Detroit Yacht Club facts for kids
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| Short name | DYC |
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| Founded | 1868 |
| Location | 1 Riverbank Rd., Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan  United States |
The Detroit Yacht Club (DYC) is a special club in Detroit, Michigan. It's on its own island near Belle Isle in the Detroit River. The club's main building, called the clubhouse, looks like a beautiful old villa from the 1920s. It's actually the biggest yacht club building in the entire United States! The DYC is also part of the Detroit Regional Yacht-racing Association (DRYA), which helps organize boat races in the area.
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History of the Detroit Yacht Club
The Detroit Yacht Club was started by people who loved sailing in Detroit back in 1868. The very first buildings for the club were a small clubhouse and a place to store boats. These were built in the late 1870s.
In the early 1880s, some members disagreed about how much the club was focusing on social events. So, in 1882, a group left to start the Michigan Yacht Club. The remaining members chose James Skiffington as their Commodore in 1884. A Commodore is like the president of the club.
The first clubhouse on Belle Isle was built in 1891. It cost $10,000 to build and another $2,000 for furniture. Sadly, it burned down in 1904. But a new building was quickly put up in the same spot.
The Grand Clubhouse and Famous Members
The clubhouse you see today was finished in 1923. It cost over a million dollars to build! The famous architect George D. Mason designed it. He also designed the huge Detroit Masonic Temple and the fancy Gem Theatre. By the end of 1924, the club had 3,000 members.
A very famous member and Commodore, Gar Wood, set world speed records in his hydroplane boats. His victories in the Gold Cup races made the club famous around the world. The DYC even started sponsoring hydroplane races in 1921.
During the Great Depression, which was a tough time for the economy, the number of members went down a lot. Some of the club's services had to be stopped.
Growth and Changes Over Time
By 1946, the club was completely out of debt. The women of the club formed the first women's sailing group in the country. They raced the club's catboats. In the next ten years, the dining areas were made bigger. They also put in special movie equipment in the ballroom. Sunday evening movie showings became a regular fun activity at the club.
In the 1960s, a large Olympic-size swimming pool was added outside. New docks were built, which meant the club could hold over 350 boats. For a long time, the DYC was known for being very exclusive. In the 1970s, the club became more open to everyone. Dr. Leonard Ellison became the first Black member.
More recently, the club has added new things like a fitness center. They also opened the Bitter End lounge area so that women could use it too. Before, you could only get to the Bitter End through the men's locker room. The newly updated Bitter End is also used for small parties.
In 2018, the Detroit Yacht Club celebrated its 150th birthday! Raymond W. Batt Jr. was the Commodore during this special anniversary year.
The Clubhouse Building
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Detroit Yacht Club
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Clubhouse and docks
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| Built | 1924 |
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| Architect | George D. Mason |
| Architectural style | Mediterranean Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 11000309 |
| Added to NRHP | May 25, 2011 |
The Detroit Yacht Club clubhouse was designed by architect George D. Mason. It is built in a style called Mediterranean Revival. The building sits on an island that was made by people. This island was created using dirt dug up from other building projects.
The first stone of the building was placed in 1922 by Gar Wood. The whole building was finished in 1923. The clubhouse is a large, welcoming building. Two grand staircases are especially notable. The ballroom on the second floor is also special, with its beautiful wood panels.
Club Facilities
The Detroit Yacht Club offers many fun things to do:
- Racquetball Courts
- Indoor and Outdoor Pools
- Outdoor Hot Tub
- Outdoor Tennis courts
- Bocce Ball Court
- Volleyball Court
- Indoor and outdoor restaurant
- Marina for over 300 boats
Annual Events at DYC
The club hosts several exciting events each year:
- Officer's Ball (also called Commodore's Ball)
- Vice Commodore's Ball (also called Clean-up Day)
- Memorial Day Celebration
- Hydroplane Racing Weekend
- Venetian Weekend
Groups Within the Club
Many different groups meet at the DYC, based on shared interests:
- The Outriggers
- The Pelicans
- Metro Club
- The Flying Scots
- Ski Club
- Garden Club
- Sea Serpents
- Kayak Club
- Rod and Gun club
- The Voyagers
- The Seagulls
- DYC Business Networking group
- DYC Swim Team (MICSA League)
Notable Members
Some well-known people have been members of the Detroit Yacht Club:
- Gar Wood (a former Commodore)
- Edsel Ford
- Horace Dodge
- Charles Kettering
- Gus Schantz
- Fred Fisher
- Robert Oakman
