About the FCYC

The Florida Council of Yacht Clubs burgee

The Florida Council of Yacht Clubs is an organization made up of 36 yacht clubs located around the state from the panhandle to the Keys.

More Clubs, More Choices… Welcome to Council Life!

We invite you to experience for yourself the convenience, variety and fun that make FCYC membership so special.

On behalf of all of the Florida Council of Yacht Clubs, we look forward to the pleasure of serving you.

View Member Club Benefits

*Some member clubs have placed a limitation on reciprocal usage by nearby clubs. Enforcement of these limitations (when adopted by a club) is the responsibility of the individual club, not the Council.

FCYC Representation

Member clubs in the Council represent a population of approximately 37,300 club members who have aided in bringing many legislative matters favorable to the boating public to a successful conclusion. To assist the Council in monitoring boating-related legislation, the Council retains a legislative representative in Tallahassee.

Established in 1960, the FCYC is a respected force recognized as a potent organization of dedicated yachtsmen.

The Council is an active member of water oriented organizations such as the National Boating Federation. Close liaison is maintained with the U.S. Coast Guard in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami, and the Corp of Engineers district office in Jacksonville.

Our Member Clubs sponsor cruises on members’ boats to destinations along the East and Gulf Coasts of Florida and the Bahamas. The Council has also sponsored professionally organized, large ship cruises to unique locations in Europe, South America, through the Panama Canal, and many other destinations.

2024 FCYC Officers

Commodore
Ray Williams

Lauderdale Yacht Club

Vice Commodore
Chris Jones

Davis Island Yacht Club

Rear Commodore
Kitch Keitchen

Venice Yacht Club

Secretary
Bobby Smith

Bradenton Yacht Club

Treasurer
Chuck Goes

St Petersburg Yacht Club

Rear Commodore Joey Sowell Eau Gallie YC

Immediate Past Commodore
Joey Sowell

Eau Gallie Yacht Club

2024 FCYC Standing Committees

Government Affairs

Kitch Keitchen, Venice YC

Fleet Captain- West

Peter Lackman, Tampa Y&CC

Fleet Captain- East

Joe Elam, Smyrna YC

Communication & Website

Carl Schultz, St. Charles YC

Coast Guard Liaison East

Stephen Kiss, Harbor Ridge YC

Coast Guard Liaison West

Ken Gummels, St. Andrews Bay YC

Land Yacht Fleet Captain

Bobby Smith, Bradenton YC

Club Profiles

Bruce Harris, Naples Sailing and YC

News Letter

Tom Reynolds, Ft Walton YC

Club Best Practices

Michael Travis, Bird Key YC

Membership

Anita Clark, Lake Beresford YC

Parliamentarian

Tom Septembre, Coral Reef YC

Education

Wayne Stewart, Halifax River YC

Historian & Publications

Chip Hardy, Tampa Y&CC

Inter-club Sports

Bob Peterson, Isles YC

Past Commodores

Honorary Life Commodore: *Thomas Downs, St. Petersburg Yacht Club
1960 & 61: *G. William Spicklemire, Pass-A-Grille Yacht Club
1962: *Herman Eberts, Bradenton & Eau Gallie Yacht Clubs
1963: *Bruff W. Olin, The Field Club
1964: *D. L. Alexander Vance, Bird Key Yacht Club
1965: *Charles E. Taft, The Field Club
1966: *Col. Peter F. Wormwood, Tampa Yacht and Country Club
1967: *Vernon L. Mason, The Field Club
1968: *E. L. Jones, St. Petersburg Yacht Club
1969: *Marion Hendry, Tampa Yacht and Country Club
1970: *Robert R. Spaulding, Venice Yacht Club
1971: *Alfred R. Cooper, St. Petersburg Yacht Club
1972: *Hugo R. Greisen, Bradenton Yacht Club
1793: *Richard M. Starns, Tampa Yacht and Country Club
1974: *Bruce W. Watters, Jr., St. Petersburg Yacht Club
1975: *Irving D. Snyder, Bird Key Yacht Club
1976: *Fred C. White, Coral Ridge Yacht Club
1977: *Hugh L. Brown, St. Petersburg Yacht Club
1978: *Dr. Paul Minthorn, St. Petersburg Yacht Club
1979: Donald F. Sink (Virginia), Tampa Yacht and Country Club
1980: *James D. Russell, Naples Sailing and Yacht Club
1981: *Eugene B. Bibbins, Venice Yacht Club
1982: *Spencer S. Scheideman, Clearwater Yacht Club
1983: *Gen. John w. Richardson, Bird Key Yacht Club
1984: *Harry G. Hilliard, Isles Yacht Club
1985: *E. W. (Ted) Scantlebury, Halifax River Yacht Club
1986: *Dr. Ralph Stephan, Tampa Yacht and Country Club
1987: *Lewis M. Crowe, St. Petersburg Yacht Club
1988: *C. Franklin Lott, Jr., Royal Palm Yacht Club
1989: *John J. Davis, Coral Reef Yacht Club
1990: Harold G. Riley, Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club
1991: *Robert L. Hartford, The Field Club
1992: *Frank W. (Skip) Alllcorn, III, The Florida Yacht Club
1993: *Norman E. Jacobson, Sarasota Yacht Club
1994: *John Chalbeck, Marathon Yacht Club
1995: *Roland M. Larsen, Royal Palm Yacht Club
1996: *Larry Bottiger, Eau Gallie Yacht Club
1997: *Jules E. Scheffer, Clearwater Yacht Club
1998: *Richard A. (Dick) Groat, Pass-A-Grille Yacht Club
1999: *Tor Kolflat, Naples Sailing and Yacht Club
2000: *Glenn R. Yeakey, Naples Yacht Club
2001: *Charles T. Eldredge, Tampa Yacht and Country Club
2002: *John G. (Jack) Schantini (Sandee), Smyrna Yacht Club
2003: *J. Robert Benson, M.D., The Florida Yacht Club
2004: Ron Broadway (Debi), Treasure Island Tennis & Yacht Club
2005: George E.W. (Chip) Hardy, IV (Betty), Tampa Yacht and Country Club
2006: Bruce Hess (Carol), Eau Gallie Yacht Club
2007: *Marvin W. Stucky, Sarasota Yacht Club
2008: *Arthur J. Ferguson, The Field Club
2009: Donald Bogue (Ginny), St. Petersburg Yacht Club
2010: Donald W. Stanley, Jr. (Cheryl), Tampa Yacht and Country Club
2011: *Dentis McDaniel, Eau Gallie Yacht Club
2012: Harry Perlet (Leslie), Sarasota Yacht Club
2013: Raymond Starsman (Marsha), Isles Yacht Club
2014: Gary Riss (Marsha), Marco Island Yacht Club
2015: *Tom Smith, Isles Yacht Club
2016: *Jack Burwell, Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club
2017: Audrey Rice (Bob Young), Venice Yacht Club
2018: George O.Malley (Linda), Moorings Yacht and Country Club
2019: Jon Williams (Edy), Eau Gallie Yacht Club
2020: Bob Peterson (Cate), Isles YC
2021: Bert Ralston (Sandy) , Florida Yacht Club
2022: John Timmel (Marguerite), Tampa Yacht and Country Club
2023: Joey Sowell (Pamela), Eau Gallie Yacht Club

* indicates deceased

History of the FCYC

In August, 1960, the St. Petersburg Yacht Club invited representatives from the leading West Coast Yacht Clubs to a meeting to discuss forming a representative body to encourage the sport of yachting and general club activities, to promote safety afloat, to encourage reciprocity between qualified yacht clubs, and to promote beneficial legislation.

Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Secretary of State on July 26, 1961.

Charter Clubs in 1961

The thirteen charter clubs were:

Bird Key Yacht Club, Sarasota
Bradenton Yacht Club, Bradenton
Clearwater Yacht Club, Clearwater
Davis Island Yacht Club, Tampa
The Field Club, Sarasota
Naples Yacht Club, Naples
Pass-A-Grille Yacht Club, St. Petersburg Beach
Royal Palm Yacht Club, Fort Myers
St. Petersburg Yacht Club, St. Petersburg
Sarasota Yacht Club, Sarasota
Tampa Yacht & Country Club, Tampa
Tarpon Springs Yacht Club, Tarpon Springs
Venice Yacht Club, Venice

Clubs joining after 1961

The following clubs were admitted later, listed in order of the dates they became members:

August 1968 Coral Ridge Yacht Club, Ft. Lauderdale
July 1971 Naples Sailing & Yacht Club, Naples
September 1973 Halifax River Yacht Club, Daytona Beach
March 1975 Charlotte Harbor Yacht Club, Port Charlotte
July 1976 Carlouel Yacht Club, Clearwater
November 1976 Isles Yacht Club, Punta Gorda
July 1977 Smyrna Yacht Club, New Smyrna Beach
September 1978 Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca Raton
September 1979 Lauderdale Yacht Club, Ft. Lauderdale
March 1981 Coral Reef Yacht Club, Miami
March 1981 Lake Beresford Yacht Club, DeLand
January 1982 Eau Gallie Yacht Club, Indian Harbor Beach
September 1983 Marathon Yacht Club, Marathon
January 1984 The Florida Yacht Club, Jacksonville
July 1984 Vero Beach Yacht Club, Vero Beach
January 1985 Key Biscayne Yacht Club, Key Biscayne
July 1986 St. Augustine Yacht Club, St. Augustine
November 1987 Treasure Island Tennis & Yacht Club, Treasure Island
September 1988 Pensacola Yacht Club, Pensacola
September 1994 Captiva Island Yacht Club, Captiva Island
March 1994 Isla Del Sol Yacht Club, St. Petersburg
September 1996 Fort Walton Yacht Club, Fort Walton Beach
November 1998 St. Charles Yacht Club, Ft. Myers
January 2001 The Moorings Yacht & Country Club, Vero Beach
September 2003 Harbour Ridge Yacht & Country Club, Palm City
January 2004 St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club, Panama City
March 2005 Marco Island Yacht Club, Marco Island
November 2012 Pelican Isle Yacht Club, Naples
March 2022 Oyster Bay Yacht Club, Fernandina Beach

Prior Member Clubs

The following clubs admitted as members of the Council, are no longer member clubs:

1998 Isla Del Sol Yacht Club, St. Petersburg
2003 St. Augustine Yacht Club, St. Augustine
November 2008 Pass-A-Grille Yacht Club, St. Petersburg Beach
(merged with St. Petersburg YC)
2009 Treasure Island Tennis & Yacht Club, Treasure Island
2014 Royal Palm Yacht Club, Ft. Myers
2024 Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca Raton