History

In 1903 Hampton's boating enthusiasts founded the Virginia Yacht Club and in 1906 issued stock and erected a clubhouse on pilings at the foot of Victoria Boulevard. Interest dwindled during the Great War and the clubhouse fell into disrepair. In 1926 six men, not associated with the Virginia Yacht Club, formed the Hampton Yacht Club (HYC) and were ceded gratis the property of the old club. Since that time, HYC has been a yachting and social center of the Virginia Peninsula.

Power as well as sailboat racing were featured competitive activities in the early years with the Virginia Gold Cup being awarded for powerboat racing from 1933 to 1949. The club sponsored sailing events from small boat regattas featuring its own Hampton One Design sailboat to ocean racing events such as the 1941 Storm Trysail Club - HYC race from New London, CT to Hampton. In 1995, the club sponsored the fifty-fifth running of the Virginia Cruising Cup from Annapolis to Hampton. However, HYC is considerably more than a Yacht Club for racing sailors. Sailing is truly a family affair, from the family of crew who laugh and party with each other after the Wednesday night and weekend races, to the families who cruise for a day or a week or more to explore life on the Chesapeake and beyond.

Facilities and Services
Grounds, Facility & Pier Layout

• A two story modern building. Formal dining room seating 108 and an informal dining area and lounge seating 84. The lounge is equipped with two cable TV systems for viewing the weather channels and sporting events such as the America's Cup Races (and UVA, Va. Tech., and Redskins games).
• Excellent physical location with close proximity to Hampton Roads, Chesapeake Bay the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.
• Extensive dockage on the Hampton River with 192 floating concrete slips equipped with power and water. Storage racks available for dinks and parking with launching facilities available for boats that are kept on trailers.
• Credit dining without the need of a credit card. However, VISA and MasterCard credit cards are honored.
• BYOB privileges with bottle lockers available for members.
• Auxiliary building used for Junior activities.
• Private parking with special efforts made to reserve parking for members during high activity periods such as Hampton Bay Days.
• The Club's facilities are available to members for private parties.
• Purchase of sports clothing with emblem of HYC burgee.
• Reduced dues for membership in Boat/US.

Programs and Activities

• Annual Race Management Seminar for those members who are interested in working on the Club's Race Committees. This supports the Sailboat Racing Program.
• Periodically, lectures and general interest programs are presented after the monthly membership meetings.
• Two annual clam digs followed by a clam bake on the docks.
• Annual Pig Picking.
• Special parties and diners on Halloween and Valentines Day and other special occasions.
• Annual Fishing Tournament and Fish Fry.
• Sail Training for adults using the clubs "420" Junior sailboats.
• An active sail training program for juniors. Training courses range from beginner to advanced racer with children starting the program as early as age 9.
• Children's Christmas party.
• Organized Club cruises for both sail and power boats. In addition many spontaneous cruises with associated parties are enjoyed by the members.
• Members and their guest are invited to two large parties sponsored by the club each year, the annual Christmas party and the spring Flag Raising party.
• HYC hosts the Hampton Model Yacht Club which races a fleet of East Coast 12 Meters. These radio controlled model yachts are often raced on Sunday afternoons at HYC during the winter months.

• The Mainsheet is a monthly newsletter sent to all members that provides timely news on the club's activities, treasurer's report, dinning room specials, racing results, and much more.

Reciprocal Agreements

It is normal for members of yacht clubs to be able to utilize the facilities of other yacht clubs. Unfortunately, some clubs do not offer reciprocal agreements; e.g. New York Yacht Club & the Nantucket Yacht Club. HYC is a member of Yachting Club of America which has annually published a book of clubs offering reciprocal agreements. That book is located in the HYC office and it may be prudent to check it before visiting other clubs.

HYC has traditionally had special arrangements with other Bay clubs which have extended reciprocity to include one night of free dockage per month and/or courtesy billing. The following clubs have formally offered HYC extended privileges for 2007:

Additionally we have received communication from Atlantic Highlands Yacht Club, Portland (Maine) Yacht Club, and Seaford Yacht Club offering the “privileges of the Club House and Anchorage.” Annapolis Yacht Club's policy is “Visiting Yachtsmen may use the club facilities for a maximum of two days per quarter” although special arrangements can be made with AYC for extended visits.

HYC members are usually admitted as guests of other national and some international Yacht Clubs.

Sailboat Racing

Performance Handicap Racing Formula (PHRF) and Midget Ocean Racing Class (MORC) racing on the Lower Bay has been dominated by HYC members in recent years. Many have ventured forth to win honors in such prestigious events as the Key West, Annapolis, Solomon's and Block Island race weeks. Recent honors of note awarded to HYC racers have been:

• “Yachting Magazine” Best Boat of the Year 1990 - Seward Lawlor - “Chesapeake”

• J 24 Junior World Championship 1992 - Steven Hunt, Bryce Barrett, Mike Miller, Fred Sage IV

• US Collegiate Sloop Championship 1993 - Old Dominion University Sailing Team - Fred Sage IV (crew)

• US Sailing Offshore Championship - Lloyd Phoenix Trophy 1993 - Sledd Shelhorse

• Collegiate All American 1996 & 1997 - Julie Younger, US Naval Academy

• Collegiate All American 1997, Top College All American 1998 - Steven Hunt, College of Charleston,

• CBYRA Chesapeake Bay Overall Handicap Championship - Labrot Trophy: 1986, 1994 & 1995 - Bill Peach,
  1987 - Dick Lane, 1992 - Sledd Shelhorse, 2000 - Vernon “Bumps” Eberwine
  CBYRA Champion of Champions 1996 & 1997 - Henry Amthor

• Laser Dist 11 Grand Prix Championship - 1998 & 2002 George Panayides, 2003 Henry Amthor

• Hampton One Design National Championship – 1997, 2000 & 2001 Kevin & Kennon Hanna, 1998 Leigh Morgan & Michael Miller, 2002 Mark & Kathy Wheeler

• Gardner Cox Sportsmanship Trophy, US Sailing Junior Championship 1997
  - Michael Alexander, Jennifer Celesia & John Alexander

• World University Games, Bronze Medal for 470 class, 1999; US 470 National Championship 2000;
  Silver Medal, Princess Sophia Regatta, Spain 2000, North American 470 Championship 2001, German 470 National Championship 2002  - Steven Hunt and Mike Miller

• Optimist National Regatta, Sportsmanship Trophy, 1999 - Brett Baker

• CBYRA Lifetime Membership Achievement Award 2001 – Dick Boykin

• CBYRA Race Committee of the Year (Clyde Winters Trophy) for Hampton One Design National  Championship at HYC  – Joe Hallissy et al

• Hobie 33 Midwinter and St. Petersburg NOOD (Hobie class) First place 2002 – Christian Schaumloffel

• 2002 National Hospice Regatta Championship, Annapolis, MD Third Place - Christian Schaumloffel

• Steven Hunt and Michael Miller win gold medal at the 2002 Miami Olympic Classes Regatta

• Steven Hunt and Michael gain US Sailing #1 ranking by winning the 2002 470 Olympic Pre-Trials and will represent the U.S. in the Pre-Olympics Regatta in Athens, Greece in August 2003

• 2003 & 2005 North American 5o5 Championship, 2001 5o5 East Coast Champion ship- Tyler Moore

• Canadian 5o5 National Championship 2003 - Henry & Doug Amthor

• 2004 Laser North Carolina Masters Championship - Henry Amthor

• 2005 Ft. Lauderdale to Key West Overall PHRF Fleet First Place - Christian Schaumloffel

• 2005 Hampton One National Champion – Mark Wheeler

• 2005 US National Offshore Championship (Lloyd Phoenix Trophy) 3rd place- Sledd Shelhorse

• 2007 Ft Lauderdale to Key West Bolero Trophy (PHRF !st to finish) -  Sledd Shelhorse

• 2008 Intercollegiate Sailing Association Everett B. Morris Trophy, collegiate sailor of the year - Chris Behm

In 1994 HYC members Joe Hallissy and Clyde Winters were recognized by the CBYRA as the "Race Committee of the Year" for Handicap and Cruising One Design racing. HYC continues to be the racing center of the Lower Bay and exerts its influence beyond the region through support on international events such as Olympic Classes Regattas in 1994 and 1995 and national events such as the  J24 North American Championships in 1993, the 1998 Ida Lewis Regatta, the 1999 Opti National Championship, the 2002 Smythe-Bemmis Championship and the 2004 J29 North American Championship. HYC membership includes US Sailing Judges Dan Winters, US Sailing Judge; Dave Pryon, US Sailing Judge and Umpire; Joe Hallissy, US Sailing National Race Officer; John McCarthy, US Sailing Judge and Advanced Race Officer. US Sailing Club Race Officers are Dick Boykin, Bob Thomas, Randy Pugh, Kathy Brady and Glenn Giles.

In 1999, club member and former HYC junior sailor, Gary Bodie was named Head Coach of the United States Olympic Sailing Team. Gary formerly coached the Old Dominion University, US Naval Academy and Hampton University sailing teams. As of February 2002, former Hampton Yacht Club Junior Instructors Steven Hunt and Michael Miller were ranked number one on the United States Sailing Team for the 470 dinghy. Hunt and Miller have campaigned the 470 for a place on the U.S. Olympic team since 1999.  With their Gold Medal at the 2002 Miami Olympic Classes Regatta, they qualified to represent the United States in the “August 2002 Pre-pre Olympics” to be held in Athens, Greece.

In 2004 HYC began an on the water Powerboat Handling, Safety and Rescue instruction program. HYC members Carolyn Grant, Emory Morgan, Joe DeRyder and Buddy DeRyder posses national instruction certification by US Sailing and US Powerboating. Powerboat operator certification courses are held annually at the club for Junior Sailing Instructors, regatta race management personnel and club members.

HYC members also participate on Advisory Committees for the Sailing Teams of the following schools:

• Christopher Newport University

• Hampton University

• Old Dominion University

HYC is a member of United States Sailing Association and The Chesapeake Bay Yacht Racing Association.  HYC sponsors over 43 races for large and small boats as well a participating in the management of National and Regional Regatta Championships

Membership
See also our complete PROSPECTIVE MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION page

To join the Hampton Yacht Club a prospective member should have an interest in boating, be recommended in writing by a member in good standing and have his or her application approved by a majority of the Board of Directors.

Fees:
Initiation fees: Active - $2,000; Young Adults - $1,500; Non-Resident - $1,000.
Monthly fees: Active - $90, Young Adult - $45, Non-Resident and Retired - $50.
Food minimum: $75 per quarter for Active and Young Adult members.
A detailed table of fees, dues and charges may be viewed by clicking on the link below:

FEES, DUES & CHARGES

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