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OUR HISTORY

From modest beginnings...

Great Lakes Yacht Club has become one of the most desirable and respected yacht clubs on Lake St.Clair.  Each year since 1962, GLYC has hosted a DRYA regatta, the Early Bird Regatta for many years and now the GLYC Summer Regatta, as well as the GLYC Fall Series of five races each October.  

Since its inception, GLYC has valued diversity in its membership. We were among the first clubs in the region to grant membership to women.  In 1983, Commodore Eve Kommel was elected as our first female Commodore.  Originally founded by a Jewish membership, the club’s earliest Commodores include: Avern Cohn, senior federal judge in the Eastern District of Michigan and the late Irvin Yackness, former executive officer and general counsel of the Building Industry Association of Southeast Michigan.

Today, our membership has expanded to become a diverse community of power and sail boat owners.  We continue to enjoy our beautiful view of Lake St. Clair and the camaraderie that membership in Great Lakes Yacht Club has afforded us.

Founded in 1952

1952

Great Lakes Yacht Club was formed in 1952.  At that time, the club was known as The Island Boat Club and was located on the Detroit River just east of Waterworks Park with three catboats and five boat wells.

1954

By 1954, The Island Boat Club had recruited members, collected dues and borrowed enough money to lease the current site on the shore of Lake St. Clair.

1954

The club was renamed Great Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) and construction began on the clubhouse.

GLYC Historic Photo
GLYC Historic Photo

1959

The pool and docks were completed.

1962

We were granted membership in the Detroit River Yachting Association, later re-named the Detroit Regional Yacht-Racing Association (DRYA).

GLYC Historic Photo

1963-Present

In 1963, GLYC acquired title to our beautiful lakeside grounds, and in 2000 a major renovation of our dockside was complete.  We continue to update and renovate on an ongoing basis. Most recently we have added a firepit to our patio area and updated our pool with new furniture, fencing and landscaping

GLYC Historic Photo
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