The SWYC is located on Whidbey Island, Washington. Although the Club does not have a permanent clubhouse, we hold the majority of our monthly meetings and club events at the Greenbank Progressive Club (3090 S Firehouse Rd, Greenbank).
The Club was formed in 2003 by a group of people who were inspired by our founding Commodore, the late Ken Sasson. He was a man with a great passion for education and the ways of the winds and tides. He was also deeply committed to making boating accessible and enjoyable for all ages. The Club has grown rapidly and currently has more than 100 members with a variety of sail, power and human-powered boats. Boat ownership is not a requirement, and our events provide extensive participation opportunities for members without boats. The SWYC Vision and Purpose continue and perpetuate Ken’s legacy.
To further the Club’s Purpose and provide small boat education and experience for young people, we have assembled a fleet of El Toro sailing dinghies and established a community youth sailing program. Many of these boats were rescued from barns and back yards and were brought back to life through the handiwork of our members. The Club also has accumulated a one-design fleet of San Francisco Pelicans, owned by individual members. The Pelicans race on a regular basis and serve as the platform for our adult sailing classes. In addition, the Club has been hosting a full season of Laser Class racing since 2016, open to all-comers. The Club has also acquired a number of Laser sailboats available for use by non- boat owning members; these boats are also used for our Intermediate Youth Sailing Classes in July.
Kayaking is another water activity that has gained much interest among our members in the last few years. The Club has an active kayaking group with planned paddles starting in spring through late September. The rest of the year the group has social gatherings, planning sessions and speakers on kayaking adventures and kayaking safety. Some of the more adventurous kayakers paddle year-round.
Additional activities include a cruising group and an active women’s social group, the Windward Women.
The Club conducts a year-round schedule of activities and events both ashore and on the water. Our monthly programs are chosen for their relevance to the sea, the environment and community interests, and are open to the general public. Our friends at Whidbey Telecom did a little video about us for WhidbeyTV.com. Check it out!