Washington State Yacht Clubs
Washington State has one of the richest sailing communities in the United States — the protected waters of Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the Inside Passage create ideal conditions for year-round sailing. From the historic clubs of the "Grand Fourteen" to small community clubs on the Kitsap Peninsula, there is a club for every sailor. Most clubs offer reciprocal moorage to members of other recognized yacht clubs.
The Grand Fourteen Reciprocal Moorage
The "Grand Fourteen" is an informal association of the 14 most prominent yacht clubs on Puget Sound, dating to the 1930s when competitive racing between clubs began. Members of any Grand Fourteen club receive reciprocal moorage privileges at all other member clubs — a significant benefit for cruising the Sound. The fourteen clubs are:
- Seattle Yacht Club — Portage Bay, Seattle
- Corinthian Yacht Club — Shilshole, Seattle
- Queen City Yacht Club — Eastlake, Seattle
- West Seattle Yacht Club — West Seattle
- Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club — Bellevue
- Tacoma Yacht Club — Tacoma
- Tyee Yacht Club — Olympia
- Olympia Yacht Club — Olympia
- Bremerton Yacht Club — Bremerton
- Port Orchard Yacht Club — Port Orchard
- Puget Sound Yacht Club — Seattle
- Everett Yacht Club — Everett
- Anacortes Yacht Club — Anacortes
- Port Townsend Yacht Club — Port Townsend
Seattle & Central Sound (7 clubs)
Seattle Yacht Club
Racing Cruising Grand FourteenOne of the oldest and most prestigious yacht clubs in the Pacific Northwest, founded in 1892. Located on Portage Bay with a full-service marina. Offers adult sailing lessons, youth summer sailing school, junior racing, and hosts major regattas throughout the year. Private club; membership required.
Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle
Racing Cruising Grand FourteenPremier racing-focused sailing club located at Shilshole Bay Marina. Founded 1945; dedicated to promoting yacht racing and cruising in the Pacific Northwest. Floating clubhouse at 7755 Seaview Ave NW. Active race program on Puget Sound. Strong youth sailing program.
Puget Sound Yacht Club
Family Cruising Grand FourteenFun, family-oriented club on the shores of North Lake Union in Seattle. Founded 1954. Emphasizes creative events, cruising on the Sound and Lake, and active boater education and safety programs. A welcoming club for sailors of all experience levels.
Queen City Yacht Club
Racing Grand FourteenCharter member of the Grand Fourteen. Historic Seattle racing club with a long tradition of competitive sailing on Puget Sound and Lake Washington. Located on Eastlake in Seattle.
Shilshole Bay Yacht Club
Family CruisingFounded 1961 with an emphasis on participation and informality. Located at Shilshole Bay — active cruising club with a welcoming atmosphere for recreational sailors. Good base for day sailing and Puget Sound cruising from Shilshole Bay Marina.
West Seattle Yacht Club
Family Grand FourteenMember of the Grand Fourteen. Located in West Seattle on the eastern shore of the Sound; good access to south Sound cruising grounds. Active social and cruising program.
Meydenbauer Bay Yacht Club
Racing Grand FourteenLocated on Meydenbauer Bay in Bellevue — Lake Washington sailing with Sound access through the Montlake Cut. Founded 1946. Member of the Grand Fourteen. Active racing and cruising program.
Seattle Sailing Schools & Clubs
- Seattle Sailing Club — Shilshole Bay; fleet of 22–40 ft boats for members; flexible membership; sailing instruction
- Puget Sound Sailing Institute (PSSI) — ASA-certified sailing school and club; locations in Seattle, Des Moines, Tacoma, and Olympia
Kitsap Peninsula (5 clubs)
Bremerton Yacht Club
Racing Cruising Grand FourteenFounded 1929 by Floyd H. Phillips — one of the oldest yacht clubs on the Kitsap Peninsula. Member of the Grand Fourteen. Located in Bremerton Harbor with easy ferry access to Seattle. Active racing and cruising schedule; strong community ties.
Port Orchard Yacht Club
Family Cruising Grand FourteenFounded 1956 in downtown Port Orchard overlooking Sinclair Inlet. Member of the Grand Fourteen. Grown steadily in size and prominence; hosts regular regattas and cruising rallies. Foot ferry access to Bremerton.
Poulsbo Yacht Club
Family CruisingFriendly club on Liberty Bay in Poulsbo — "Little Norway" on the waterfront. Great location for cruising Liberty Bay and Hood Canal. Near Longship Marine (used sailing hardware). Active cruising and social programs; strong community in the Poulsbo waterfront area.
Eagle Harbor Yacht Club
Family CruisingLocated on Bainbridge Island in Eagle Harbor — one of the most beautiful harbors on Puget Sound. Active cruising and racing program in a welcoming island community. Bainbridge Island ferry to Seattle makes crew access easy from the city.
Kingston Cove Yacht Club
FamilyFounded 1968 in Kingston, WA. Approximately 170 members and family members. Located near the Kingston ferry terminal — convenient for sailors traveling between the Kitsap Peninsula and the mainland. Active social and cruising calendar.
Port Madison Yacht Club
FamilyFounded 1956 on Bainbridge Island. Located in the protected waters of Port Madison Bay. Active family-oriented club with cruising and racing programs.
Gig Harbor, Tacoma & South Sound (4 clubs)
Tacoma Yacht Club
Racing Cruising Grand FourteenOne of the premier yacht clubs on the south Sound. Member of the Grand Fourteen. Active race program; hosts Foss Waterway Seaport events; strong reciprocal moorage network. Full-service facilities on Commencement Bay.
Tyee Yacht Club
Family Cruising Grand FourteenMember of the Grand Fourteen. Located in the Olympia area on the south Sound. Active cruising program focused on exploring the beautiful south Sound anchorages. Family-friendly with strong social calendar.
Gig Harbor Yacht Club
Family CruisingLocated in Gig Harbor's beautiful protected inner harbor. Active racing and cruising program. Gig Harbor is one of the most scenic anchorages on Puget Sound; the club reflects that — focused on enjoyment of the water and community.
Olympia Yacht Club
Racing Cruising Grand FourteenMember of the Grand Fourteen. Located at the southern terminus of Puget Sound. Part of the historic state capital waterfront. Hosts the annual Olympia to Port Townsend race and other Sound events. The southernmost club in the Grand Fourteen network.
Everett & North Sound (3 clubs)
Everett Yacht Club
Family Cruising Grand FourteenOne of the oldest yacht clubs in the Pacific Northwest, founded 1907. Member of the Grand Fourteen. Based at the Port of Everett — the largest public marina on the West Coast. Draws members from Snohomish and King counties. Active Wednesday night social events; broad range of cruising and racing programs.
Mukilteo Yacht Club
Family CruisingFounded 1998 — one of the newer clubs on the Sound. Young and fast-growing; dedicated to enhancing boating knowledge and enjoyment. Located near the Mukilteo ferry terminal with good access to the central Sound.
Navy Yacht Club Everett
FamilyMilitary-affiliated yacht club at Naval Station Everett. Open to active duty, reservists, retired military, and DoD civilians. Good rates and reciprocal arrangements with civilian clubs on the Sound.
Anacortes & San Juan Approaches (3 clubs)
Anacortes is the primary jumping-off point for the San Juan Islands — some of the finest cruising waters in the world. Clubs here anchor a strong offshore cruising community.
Anacortes Yacht Club
Cruising Racing Grand FourteenThe second oldest continuously functioning yacht club in Washington State, founded July 23, 1891. Member of the Grand Fourteen. Ideally situated as the gateway to the San Juan Islands and Canadian Gulf Islands. Active racing and cruising program; strong bluewater cruising culture. The most offshore-minded club in the Grand Fourteen network.
Flounder Bay Yacht Club
CruisingLocated on the west side of Fidalgo Island, north of Deception Pass and three miles west of downtown Anacortes. Smaller, community-oriented club; access to the northern Sound and San Juan approaches.
Fidalgo Yacht Club
FamilyCommunity yacht club in the Anacortes area on Fidalgo Island. Active local sailing community with access to the same world-class cruising waters as the Anacortes Yacht Club.
Bellingham (3 clubs)
Bellingham is the northernmost major city on Puget Sound — minutes from the Canadian border and the Gulf Islands. Excellent base for Canadian cruising.
Bellingham Yacht Club
Racing CruisingThe primary yacht club in Bellingham; located at Squalicum Harbor. Active racing program on Bellingham Bay; cruising fleet regularly visits the San Juan Islands, Gulf Islands, and Vancouver Island. Strong community with a well-equipped clubhouse.
Corinthian Yacht Club of Bellingham
Racing EducationSupports sailing, sailboat racing, water safety, and boating education in the Bellingham area. Part of the Corinthian family of clubs; racing-focused with strong community values. Excellent resource for younger sailors and those learning the sport.
Squalicum Yacht Club
FamilyCommunity-oriented club based at Squalicum Harbor — Bellingham's main marina. Friendly, approachable club well-suited to sailors transitioning from day sailing to cruising the northern Sound and Canadian waters.
Port Townsend & Olympic Peninsula (1 club)
Port Townsend Yacht Club
Cruising Grand FourteenFounded February 1947; member-built clubhouse on Washington Street overlooking Port Townsend Bay since 1986. Member of the Grand Fourteen. Promotes boating activities on the Olympic Peninsula through group cruises, seminars, and social events. Located at the heart of one of the most vibrant maritime communities on the West Coast — Port Townsend Boat Haven has 60+ marine trades businesses within walking distance.
About Port Townsend
- Port Townsend is one of the premier maritime communities in the Pacific Northwest — home to the annual Wooden Boat Festival (largest on the West Coast) and the Race to Alaska (R2AK) start
- Port Townsend Boat Haven — 475 slips; 60+ marine trades including sailmakers, riggers, boatyards, and chandleries
- Northwest Maritime Center — sailing education, wooden boat programs, and community events
- Gateway to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Canadian waters beyond
Washington State Sailing Resources
Club Directories
- NW Boat Info — Yacht Club Directory — comprehensive Pacific Northwest club list
- Cruising Northwest — Yacht Clubs
- US Sailing — Washington Clubs
- Everything About Boats — WA Clubs
Racing
- US Sailing — Race Schedules
- Race to Alaska (R2AK) — starts in Port Townsend; human or wind power only; 750 miles to Ketchikan
- Swiftsure International Yacht Race — Victoria, BC to Port Angeles to Port Renfrew; one of the premier offshore races in the Pacific Northwest
- Victoria-Maui Race — biennial offshore race across the Pacific
Education & Licensing
- WA Boater Education Card — required for 15+ hp motors, operators age 12+
- US Coast Guard Auxiliary — free courses; local flotillas throughout Puget Sound
- Puget Sound Sailing Institute — ASA certification; Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Anacortes
Key Marinas
- Puget Sound Marinas — Full Guide — complete coverage with slip counts, addresses, and phone numbers for all major Sound marinas
Weather & Tides
- NOAA Seattle Forecast Office — marine forecast for Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca
- NOAA Tides & Currents — Puget Sound has complex tidal patterns; always check before transiting narrows
- PredictWind — best sailing weather routing for the Pacific Northwest