Vernon Yacht Club in Vernon, North Okanagan, Canada | Yacht Club

Welcome to Vernon Yacht Club in Vernon, British Columbia in Canada.
The idea of forming a Yacht Club was first conceived by a group of charter members. To generate interest a sailing race was organized for August 1951. The wind did not attend, but many people did. Encouraged, the organizers arranged a meeting for November at the OK Landing United Church hall. With a good attendance it was quickly decided to form a Yacht Club, with Dr. Hugh Campbell Brown elected Commodore, Dr. Leon Causier Vice Commodore, Horace Gailbraith legal advisor, and Austin Collins as Secretary. Another thirty signed up as founding members, each contributing a few dollars, and June 23, 1953 the Vernon Yacht Club in Vernon, British Columbia, received its charter as a society.
Meanwhile, the hunt was on for a waterfront club site. Debris from the paddlewheel era resulted in depressed values for the affected water front properties and in 1955, with the assistance of Dr. Campbell Brown, the club purchased one lot with a small building and 50 feet of lake frontage, directly across the road from the doctor?s then new house. The Campbell Brown residence remains and the Vernon Yacht Club is the only Okanagan Yacht Club to own its property.
At Christmas and New Year, club sailboats wintering on the water have evolved a tradition of dressing the rigging with lights and cruising the bay for enjoyment of residents and it is reported that some of these die hards sail each week, all winter, on the almost ice-free lake. Other members volunteer to skipper a pontoon excursion boat for elderly and infirm members of the community. The concrete clubhouse has served well and is frequently the scene of formal and not so formal socializing. Some members are also Power Squadron members and provide boating courses throughout the year. Recently the club has provided moorage and a meeting place for the Vernon Sea Scouts.
Now on course to its 100th anniversary, the Vernon Yacht Club?s tradition of imagination, hard work, membership participation, and community service will continue to bring together those lively souls who love to mess about in boats.