there. I don't mean to disparage the entire YC. I just don't think it's for me.
I've reached out to the SYC and got a really friendly reply. They seem to be folks I want to get to know, if even the club isn't a good fit. Can't have too many friends.
BYC ... not sure what to say except that it isn't for me. I generally haven't had positive interactions, though admittedly I have mostly only seen the racing side of things. I had a conversation with an officer, years ago, that was encouraging me to join. I expressed some reservations about the pretentious culture and they assured me I was "exactly the kind of person" they were recruiting.There's a lot of subtext, there, and none of it sits well with me. If that had been an isolated experience, I would brush it off, but it wasn't. I said something to the effect of Groucho Marx's, "I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members." There are plenty of good folks, there. I don't mean to disparage the entire YC. I just don't think it's for me.
I've reached out to the SYC and got a really friendly reply. They seem to be folks I want to get to know, if even the club isn't a good fit. Can't have too many friends.
Yeah, there is definitely a segment of BYC that is the old school 'blue blazer' type.
I always think it's kind of funny for little Bellingham. All localities have a certain amount though.
It was far, far worse back in the 90s until a new wave of younger people took heart that it was a 'sailing club', not a 'dinner club'.
An ex-girlfriend (sailor) moved up the ranks there and did her official photo stuff with a blazer, but wearing flip flops.
Good call on using the Groucho Marx joke as a bullshit detector. LOL
Meanwhile, there are plenty of low key and good sailors who are members too.
And for PSCC, their events are not 'closed'. So if you see something up North, ping them ahead of time. I have in the past a nominal donation like $20 for hanging out at both on-the-water and zoom events.
I always think it's kind of funny for little Bellingham. All localities have a certain amount though.
It was far, far worse back in the 90s until a new wave of younger people took heart that it was a 'sailing club', not a 'dinner club'.
An ex-girlfriend (sailor) moved up the ranks there and did her official photo stuff with a blazer, but wearing flip flops.
Good call on using the Groucho Marx joke as a bullshit detector. LOL
Meanwhile, there are plenty of low key and good sailors who are members too.
And for PSCC, their events are not 'closed'. So if you see something up North, ping them ahead of time. I have in the past a nominal donation like $20 for hanging out at both on-the-water and zoom events.
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btw - just got an e-mail.
BYC is doing a spring membership drive, starts tomorrow.
Initiation fee is waived, and 50% dues for until next fiscal year - Sept. 2025.
BYC is doing a spring membership drive, starts tomorrow.
Initiation fee is waived, and 50% dues for until next fiscal year - Sept. 2025.