About Us

History and Heritage of Sailing on Pistakee

The Pistakee Yacht Club was founded in 1897 and, as such, it is one of the oldest sailing clubs in the entire United States of America.  The landmark Pistakee Yacht Club building stands proudly on Rocky Beach Road as a true testament to the power of a group of people determined to build an enduring sailing and social club.  As a founding member of the Inland Lakes Yachting Association, the Wisconsin Yachting Association and U.S. Sailing, Pistakee Yacht Club has featured sailboat racing and regattas on the waters of Pistakee Bay and Pistakee Lake for over 100 years.    

 Steeped in history, the PYC clubhouse, with its timeless architecture, stands as a monument on the north shore of Pistakee Bay.  The building is listed on the McHenry County Historical Society Registry.  With over 525 feet of shoreline, PYC is superbly suited for leisure activities both on land and on the water.  Pistakee Bay and Pistakee Lake have been the home waters of sailing instruction and competitive racing activities since the Club was founded.  This tradition of sailing continues today, with passionate sailors who affectionately call PYC their home yacht club.

 In the early years of the club, PYC served as the focal point for social activities for not only the local area, but also the greater Chicago area.  The club was considered a precious getaway from the humdrum of the daily city life in the early 1900s.

Starting in 1960 and continuously for over 50 years, the Club hosted the prestigious C Scow Blue Chip Regatta, which brought many of the country’s finest sailors to compete against each other each year.  Mystery guest sailors included Buddy Melges in 1965 and 1972, Ted Turner in 1970 and Peter Kolius in 2001 and 2009.  For a complete history of the C Blue Chip, see the tab on the home page.   

The timeless PYC club house has been the venue for a variety of activities, including club parties, awards evenings, weddings, corporate meetings, government meetings, family reunions, and regatta parties for visiting sailors and friends.  See CLUB USE for more information on reserving the PYC Clubhouse for your special event.      

 Sailing has deep historical significance at the Pistakee Yacht Club.  An energized team of deeply dedicated members continues to carry the traditions of the Pistakee Yacht Club now and well into the future.  The team began the most recent series of improvements to the timeless landmark Pistakee yacht Club in 2008, and significant upgrades resulted over the past 8 years.  The C Scow fleet continues to race on Sunday mornings from Memorial Day to Labor Day.  The new partnership with the Community Sailing School @Pistakee, which was founded in 2012, is thriving and bringing new sailors to the starting line on Sundays.  Wednesday night dinghy racing with members of PYC and Sailing School students was added in 2022. PYC is forging ahead with renewed member investments of time, treasure and talent.  PYC member passion is ever present as it builds on the substantial history and heritage of the enduring club.  The future of the Pistakee Yacht Club is as bright as a sunny day on the bay, and now is a great to become part of the fun and camaraderie of this amazing sport and social club.