royal canadian yacht club toronto island

Royal Canadian Yacht Club

The Royal Canadian Yacht Club ( RCYC ) is a private yacht club in Toronto , Ontario , Canada. [1] Founded in 1852, it is one of the world's older and larger yacht clubs. [3] Its summer home is on a trio of islands (RCYC Island, South Island and North Chippewa or Snug Island) in the Toronto Islands . Its winter home since 1984 has been a purpose-built clubhouse located at 141 St. George Street in Toronto (just north of Bloor Street ), which includes facilities for sports and social activities. In 2014, the club had approximately 4700 members, about 450 yachts (95% sail) and a number of dinghies, principally International 14s .

From founding to 1896

1896 to 1969, 1967 to present, olympic sailors, model collection, notable members, bibliography, external links.

The objects of the club are:

• to encourage members to become proficient in the personal management, maintenance, control and handling of their yachts, in navigation, and in all matters pertaining to seamanship;
• to promote yacht architecture, building and sailing in Canadian waters;
• to promote excellence in competitive sailing; and
• to promote such other sports and social activities as may be desirable in the interest of members generally.

At an informal meeting in 1850, eight local citizens laid the foundation for the Toronto Boat Club. The club was formally established in 1852. [4]

In 1853, the club revised its name to the Toronto Yacht Club. On the advice of its patron, Lord Elgin, the club changed its name to the Canadian Yacht Club later in 1853. That same year, the club petitioned the Crown for a Royal warrant. The petition was granted by Queen Victoria , [5] and the club became known as the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. Although there is conflicting evidence about the reason behind the change in name from Toronto Yacht Club to Canadian Yacht Club, the most credible explanation is that the club wished to signify its regional rather than merely local significance. Since the City of Toronto was then located in the Canada West area of the Province of Canada , "Toronto" gave way to "Canadian" in the club's name. [6]

The first clubhouse was established in a building owned by Sir Casimir Gzowski , near the present site of Union Station . After a short tenancy, the club moved to a one-storey building erected on a scow moored just east of Simcoe Street. This served from 1853 until 1858, when it was replaced by the steamer Provincial . The Provincial provided shelter until the end of 1868, when it escaped its mooring, drifted away with the winter ice and was blown up as a hazard to navigation.

In 1869, the club built a clubhouse adjacent to the Parliament Buildings on Front Street. In 1881, a clubhouse by architect Frank Darling of Darling & Curry was completed on the Toronto Islands at the site of the present clubhouse, since "the increasing number of railway tracks had completely changed the character of the Esplanade … originally … flanked by handsome residences and the bright blue waters of the Bay." [7] [8] [9] To reach the new location, the club purchased the clipper-bowed steam launch Esperanza and secured landing rights at the foot of Yonge Street , which it held until 1953 (evolution of the waterfront led to further moves — to York Street until 1979, then to Parliament Street until 2011, when the present launch station was established on Cherry Street). The 1881 building burned in 1904; at that time, buildings, predominantly built of wood, were heated by coal stoves and lit by lanterns and gas lighting, thus fires were frequent and the building standard was founded on an expected average life of 20 years. [10]

While club buildings were rising up and burning down, the members were engaged in racing. The club challenged for the America's Cup in 1876, and while the Countess of Dufferin was unsuccessful on the water, her owner was more successful at the negotiating table, and weaned the New York Yacht Club from its habit of requiring the challenger to race against its entire fleet.

In 1878, the club's yachts were granted the privilege of wearing the Blue Ensign , defaced with a crown in the fly. This endured, with a break for both the First and Second World Wars, until the advent of the new maple leaf flag of Canada in 1965.

As the club's yachts grew increasingly sophisticated, members' tastes in designs diverged. Early examples hewed closely to the extreme British plank-on-edge style that relied on ballast, not hull-form, for stability. As the century wore on, Canadian designers such as Alexander Cuthbert and A. Cary Smith began to incorporate more of the features of American yachts, such as form-based stability and centreboards. Members were also looking back to Britain for well-rounded designs from such notables as George Lennox Watson and William Fife .

In 1896, Lincoln Park Yacht Club of Chicago challenged the RCYC to a series of match races. Interest was such that several cities vied for the contest – Toledo, Ohio won with the offer of a large cash prize and a splendid trophy by Tiffany & Co. The RCYC yacht Canada , designed by William Fife and sailed under Æmilius Jarvis , defeated Vencedor and won the cash and cup. The Canada owners' syndicate then donated the cup to the club for perpetual cross-border competition, and the Canada's Cup has since then been "the Great Lakes' most prestigious trophy" and an emblem of the club's commitment to yacht racing. [11]

The 1881 clubhouse burned in 1904. A new building by Henry Sproatt was completed in 1906 but burned in 1918. The remains served until completion of the present building to a slightly modified version of Sproatt's design in 1922. [12]

By 1900, yacht design had progressed to the point that a new measurement rule was required. A lakes-specific rule and scantlings were published, but never built to. Eventually, Æmilius Jarvis in 1910 built the very successful Swamba , an R-class by George Owen that was the first vessel built to the new Universal Rule on Lake Ontario. [13] She was followed by Patricia , a P-Boat also designed to the new Rule by Owen. [14] [15]

Like most yacht clubs in Britain and the Empire, the club was conceived as an auxiliary to the Royal Navy (hence the naval titles and uniforms), a source of political support and if the need arose, of men familiar with boats. In the days when the Royal Navy fought under sail and yachting was a new idea, "in the building and racing of fast pleasure craft, the Navy… received the benefit of experience and experiment… not possible… under service conditions". [16] When the First World War came in 1914, the services were short of lead for weapons, and many members patriotically dismantled their boats and gave their keels to be melted. Canada disappeared at this time.

As elsewhere, there was a rush to enlist; at the peak, over 450 members were in the services. 59 of the club's members died in service. In commemoration, the club in 1926 installed a large granite, marble and bronze memorial, designed by Charles J. Gibson in the form of a ship's capstan on a low podium on the front lawn, to honour those who had not returned. [17] (The names of the 23 who did not return from the Second World War were added in 1952.) [18]

The club rebuilt its fleet at the First World War's end, first with the purchase of four P-Boats in 1919, which were then sold to members, then the acquisition of a number of one-design 25-footers known as the C-Boats. These one-design sloops, designed by TBF Benson, fostered close club and inter-club racing, raising everyone's skill and pleasure. [19] The Universal Rule's leaning toward large and costly boats, though, called out for a new approach. The first club boat to the new International Rule was the 6-Metre Merenneito . [20] The new Rule so impressed members that three 8-Metres were built to challenge for the Canada's Cup: Vision ( Camper & Nicholsons ); Quest (William Fife); and Norseman ( William Roué ). A fourth Eight, Invader II was built but was no more successful. [21] Star boats joined the fleet in 1935. At about that time, the 14-footer fleet, precursor to the International 14 , formed.

The club was quiet through the war years 1939 to 1945, but rebounded with peace (and generous fee rebates to those who had served). Expanding membership required expansion of the leasehold over the whole of South Island. In 1954, Venture II reclaimed the Canada's Cup, ending 51 years at the Rochester Yacht Club. [22] The same year, Hurricane Hazel badly damaged the Toronto waterfront; yachts were then moved from moorings in the harbour to docks in the lagoons between the islands.

The second objective of the club is to "promote yacht architecture, building and sailing…" In the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s, the club's greatest contribution was through the continuing development of the Fourteen class by TBF Benson, Charlie Bourke, and Fred Buller , making a significant contribution to the present International 14. Buller, who was head of aeronautical design at de Havilland Canada deserves special mention, having realized that the tell-tales used to analyze airflow over aircraft could be used to advantage on sails. Buller is credited with originating and popularizing their use, initially in the 14 class, but the idea spread rapidly. [23]

In 1967, Perry Connolly , a club member asked another member, George Cuthbertson , and his partner, George Cassian , to design "the meanest, hungriest 40-footer afloat." Fibreglass was displacing wood as the material of choice by that time, but hulls and decks were solid glass, thus heavy. The new boat, Red Jacket , was designed and built with a hull and deck cored with balsa, a first in North America; light weight combined with a fin keel and all-movable rudder made her faster and handier than her contemporaries. [24] In her first year on the lake, the new boat took 11 of 13 events entered. In her second year, she took top spot at Florida's Southern Ocean Racing Circuit. The prestige of this and other high-visibility conquests, such as Manitou ' s defence of the Canada's Cup was a springboard for a new partnership of designers and builders under the name C&C Yachts . C&C, at one time the largest yacht builder in the world, used balsa core in all of its many models, validating cored-laminate technology that is now used in most yachts, racing or cruising. Yachting use of cored laminates arguably led to aviation's re-discovery of the concept; after a decades-long hiatus, cored composites are now used in most aircraft. [25] Club members retained a close relationship with the company until the sale of its name to US interests.

In the late 1970s, a group of members engaged designer Mark Ellis and builder George Hinterhoeller to make six 30-foot (9.1 metres) cruising yachts that could comfortably be sailed by one person. The Nonsuch series (named for Henry Hudson 's vessel) had the beamy looks of a traditional U.S. East Coast cat-boat, the underbody of a modern cruising yacht, much sail and the accommodations of a much larger yacht. Eventually, nearly a thousand were built, from 22 to 36 feet (6.8 to 10.9 metres).

During the first half of the 1980s, the club's International 14 fleet championed the development of a series of designs by member Jay Cross . Powerful and readily planed, Cross designs dominated the North American 14 fleet.

Sailing wing-sail catamarans designed by former C&C Yachts designer Steve Killing, club member Fred Eaton won the International C-Class Catamaran Championship , sailed at RCYC in 2007 and at New York Yacht Club , Newport, Rhode Island, USA in 2010. [26] Early development included foiling vessels that were unsuccessful against immersed hulls in light Lake Ontario airs. Eaton's team's development progress and the direct participation or observation by AC team members in the 2010 event significantly influenced the decision to sail the 2013 America's Cup in wing-sail catamarans. [27]

In the summer of 2015, the club hosted sailing events for the 2015 Pan American Games .

Forty-eight RCYC members have qualified for the Olympics; one-third of Canadian Olympic qualifiers have come from the club. Members have gained medals for Canada in four events and for Norway in one event.

In summer, the club occupies three islands in the chain that forms the south side of Toronto harbour. The island clubhouse with its porticoed verandahs, Toronto's largest wooden building, houses a ballroom, dining rooms and other social spaces. Other buildings house the sailing management offices, the junior club, lockers and workspace for the club's mechanics, riggers, woodworkers and marine yard workers. Island activities include sailing lessons for juniors and adults, sailing in club-owned boats, tennis, swimming and lawn bowling. [28] There is an extensive chef’s garden cared for by about 25 volunteers as well as an extensive rose garden which dates back to the early 1940s

The island clubhouse is linked to the city by a launch service operated by two notable launches, both over a century old and built for the club. The Hiawatha [29] built in 1895 and the Kwasind built in 1912 [30] which sail from a dock on the Ship Channel of the Toronto Harbour where it meets Cherry Street. [28] [31]

With its merger with the Carlton Club in 1974, the club gained a winter home in the city (and the addition of racquet sports to its attractions). [32] Ten years later in 1984, the new city clubhouse, opened at 141 St. George St. in the Annex. It is an all-year facility, and provides dining and social spaces, squash and badminton courts, fitness and other facilities. [28]

RCYC possesses one of the finest collections of yacht models in North America, in spite of clubhouse fires in 1896, 1904 and 1918 that consumed many valuable examples. [33] The model of Minota was deliberately preserved with the marks of the 1918 fire. [34]

The collection now includes over 170 models, about half displayed in the City Clubhouse Model Room with the remainder elsewhere in the City Clubhouse or in the Island Clubhouse. The Island's Flagship Room displays some three dozen models of past Commodores' yachts while the Eight-Metre Room shows a dozen of the type. Fifteen Fourteen-footer and International 14 models in the City Club bar provide the most comprehensive available guide to the class's development over a 100-year span.

• Edward Blake PC KC - Premier of Ontario [35]
• Edward Roper Curzon Clarkson - founding partner of accounting firm Clarkson Gordon
• George Harding Cuthbertson - yacht builder and designer [36]
• Fredrik Stefan Eaton - businessman and philanthropist [37]
• Sir John Craig Eaton - businessman and philanthropist [38]
• Sir William Glenholme Falconbridge KC - Chief Justice Ontario High Court [39]
• Jim Flaherty PC MSC - Finance Minister of Canada [40]
• Sir Joseph Flavelle 1st Bt - Industrialist and Baronet [41]
• George Horace Gooderham - distillery owner and politician [42]
• Sir Casimir Gzowski KCMG - Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
• Paul Henderson - Olympic sailor [43]
• Edward Æmilius Jarvis - business magnate [44]
• Allan Lamport - Mayor of Toronto [45]
• Sir John A. Macdonald GCB PC QC - Prime Minister of Canada
• Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Godfrey Peuchen - Titanic survivor and military officer [46] [47]
• Paul James Phelan - Chairman of Cara Foods Inc. [48]
• James Henry Plummer - Financier - [49]
• Douglas Tyndall Wright OC - President Emeritus University of Waterloo
• Venues of the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games
• Snider, C. H. J., Ovens, Frank Annals of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club Volume I, 1852-1937: Volume 2, 1938-1954 ; Ovens, Frank, Cuthbertson, G., Mallion, A., Caldwell, C. Annals of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club Volume 3, 1955-2000 (published in a slipcased set) Royal Canadian Yacht Club, 2000
• Snider, C. H. J., Hyland, J. A., Wade, T. K., Bourke, C. W., Kimber, H. A., Sorsoleil, E. G., Reid, G., Standing, H., Wood, S. C., 1852-1952 The Royal Canadian Yacht Club , Royal Canadian Yacht Club, 1952
• Daniel Spurr Heart of Glass - Fiberglass Boats And The Men Who Made Them , International Marine Publishing/McGraw-Hill, 2000

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• ↑ "Heritage - History of The Royal Canadian Yacht Club" . Retrieved 2014-01-04 .
• ↑ World’s Oldest Yacht Clubs
• ↑ "Annals of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, 1852-1937   : With a record of the Club's trophies and the contests for them" . 1937.
• ↑ Club, Royal Canadian Yacht (1856). Laws and regulations of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club [ microform ] . Éditeur non identifié. ISBN   9780665918285 .
• ↑ Annals of the RCYC , Vol. I, p. 24.
• ↑ Frank Darling, Dictionary of Architects in Canada
• ↑ Annals of the RCYC , Vol. I, p. 70.
• ↑ RCYC Clubhouse from 1881
• ↑ Historian to St. Lawrence Market Bruce Bell, quoted in Rotary Voice , September 2007.
• ↑ Helm of the 2011 defender, Heritage , Robert Hughes, quoted in Canada's Cup 2011 in Sail , Jul 6, 2011.
• ↑ Henry Sproatt, Dictionary of Architects in Canada
• ↑ https://rcyc.ca/Heritage/RCYCModels/rcycmodels_p6 [ bare URL ]
• ↑ Guide to the George Owen Collection, MIT Museum
• ↑ [ Annals of the RCYC, Vol I , pp. 153-156]
• ↑ Annals of the RCYC , Vol. I, p. 9.
• ↑ Charles John Gibson, Dictionary of Architects in Canada
• ↑ [ 1852-1952 The Royal Canadian Yacht Club , p. 52]
• ↑ C-Boats
• ↑ https://www.rochesteryc.com/files/LYRA%20History%201884%20to%201962.searchable.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
• ↑ International Rule models
• ↑ "Venture II - $250,000 US" .
• ↑ [ Continuous Evolution – The Continuing Journey of the Canadian International 14 , Parts I, II, Rob Mazza, Kwasind , Aug. 2013, pp 12-23, Kwasind , Sept 2013, pp 12-22]
• ↑ Red Jacket model and description
• ↑ Heart of Glass , Daniel Spurr
• ↑ "Steve Clark - Intl. C Class Catamaran Championship 2010 >> Scuttlebutt Sailing News" . 28 June 2010.
• ↑ "Out on a Wing" . 26 August 2010.
• 1 2 3 "Clubhouses and hours of operation" . Royal Canadian Yacht Club. Archived from the original on 27 June 2019 . Retrieved 27 June 2019 .
• ↑ "M.V. Hiawatha" .
• ↑ "Polson Iron Works ships built 1912, T.R. Teary, Kwasind, MNCO No 6 Drill Scow" .
• ↑ Kuitenbrouwer, Peter (6 August 2011). "Doing water-tight deals" . National Post . Archived from the original on 22 November 2013 . Retrieved 21 December 2011 – via canada.com.
• ↑ https://www.qcyc.ca/sites/default/files/QCYC_files/ourspirit/archives/1980s/1980%20Ontario%20Government%20Toronto%20Island%20Commision.pdf p.11
• ↑ Simon Stephens, Curator of the Ship Model and Boat Collection, National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, UK
• ↑ Minota model and description
• ↑ "RCYC Models | Panel 1 - Royal Canadian Yacht Club" .
• ↑ "George Cuthbertson" .
• ↑ "Obituary information for Fredrik Stefan Eaton" .
• ↑ "RCYC Models | Panel 3 - Royal Canadian Yacht Club" .
• ↑ "FALCONBRIDGE, Sir WILLIAM GLENHOLME" .
• ↑ "Putting middle-class values to work" . Toronto Star . 13 January 2007.
• ↑ https://www.maritimeviews.co.uk/british-yachts-yachtsmen/canada-cup-1896/ [ bare URL ]
• ↑ "RCYC | Previous Commodores - Royal Canadian Yacht Club" .
• ↑ "Canadian sail team could challenge for America's Cup" .
• ↑ "Hansard Issue: L017" .
• ↑ "Maj. Arthur Godfrey Peuchen of Toronto was with wealthy friends on Titanic" . Toronto Star . 9 March 2012.
• ↑ "The story behind why 12 Toronto streetcar tickets were found in the Titanic wreckage" . 10 May 2023.
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Royal Canadian Yacht Club

The 6 Best Yacht Clubs in Toronto [2022]

Home » Best Of Toronto » The 6 Best Yacht Clubs in Toronto

These Toronto yacht clubs are known as the best in the city and they live up to their reputation! By joining a yacht club, you gain access to other perks like dining rooms and boats other than your own. These clubs can teach you how to boat or for the more experienced, let you participate in yacht sailing competitions.

We selected these Toronto yacht clubs based on customer reviews, location, the events they host, and their high-class boating and racing programs! 

Before you join any of these premier yacht clubs, you need to buy a boat first! Head over to the best boat dealers near Toronto.

If you already have a boat, it’s very important to keep it in tip-top shape. If it’s in need of a fix, take it to the best boat repairs in the city!

• What’s the Average Cost of Joining a Yacht Club in Toronto?
• 1) National Yacht Club
• 2) RCYC – Royal Canadian Yacht Club
• 3) Etobicoke Yacht Club
• 4) Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club
• 5) Lakeshore Yacht Club
• 6) Cathedral Bluffs Yacht Club

FAQs About Yacht Clubs

Final thoughts, what's the average cost of joining a yacht club in toronto.

The average cost of joining a yacht club in Toronto is about $3,000. This does not include the cost of membership dues, which can be an additional $1,200 – $2500 per year.  Some other factors, such as the location of the club and the type of boat you have, can also affect the cost of membership.

For what you’re paying, you’ll have access to the club’s facilities and staff, as well as other members who share your passion for boating. You’ll also be able to take part in club-sponsored activities, like racing and cruising events.

If you’re looking for a more luxurious yacht club experience, you can expect to pay upwards of $10,000 for membership. These clubs offer higher-end amenities and services, like valet parking and concierge service. They also tend to be located in prime real estate, like downtown Toronto or along the city’s waterfront.

The Best Yacht Clubs in Toronto

1. national yacht club.

The National Yacht Club is a boating community that has been around since 1890, and it’s right by the foot of Bathurst Street. It is the perfect destination for you and your crew to take advantage of their beautiful surroundings while taking a break from working hard. They have plenty going on, whether it be social events or just relaxation! 

Their location is equally convenient to the lake with quick access to the inner harbour, Toronto Islands and Lake Ontario – you are on the lake in minutes, and back in the city at the end of the race or cruise just as quickly. 

The National Yacht Club is a great place to find like-minded sailors. With three nights of club racing, organized cruises and power boat enthusiasts that are passionate about their vessels – you’ll be sure not to leave without newfound friends! 

As an NYC member, you’ll have access to their Racing Crew Bank and Weeknight Cruising Program as well as a unique dinghy racing 420 Club. You can also sign up for Boat4U boat share where they provide the vessel!

Fantastic city-side location with a fabulous dining room, best docks, comprehensive learn to sail, cruising and racing programs – you won’t find anything like it anywhere else!

Business Information:

Website: thenyc.com Email: [email protected] Telephone: +14162608686 Address: 1 Stadium Rd, Toronto, ON M5V 3H4, Canada

Customer Review Highlight:

• Photography services are included in some packages
• Professional settings for business meetings
• Offers services in Toronto and Miami
• Catering options were slightly vague

2. RCYC - Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Island Clubhouse

If you’re looking for a private club with unparalleled views of the city, RCYC is your best option. The Royal Canadian Yacht Club is a prestigious club that was established in 1852. In those years, they have built an excellent reputation as sponsors and builders for yacht racing teams across Canada! 

With two Toronto-area locations and boats available from every member in good standing there’s no better place to host an event. They are a community of like-minded individuals who share an interest in yachting, sport and tradition. 

They welcome new members with open arms to their welcoming yacht club! RCYC’s mandate is to promote excellence in all forms of competitive sailing and sports like squash, badminton, tennis and lawn bowling. 

RCYC has a long tradition of competitive excellence in yacht racing. Each year, they host many regattas – provincial, national and international ones! Midweek Racing is held throughout the spring, summer and fall.

 From Club Fleet Championships to International Events, their Toronto Island clubhouse is the place for people who love sailboat racing. RCYC offers a variety of sailing programs for all ages and levels.

 Whether you are just beginning your journey or looking to take it up another notch, there’s something here that will suit every boat!

Website: rcyc.ca Email: [email protected] Telephone: +14169677245 Address: 2 Chippewa Ave, Toronto, ON M5J 2E7, Canada

• Has an app for secure communication and transactions
• Swift response and easy to book
• Offers services in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal
• Offers boat lessons sailing, fishing and watersports
• Some options are unavailable

3. Etobicoke Yacht Club

As you approach the Etobicoke Yacht Club, it is hard to imagine that this location could be any more ideal. With its picturesque views and spacious waters in Humber Bay as well as easy access points near shorelines on western Lake Ontario – you’ll definitely be impressed with what you’ll see! 

Whether it’s rowing a boat around sunset over the water while listening to birds sing; or enjoying live music under the stars every night – they’ve got something perfect just waiting here. They offer a variety of memberships and programs for all ages. 

Whether you’re an experienced sailor or just getting started, their members have something for everyone. They offer competitive racing fleets and vibrant social scenes that will keep your adrenaline pumping all summer long! 

They’re always happy to see their friends from other yacht clubs during the season. The welcoming, social community of sailors with a healthy racing and junior sail program is what you’ll find at the Yacht Club. 

Memberships range from social, crewing, and boating in a very social club, where members work together on events and activities making it a community of like-minded individuals that enjoy the wind!

Website: www.eyc.ca Email: [email protected] Telephone: +14162591159 Address: 300 Humber Bay Park Rd W, Etobicoke, ON M8V 3X7, Canada

• Offers night sails
• 4 membership options with 4 different luxury yachts
• Club options with no commitment for budding sailors
• Does not allow pets onboard
• Guest exceeding 125kilos/275 pounds are rejected without refund
• Smoking is not allowed

4. Ashbridges Bay Yacht Club

The founding members of the Ashbridge’s Bay Yacht Club had one goal in mind: To promote good yachtmanship, tradition and volunteerism. The principles they promoted have remained true today, over 80 years since its inception.

The ABYC is a great place for those who love boat racing. They offer weekly club races from May through September, and these always have exciting finals! 

Their weekend cruises provide an opportunity for socializing and making new friends around the lake. This is one area of boating which attracts power boats as well sail-driven vessels! 

ABYC has always been dedicated to ensuring the safety and satisfaction of its members, which is why they’re such a popular club among visitors. The club has a friendly and courteous staff that makes you feel at home. 

The members are also great people who make the environment enjoyable for everyone to enjoy!

Website: abyc.ca Email: [email protected] Telephone: +14166984498 Address: 30 Ashbridges Bay Park Rd, Toronto, ON M4L 3W6, Canada

• Swift service
• Slight to no delay for long lines
• Children under 2 years ride for free
• Longer hours during weekends
• Requires $30 minimum for the boat to depart

5. Lakeshore Yacht Club

Lakeshore Yacht Club believes that safe and fun boating is an essential part of the countless memories you’ll make together. At their facility, they are dedicated to providing a safe and fun environment for all of the members who visit. 

They take great pride in maintaining an environmentally sound structure that will provide you with many years worth of memories! By choosing them, you can feel confident that your boat will be in tip-top shape and comply with all standards of safety. 

Lakeshore Yacht Club is a great place to meet new people and learn about the surrounding area. The boats are tiny, but also well-designed and convenient with everything in pristine condition! 

Plus the environment is such a clean, friendly space that you can’t help feeling happy when visiting this place for experienced pleasures!

Website: lsyc.com Email: [email protected] Telephone: +14162553701 Address: 76 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr, Etobicoke, ON M8V 4B7, Canada

6. Cathedral Bluffs Yacht Club

Nestled at the base of beautiful Scarborough Bluffs, Cathedral Bluffs Yacht Club has its own paradise island that is easily accessible from across the region. You’ll soon forget all about city life as you relax on your boat amidst fabulous scenery!

The beautiful surroundings and great facilities make them an attractive destination for club members looking to book their own cruise vacation! With events throughout summer including cruising & racing along with wintertime activities like fishing trips in between races – they have it all! 

They’re a unique organization, with member-built and maintained facilities. They offer the full suite of services at reasonable rates that you can afford, so whether you’re looking for a place to socialize or enjoy the scenic views of Lake Ontario, they have something that will suit your needs!

Website: cbyc.ca Email: [email protected] Telephone: +14162617627 Address: Brimley Rd S, Scarborough, ON M1M 3W3, Canada

• Very large capacity with upto 500 people
• Catering provided by a world class chef
• Large variety of alcohol and spirits are available
• In-house DJ with music amenities
• Website is very vague
• Can get stuffy at large events

The best yacht clubs in Toronto are open for membership! They have world-class facilities and excellent programs for racing and cruising boats.  Yacht clubs are also a great way to meet new people. The members of these Toronto clubs are as enthusiastic about yachting as you are. If you’re looking for a yacht club to join, become a member of any of the best yacht clubs in Toronto!

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The Royal Canadian Yacht Club

The province's first sailing association, the Toronto Boat Club, was formed in 1852 and two years later became the Royal Canadian Yacht Club. Dedicated to the promotion of yachting and naval interests, it initiated competitions which stimulated widespread interest in sailing and yacht design, and in 1860 instituted the Prince of Wales Cup, freshwater racing's oldest trophy. The Club was housed on Toronto's waterfront until 1881 when it moved to Toronto Island. This moved facilitated the club's continued growth. The R.C.Y.C. figured prominently in the formation of the Lake Yacht Racing Association (1884) for the establishment of uniform rules. The achievements of numerous members in competitive yacht racing have brought the Royal Canadian Yacht Club international recognition.

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RCYC TRIAL PROGRAM

Where do you summer?

With its two Clubhouses, one on Toronto Island and the other in the heart of the city, RCYC offers an ideal summer retreat. This season, we invite you to experience our welcoming community with the RCYC Trial Program.

RCYC is a family-oriented Club perfect for growing friendships, relaxing and making memories. During the summer, our active daytime environment features sailing, swimming, tennis, lawn bowling or lunching on the verandah of our newly-renovated historic Island Clubhouse. When the sun sets, experience a magical atmosphere with an unrivalled view of the Toronto skyline as it becomes illuminated at night.

Whether you’re an experienced sailor or looking to learn the ropes, our Club offers camaraderie on and off the water. RCYC Sailing programs allow you to experience the sport of sailing on Club boats. With groups like Women’s Social Sailing, the Cruising Sailors’ Squadron and the Ideal 18 Club Fleet, you’ll join a community of friendly sailors — no boat necessary.

Make a day of enjoying all the activities available at our Island home! Spend a lazy day lounging by our outdoor pool. Get active with paddle-boarding or canoeing on Lake Ontario. Or hop on a Club bike to explore the Toronto Islands via our private access gateway.

Bring a friend to one of our social events and dance the night away before the city lights. Celebrate a special occasion with excellent food and personal service. Or simply relax on our verandah, sipping on a specialty cocktail with fellow Members.

Ready to summer with us?

RCYC - Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Island Clubhouse

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We were there for a regatta. Nice selection of menu. Nice customer service. Nice view of the city. We want to come back some other time😊. Just one sad thing is that the service charge is almost as high as HST.

Dining at the RCYC overlooking Toronto Harbour has no equal in terms of a city view. Food is excellent as well. Cucumber and gazpacho soup, beet and tomato salad (from their garden) and grilled salmon were fantastic.

Arguably the best view of Toronto. The food at the yacht club is very good. The junior club offers amazing summer camps. There’s a ferry from RCYC’s port in the ports of Toronto. The price for parking in the port is expensive though.

An oasis in the bustling downtown Toronto, it is private, tranquil and picturesque. The newly renovated bar is situated up front with plenty of outdoor seatings on the veranda which overlooks the harbour with the familiar Toronto skyline as back drop. The food is quite outstanding and the drinks more than decent.

Awesome place with awesome view. We were here as a guests from CISS and we're very thankful for a dinner organisation. Everything was on a high level. The landscape is really beautiful. I am glad that there is such a place not far from Toronto - beautiful, quiet and breathtaking.

Photos of RCYC - Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Island Clubhouse

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WEDDINGS & EVENTS

Virtual tour, weddings , receptions & private dinners, corporate packages, latest press.

TORONTO LIFE |  Real Weddings 2017: Inside a ceremony at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club, with a lake-cruising afterparty aboard a sailboat  (2017)

EVENTSOURCE.CA |  Natalie and Adam’s Beautiful Wedding at the Royal Canadian Yacht Club  (2017) EVENTSOURCE.CA |  Michelle and Scott’s Nautical Wedding at The Royal Canadian Yacht Club (2017)