EYC History - Everett Yacht Club

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EYC Milestone Timeline

115 years and counting

1907 - Everett Yacht Club forms with 32 members

1908 - EYC builds "Rival," a competitive sailing sloop

1910 - Everett Motor Boat Club (EMBC) forms

1927 - Port of Everett begins dredging & marina construction

1929 - Port of Everett opens new marina

1930 - EMBC builds 2-story clubhouse

1931 - EYC & EMBC merge and assume "Everett Yacht Club" name

Howard S. Wright is first Commodore

1931 - EMBC holds first meeting in new clubhouse

1934 - EYC organizes acquisition of a 50-foot boat for Everett Sea Scouts

1935 - EYC buys 1901 "Black Prince," a 92-foot, steam-powered working boat for $1

1935 - Clubhouse is remodeled and concessions are leased to outside vendor

1936 - EYC Incorporates as a Washington Non-Profit Organization

1936 - EYC joins national and international yacht associations

1937 - EYC sponsors Tyee Salmon Roundup until 1942 due to WWII

1938 - Clubhouse mortgage retired

1939 - EYC launches Junior Yacht Club & Everett Barnacle Club (for women)

1939 - EYC hosts the start of the International Cruiser Race

193? - Aquilonus Sailing Club merges with EYC

1941 - New clubhouse dedicated including in-house concessions & management

1942 - Club activities were curtailed during WWII except for work w/ US Coast Guard

1946 - Return to cruising activities. New lease with Port to expand clubhouse.

1946 - EYC operated its own moorage as part of the new Port lease.

1950 - EYC hosts the 19th Annual International Cruiser Race

1951 - EYC purchases property on Gedney (Hat) Island for club use

1953 - EYC sponsors Blind Fishing Derby w/ Everett Kiwanis Club

1962 - EYC member wins the 450-mile International Cruiser Race

1967 - Construction & dedication of new clubhouse on 14th St

1970's - EYC membership soared as the EYC was the only restaurant on waterfront.

1979 - Clubhouse mortgage retired

1985 - EYC closes clubhouse dining facilities

1986 - Clubhouse is sold to Port of Everett with long-term lease for EYC use

1990's - Membership dramatically decreased due to lack of restaurant facilities.

1997 - Membership increased by 30% in one year from a successful membership drive.

20__ - EYC negotiated with the Port of Everett to lease space for a new clubhouse in the south end of the marina

20__ - New clubhouse planning and permitting begins

2020 - In-person activities curtailed due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns

2023 - New Clubhouse is completed and dedicated.

19__ - EYC joins the Grand Fourteen Yacht Clubs

Early Beginnings

The waterways of the Pacific Northwest were the major routes of communication and travel for the early settlers, just as they had been for the Indians. The importance of the water to the history of Everett is undeniable. One of the major considerations in the selection of a town site on Port Gardner was the excellent harbor. Even before Everett's founding fathers checked the land area, they took harbor soundings and determined that it was suitable for deep-water shipping.

Before the dawn of the 20th Century the inland waters had come to be used for pleasure as well. Yacht clubs were beginning to be organized in the 1890'sinthe larger and older ports on Puget Sound.

As early as 1895, yachts were being seen in Port Gardner Bay. The first reference to the Everett Yacht Club as such is in a newspaper clipping of May 17, 1895. Titled as "Everett's New Yachts", it reads:

"The new yacht, 'Storm King', completed by R.A. Whitney, Jr., and George Mantandon, and just completed by M.S. Pettersen, shipbuilder at the Barge Works, was launched at 1 o'clock yesterday morning at high tide. It is a nineteen foot, pleasure craft and cruiser. Mr. Pettersen has also recently completed a yacht for himself and one for superintendent Calderwood of the Barge Works. It is claimed that in point of workmanship the three yachts are by far the finest ever launched on Puget Sound. These boats are the first of the fleet of the Everett Yacht Club. These three yachts will leave for Victoria on Sunday morning to participate in the regatta during the celebration of the Queen's Birthday."

It seems likely this informal organization had no activity for a number of years due to the passing of the Barge Works from Everett's industrial scene. A 1931 article in the Everett Daily Herald reports the date of organization of "Everett Yacht Club" as July 2, 1907. Quotes from that article include: "The list of founders is a roster of well-known names in Everett."

"The meeting took place in the parlor of the Mitchell hotel for the purpose of organizing a yacht club, which would eventually be admitted to the International Yacht Club Association." "No time was lost in carrying on the work of organizing, which was taken up again a week later." "On July 30, 1907, the charter of this pioneer organization closed with 32 names." By April 1908, the club had progressed to the point where it built a yacht to compete in the 29-footclass. After a public contest to select a name, it was launched as the "Rival" May 27th.

The "Rival" is again mentioned in a 1909 clipping from "Pacific Motor Boat." titled "Honors in Yachting". It reads: "The Everett Yacht Club is the baby member of the International Yachting Association, yet it is a right lusty youngster, full to the coamings with snap, vim and determination that refuses to be jockeyed out of a windward position in the operation of the Northwestern aquatic activities. About two years ago the nucleus of the club got their heads together little knot of 'once-upon-a-timer-ers' possessed of a consuming inclination to pull once more on the mainsheet and grasp the tiller.

The City laughed openly when the struggling club, with an amazingly small number of dollars to its credit, spoke right out in meeting, saying Everett would have a craft to compete for honors in the international races, then only a short time distant. By subscription, several thousand dollars rolled in, by heroic endeavor the hope of the club-the sloop 'Rival' was turned out in Van Dyke's Yard, and by gracious!

The Puget Sound country sat up and rah-rah-ed when Commodore Goldfinch and his green crew captured the trophy offered for the best sailing time over the course, not only winning the event, but also establishing a new time record. Again this season the "Rival" will compete for international honors, good luck to her! The club today is strong, and contemplates a house and float on the bay.

This yacht seems to have put something of a burden on the club, and was eventually sold to the Goldfinch brothers for $525. The Everett Yacht Club of the early 1900's was apparently the outgrowth of pleasure sailing. The clubhouse was located at Camp No. 1, south of Weyerhaeuser Mill A. The only way to get there was by water or by foot down the Great Northern tracks. After it was replaced by a more modern structure, it became the Sea Scout headquarters.

In 1910, another group of men met at the Labor Temple on an evening in May to do something about the troubles of the motorboat enthusiasts. They thought there should be better mooring facilities; a place to buy their gas, oil and necessary boating equipment; and, they needed the company of friends with whom boating problems might be discussed. So began the first Everett Motor Boat Club.

The Grand Fourteen

The formation of the Grand Fourteen goes back to the early 1930’s when the women first gathered together and held their Women’s Inter Club (WIC) luncheons. A bond of friendship and camaraderie was forged and over the years the officers of these yacht clubs formed a separate association (fellowship) evolving into what is known today as the Grand Fourteen.

Since 1949, its primary goal is to work with all of the major Puget Sound yacht clubs to further common boating interests. Key to fostering the communication between and among Grand 14 clubs, is the concept of a Class of Bridge Officers at each of the clubs.

Each commodore class has a year designation, as well as a mascot. For example:

The Class of 2022 mascot is a Triton.

The Class of 2023 mascot is a Kingfisher.

The Class of 2024 mascot is a Salty Dog.

The Class of 2025 mascot is a Sandpiper.

The first time a new class of incoming Rear Commodores and their spouses meet each other is at the August Cruise-In, hosted at the Bremerton Yacht Club. The recently promoted Vice Commodores and Commodores also attend this event. This is where the incoming Rear Commodore class chooses their mascot. This is only the first of many events that the Grand 14 clubs sponsor.

The J.O. Ball event is specifically for the Junior Officers (Vice Commodores and Rear Commodores). Each club sponsors this event every other year and most J.O. Balls are themed with attendees in full costume. This is an opportunity for the members of the hosting club to honor their junior officers and a chance to meet the junior officers from the other clubs.

Links to Grand Fourteen Yacht Clubs

Bremerton Yacht Club

Day Island yacht Club

Edmonds Yacht Club

Everett Yacht Club

Gig Harbor Yacht Club

Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club

Olympia Yacht Club

Port Orchard Yacht Club

Poulsbo Yacht Club

Queen City Yacht Club