About the FCYC

The Florida Council of Yacht Clubs burgee

The Florida Council of Yacht Clubs is an organization made up of 37 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.

2023 FCYC Officers

Rear Commodore Joey Sowell Eau Gallie YC

Commodore
Joey Sowell

Eau Gallie YC

Vice Commodore
Ray Williams

Lauderdale YC

Rear Commodore
Chris Jones

Davis Island YC

 

Secretary
Kitch Keitchen

Venice Yacht Club

Treasurer
Bobby Smith

Bradenton Yacht Club

Vice Commodore John Timmel Tampa Y&CC

Past Commodore
John Timmel

Tampa Yacht and Country Club

2023 FCYC Standing Committees

Government Affairs

Chris Jones, Davis Island YC

Fleet Captain- West

Peter Lankman, Tampa Y&CC

Fleet Captain- East

Joe Elam, Smyrna YC

Communication & Website

Carl Schultz, St. Charles YC
&
Charles Goes, St. Petersburg YC

Coast Guard Liaison East

Peter LoBello, Royal Palm Y & CC

Coast Guard Liaison West

Nicole Kessler Ferry, Pensacola YC

Land Yacht Fleet Captain

Bobby Smith, Bradenton YC

Club Profiles

Andy Dixon, Lauderdale YC

News Letter

Tom Reynolds, Ft Walton YC

Membership West

Ken Gummels, Saint Andrews Bay YC

Membership East

Anita Clark, Lake Beresford YC

Parliamentarian

Tom Septembre, Coral Reef YC

Education

Wayne Stewart, Halifax River YC

Historian & Publications

Chip Hardy, Tampa Y&CC

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 , Florida Yacht Club
  • 2022: John Timmel (Marguerite), Tampa Yacht and Country 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