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HomeHCYC History
Harbour City Yacht Club was founded in the early 1970s. The first Commodore in 1972 was James Allen. The club was incorporated on December 19, 1974. It officially celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2014.
The club grew out of the efforts of a number of CS22 owners, who docked their boats at the Toronto Island Marina, to encourage a racing program. Round-the-world racer Derek Hatfield was one of the early enthusiasts in Gizmo.
The original docks were built in a farmer's field and trucked to the waterfront. The clubhouse pontoons were factory built and transported in the middle of the night, without a permit, to a site in what was to become Harbourfront. There the clubhouse was built and eventually towed to its current location at the Toronto Island Marina in April 1979.
In May 2006 the temporary gang plank was replaced with a fully engineered bridge, designed by Blaine Evans. More than two dozen members of the Port Credit Yacht Club, who were waiting to use the clubhouse during their annual cruise, were coerced into helping lift the bridge into place. Two finger docks were installed at the same time, a gift from the marina, to replace the old Mediterranean moorings. In 2012 a large deck, also designed by Blaine Evans, was constructed opposite the club house on the shores of Long Pond. Both projects were entirely built by volunteers.
In the late 70s HCYC had an aggressive group of racers. HCYC members not only raced in the HCYC mid-week races they also raced in MYRC (Metro Yacht Racing Council) races, and in inter-club Level races in Toronto, Hamilton, Oakville and even Montreal.
This was not enough for HCYC racers, it all seemed to stop in early September.
HCYC's dedicated race manager, Carole Pearcy, listened to the members complain about there being lots of sailing remaining before haulout but no racing, and suggested a Club Frostbite Series to follow the mid-week racing. Carole also volunteered to be race committee. HCYC began their Frostbite Series and it took off. It wasn't very long before other clubs expressed an interest in our Frostbite Series. AYC joined us, NYC's race committee in the person of Janet Willings, being a good friend of Carole, suggested NYC would not only be interested but would provide the committee boat and committee.
The Frostbite Series grew larger, at times it had level starts for CS 22, Tanzer 22 and E22, among others.
Mid-week race marks for NYC, Boulevard Club and TS&CC were pulled out of the water soon after their mid-week racing ended in early September. The result was that most of the races were around Government marks or other fixed structures on the Lake such as Texaco's cribs in Port Credit and Toronto Islands. The races lived up to their name Frostbite, as the races continued well into October.
Some of the current clubs in AHMEN did not exist at this time. MCC was a group of enthusiasts in the mouth of Etobicoke Creek tied to the Park wall. EYC was still a dream of some boaters from various marinas around Toronto. Over time as interest continued to grow new clubs such as MCC and EYC joined the Frostbites. Carole and Janet developed interests outside Toronto, the member clubs then renamed the original Frostbite as AHMEN. AHMEN stood for the initials of the member clubs, Alexandra Yacht Club, Harbour City Yacht Club, Mimico Cruising Club, Etobicoke Yacht Club and National Yacht Club.
HCYC has not participated for some years as it has predominately become a cruising club.
Rev: July 2016
Harbour Lights – Summer Newsletter September 12, 2019
Harbour Lights – HCYC Fall Bulletin October 22, 2018
Commodore's New Years Day Levée January 1, 2018
HCYC Annual General Meeting November 18, 2017
HCYC Yawl To The Wall September 9, 2017
Cruise to PCYC August 12, 2017
Past Commodores
Sailpast
HCYC Bylaws
HCYC Merchandise
Large Crest $11.00
Navy Burgee Cap $25.00
Harbour City Yacht Club: P.O. Box 5936 • Station A • Toronto • ON M5W 1P3
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