Welcome to the West Vancouver Yacht Club website

Our Story

Beginnings - 1945

Late in the fall of 1945, several West Vancouver residents combined their energies to form a yacht club that would serve the North Shore. Sid Crowther, Ted Fulcher, Dick Horspool, Don Jordan, Fred Wallace and Frank Weight signed the charter, which formally brought WVYC into being, on December 21, 1945, with a membership of 45 and six boats. The first official meeting was held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Don Jordan,

Mr. Jordan became the first Commodore for a brief period of time. After he moved away, Dick Horspool became commodore and the tea after the first Sailpast in 1946 was held at his home. The Sailpast occurred in Sandy Cove and had “boisterous wind”, but was well done.Social activities for the fledgling Club were mainly wiener roasts and beach parties hosted by the Wallace’s at Sandy Cove. By 1947 the Club grew to 84 members.


Finding a Home - The Syndicate

A possible Club site at Caulfeild was located but a clause in old Mr. Caulfeild's will excluded that kind of operation. As another possibility, the road end at Sandy Cove was secured. As cement was rather expensive then, some was located and purchased for the building of the Clubhouse. Unfortunately one member of the Parks Board at that time and a resident of Sandy Cove adjoining the Club Site, quashed the agreement. Some of the aforementioned cement is still serving as a mooring at Sandy Cove! In the next year Pat Foster was elected as Commodore and tried to secure a site at Lighthouse Park until it was discovered that the Federal Government had the lease and would not release it. 1949 brought Paul Zuest as Commodore and he made another unsuccessful attempt at a Lighthouse Park site. By now there were 138 members and 33 boats.

The International Flattie Championships were hosted by the Club that year. Late in 1950, a group of members moored together at Elkins Point and started talks about forming a syndicate and offering mooring for those members of the Syndicate at Horseshoe Bay. In 1951, the Syndicate comprised of 18 members of WVYC purchased a parcel of land (now part of our current property), negotiated a foreshore lease in the name of the Club, arranged for the dredging of the basin and drove in piles. In accordance with the terms of the Syndicate Agreement, the Club undertook to build floats, install electrical power and water connections and provide parking facilities. In return Syndicate Members were each entitled to the use of a 40 ft Club slip at an annual cost not to exceed $52 and were accorded reduced membership fees. 


Building the First Docks - 1950's

The Syndicate members and the General Membership alike, under the guidance of Stan Huntingdon and Paul Zuest drove piles and built floats during work parties. In early 1951, during a driving rainstorm, the official dedication was held with a ribbon cutting across the ramp approach of the floats; followed by a dinner at the St. Mawe’s Hotel. The whole development of the docks would not have been possible but for the immensely valuable help and assistance that various Vancouver industrial firms provided far below the prevailing costs of the day. In 1952 Commodore Vern Kirby guided the finalizing of the floats and power was available to the docked vessels. As soon as “A” section was installed it was fully occupied with a waiting list! A deal was quickly struck with Frank Erridge, the owner of two lots where the Clubhouse now stands to purchase this property. However it then took a year to negotiate with Grandma Brynelson to secure the water and upland property lots north of “C” Section to Marine Drive. After that, the next three lots were relatively easy to get. With the expansion of the floats and with the temporary clubhouse the Finance Committee raised funds by selling pre–paid moorage, and within three months the offering was fully subscribed. By this time the Club had a membership of around 300 with 155 boats.


Property and Clubhouse - 1960's and 1970's

In 1960 there was an 85% vote favouring a new clubhouse. With the help of Bob Lewis, a well known post and beam builder, preliminary plans were drawn up for an all wood structure. The 1963 Board was heavily in favour of building and construction finally began. At the same time Greg Collier and Stan Huntingford organized many volunteer work parties to build fences, the parking lot, landscaping and a mast tower , boat sheds, a hoist and mast storage facility. The Club to this day has a tradition of volunteerism and the many work parties needed then to build the docks and eventually the Clubhouse and surroundings was immense.

By 1966 the Club finally had control of the three sections between “A” and “B “which allowed all the holdings to be amalgamated into one unit. In 1955, the Junior Sailing Program was started. The Southern Straits race was instituted by WVYC in 1968. Due to the recognition the Club had achieved in the Pacific Northwest Sailing Circles, they took on the responsibility of hosting the first Canadian Women’s Sailing Championship in 1969.

During the seventies, the Club obtained two outstations; Kendrick Island at Gabriola Pass was purchased and a lease obtained for the McKenzie Bay outstation on Gambier Island. 

Renewal, Growth and Expansion - The 1980's, 1990's and 2000's

An elevator and mast tower were installed and the Clubhouse grounds further developed. In 1989 the lease for the E section docks was acquired. Property at Elliott Bay, Gambier Island, was purchased and the outstation opened in 1990. The WVYC Women’s Association (previously Women’s Auxiliary) had its fortieth anniversary in 1994.

The Club celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1995 with a gala party, featuring a musical revue of its history. Throughout much of the summer significant improvements were made to the docks and the dockside electrical systems. A Sailing Director was hired to focus on the junior programs and generally support the Club’s sailing program.

The first Pumpkin Bowl Regatta was held in 1999.  This regatta has become the largest junior racing regatta in the Pacific Northwest.  Construction commenced in early 2002 for the Yachting Centre and the building was officially opened on June 18.  In 2003, the Club developed a comprehensive dock maintenance plan that began in 2004,  and conducted a membership drive that added 94 new members to help fund this initiative.

Detailed design proceeded for in 2006 for a dry storage dock and hoist, first proposed in the 1992 Long Range Plan.  It was approved in 2007 and completed in 2008, resulting in renewed interest and participation in the Club's racing programs.  

Sonia Telford was elected as our first female Commodore in 2008.

The Last Decade

At the 2000 Annual General Meeting, proxy voting was introduced and a major upgrade to the Clubhouse was approved and completed in 2012.  In 2016 a new category of membership; Affiliate was approved.  The initial cap of 25 members was quickly reached and increased to 30 where it remains was fully subscribed. 

Also during 2016, the Planning Committee worked to re-vision the Club's Operational and  Capital Plan for the next decade. The first project resulted in the replacement and reconfiguration of the B and C docks, one of the biggest upgrades in Club history.  This provided better utilization of our water lot and improved accommodation of newer and wider boats securely and safely.

The Boat2Go Program began in 2017 with the purchase of Bravado,  a C&C 27.  Qualified participants joining the program share the use and upkeep of the shared boat.  

2020 - Looking Forward - with 75 Years of History Behind Us

The WVYC has evolved over its 75 years to be a major player in the Pacific Northwest yachting scene and contributor to yachting in Canada.   The Club has some 750 members representing some 400 boats of which just over 200 moored in the basin.
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