'' by
Alexey Zubov, 1716, shows
yachts and
war ships on the
Neva River. There is a long historical
tradition behind yacht clubs. According to the date of establishment, the
Neva Yacht Club, founded in 1718 in
Russia, is the oldest yacht club. It was only in 1846 that the first yacht club in Russia to adopt British-style Members Club regulations was established. Using this Western understanding of what a club or society is, the
Royal Swedish Yacht Club, KSSS, founded 1830, becomes the oldest European yacht club outside the
British Isles, and the fifth oldest in the world. A number of the world's most renowned Yacht Clubs are located in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, Canada, and the United States. The first yacht club in North America was the
Royal Nova Scotia Yacht Squadron, located on the
Northwest Arm in
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada established in July 1837. Some yacht clubs are affiliated with an international body, the
International Council of Yacht Clubs, which exists to improve the quality of the services yacht clubs provide to their members as well as to promote environmental awareness and responsibility towards the environment. The
Kieler Yacht-Club in
Northern Germany organizes the yearly
Kiel Week, the second-biggest
sailing event in the world, which is celebrated since 1882. Kiel Week was an attempt to imitate the much older and larger
Cowes Week, long-admired by
Wilhelm II.
Racing and sailing activities in Vijayawada, India Most clubs, regardless of the size of their craft, have a well defined racing program. Clubs may host
regattas ranging from informal local events to national championships. Often clubs have a regular weekday evening racing schedule or a weekend racing schedule organized by the membership. Many yacht clubs field teams to compete against other clubs in
team racing. There are also some specific boat models and lengths which have their own club. These boat ownership clubs often hold single design races for their members. With the growth of sailing at secondary schools and universities, many yacht clubs host
Interscholastic Sailing Association or
Intercollegiate Sailing Association regattas. Additionally, a number of yacht clubs enter into agreements with schools to provide dock space and practice facilities for the school teams year-round. Clubs with active adult sailing programs most often feature junior sailing programs as well. Most often these programs enroll children from ages 8 to 16. Children most often learn to sail in the
optimist dinghy and then progress to a larger single handed dinghy, such as the starling or the
laser dinghy, or two handed, such as the
420 dinghy. These junior sailing programs often also teach children
rowing,
kayaking, general
seamanship and
navigation. Children are also taught how to race competitively from an early age and most clubs host junior sailing regattas each season.
Yacht club burgee , South Australia Members belonging to a yacht club or sailing organization may fly their club's unique flag (usually triangular), called a
burgee, both while under way and at anchor (however, not while racing). Traditionally, the burgee was flown from the main masthead; however, it may also be flown from a small pole on the bow pulpit, or on the starboard rigging beneath the lowest starboard spreader on a flag halyard. Some traditional clubs have also been granted the right to fly a special
yacht ensign at the stern. At traditional clubs the burgee and the ensign is hoisted at 08:00 each morning and lowered each evening at sunset. This ceremony is called
colors. Traditionally, the first time a member of one club visits another, there is an exchange of burgees. Exchanged burgees are often displayed on the premises of clubs, such as at their clubhouse or bar.
Organization Yacht clubs are organized like any other club or organisation with committees, chairman, directors, 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 (in charge of land-based activities) and the
Rear Commodore (in charge of water-based activities); for clubs in the United States they might in turn be assisted by the
Port Captain and the
Fleet Captain respectively. In a few clubs in the United Kingdom the
Admiral, which is one rank
above the Commodore, is the senior officer. Each of these ranks has specific responsibilities to ensure the smooth sailing of the club.
Clubhouse or shore station Members of yacht clubs typically gather at a clubhouse or shore station which may also have docks. The oldest yacht club in the world without a clubhouse is
Sheldrake Yacht Club (Mamaroneck, New York). ==Use of the term "yacht club"==