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. The original charter was revised in 1989. The thirteen charter clubs were:

Bird Key Yacht Club, Sarasota
Bradenton Yacht Club, Palmetto
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

The Following clubs were admitted later. They are listed in order of the dates they became members:

Many other clubs have applied, but did not meet the requirements of the Council By-laws and were not admitted.

The member clubs in the Council represent a population of approximately 37,300 voters 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 now has a legislative representative in Tallahassee, paid for by the Council. The Council is a well-established, respected force recognized as a potent organization of dedicated yachtsmen.

The Council has sponsored cruises to the Dry Tortugas, the Bahama Islands and the Everglades. The Council has also sponsored Professionally organized tours to Monte Carlo, the Dominican Republic, Greece, Denmark, Germany, Bermuda, the Caribbean, and the Panama Canal, the St. Lawrence Seaway and many more.

The Council is an active member of water oriented organizations such as the Florida Ports and Water Resources Association and the National Boating Federation and cooperates with other organizations, such as the Gulf Coast Council of Yacht Clubs, having objectives similar to ours. Close liaison is maintained with the U.S. Coast Guard in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Miami and the Corp of Engineers district office in Jacksonville.

Members of a member club of the Council may visit any other member club, have a berth for their boat with the first night's dockage free, and have charges for all club activities billed through their own club.

Some of the 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.

                                                                                                                                                                                      © 2010 FCYC