For over one hundred years now, the Sandusky Yacht Club has provided its members shelter and comfort when Sandusky Bay waters are not as inviting as the warm fireplace near a friendly tap. The floating population is an attractive asset to any waterway, and many cities view with envy Sandusky's beautiful land-locked harbor. Our club is the scene of activity for twelve months out of the year.
The original clubhouse of the Sandusky Yacht Club, was situated near the foot of Columbus Ave. It was later moved out from shore and placed on cribbing. This created a semi-closed harbor for mooring boats. This structure served its purpose well until a tornado swept through Sandusky in the summer of 1924 and demolished most of the waterfront. No part of the building was ever found.
From that date until the erection of the core of the present club house, the members met in various locations. In the years 1934-35, during the terms of Lee Keller and Dr. C.A. Shimanski as Commodores, the erection of a new club house entered the talking stage. From that time on, throughout the terms of Commodores J.W. Harbecht and Earl Seitz, all members and officials of the club worked enthusiastically until the new facility was opened at our present location on May 13, 1939.
In the six decades since that opening, The Sandusky Yacht Club has been on a steady course to become one of the finest clubs of its kind on the Great Lakes. Since 1988, the greatest changes have occurred, beginning with the dedication of a 180 slip marina; the addition of new offices, restrooms, and a gift shop; and an improved covered entrance. The most recent additions include 50 additional docks, bringing the total to over 250, additional office space, a casual dining area and bar, additional conference and meeting rooms and a covered outdoor dining area.
Sandusky Yacht Club membership now hovers over 800, Its fleet boasts nearly 350 sail and power boats. Throughout the years, the Sandusky Yacht Club has changed with the times. But many things remain the same, including the value placed on long-standing traditions set forth by our founders. The Sandusky Yacht Club remains a place for people to gather. It's the setting for swapping stories with friends, both old and new. It's a traditional place to share holidays, regattas and good times.
- Ted Homberger, Chairman, SYC Historical Committee
"If men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us! But passion and party blind our eyes, and the light which experiences gives is a lantern on the stern, which shines only on the waves behind us."
- Samuel Taylor Coleridge; December 18, 1831
Images of SYC History
With a 270 degree view of the Sandusky Bay, SYC's first clubhouse provided a great spot for the rocking chair sailors. Notice also the rooftop dance floor that could be covered with canvas for club parties.
Just like today, the SYC clubhouse underwent many changes. Here we see the Clubhouse, approximately 1920, minus the rooftop dance floor as well as an open second floor veranda.
NAVIJO, Commodore Joseph Harbrecht's yacht, became a welcomed sight at SYC as well as I-LYA functions in the 1930's and 40's.
A crowded SYC weekend near the foot of Columbus Ave. In the background is Lay Bros. Fisheries, the largest commercial fishing company in Sandusky. To reach the clubhouse a catwalk ran alongside the Lay Bros. Co.
Finally a location suitable to our building committee became available on the Kelly Island Lime & Transport Dock in 1937. The Clubhouse that was built (shown here) had steel I-beams running under the foundation in case removal from the site was necessary.
Blown to Bits! That's what all accounts have to say after the 1924 Tornado that ripped across the North coast. This photo shows the remains of where the Clubhouse once stood. Everything, absolutely everything blew away that day, June 28th, 1924. The clubhouse and most records were never to be seen again.
While most commodores served one year, our first Commodore, L.D. Anthony, served for 6 years from 1894-1899, our seventh commodore, W.R. Huntington, served for 10 years from 1906-1915, Charles Thornburgh served 4 years from 1927 – 1931, and Joseph Harbrecht served 3 years from 1937-1939. Several commodores served for two years: C.C. Warren (1901-1902), Fred Emmons (1916-1917), John A. Feick (1918-1919), Sidney Frohman (1921-1922), William Reinhart (1923-1924), W.H. Murbach (1925-1926), L.R. Mylander (1932-1933), and C.A. Shimansky (1935-1936). Then, 76 years later,
James Eiselstein (2005) served his second term in 2015.
The Past Commodores of Sandusky Yacht Club
1900 Emil G. Schmidt (I-LYA 1916)
1901-1902 C.C. Warren (I-LYA 1902)
1903 George F. Anderson (I-LYA 1900)
1904 Charles B. Lockwood
1905 William F. Seitz, Jr.
1906-1915 W.R. Huntington (I-LYA 1901, 1912, 1918)
1916-1917 Fred Emmons
1918-1919 John A. Feick
1920 Frank J. Seitz
1921-1922 Sidney Frohman (I-LYA 1923)
1923-1924 William H. Reinhart
1925-1926 W.H. Murbach
1927-1931 Charles A. Thornburgh
1932-1933 L.R. Mylander (I-LYA 1946)
1934 Lee B. Keller
1935-1936 C.A. Shimansky
1937-1939 Joseph W. Harbrecht (I-LYA 1952)
1940 Earl V. Seitz
1941 George Michaux
1942 Wilbert G. Schwer
1943 James F. Flynn, Jr.
1944 Rolland G. Sloat
1945 Williard C. Pfefferkorn
1946 Charles M. Mouch
1947 Fred E. Wiehn
1948 Marion F. Yenney
1949 William F. Burger
1950 Russell A. Thom
1950 R. Guy Echols
1951 Glenn B. Pore
1952 Harry D. Greene
1954 Clark L. Beverly
1955 David J. Casaver
1956 Oran C. Wilson
1957 Jacob R. Sabiers
1958 Gordon Wendt
1959 Ira E. Upper
1960 William White
1961 Carl L. Voltz
1962 Ross C. Bickley
1963 Harry D. Greene, Jr.
1964 Frank B. Stallings (I-LYA 1968)
1965 Donald B. Maddrell
1966 Emerson L. Ambos
1967 Earl J. McGookey, Jr.
1968 Arthur L. Booker
1969 Robert E. Miller
1970 Dean C. Everson
1971 John E. Schreiner
1972 Larry J. Millot
1973 Kenneth E. Tone
1974 Donald J. Huntley
1975 Robert L. Strayer
1976 William O. Conkle
1977 Russell E. Brooker
1978 August J. Kaufman
1979 Richard C. Hohler
1980 Leroy E. Baumeister
1981 Daniel M. Jacobs
1982 Robert L. Missig
1983 Eugene R. Rice
1984 James A. Bertsch
1985 Edward O. Ries
1986 Angelo P. Mularoni
1987 James H. Fosco
1988 Paul Semprich
1989 Lynn Holdren
1990 Jack Bauer
1991 Jan E. Gaydos
1992 Andrew C. Kaus
1994 Eugene A. Koby
1995 Carl McGookey
1996 Larry Bartow
1997 Charles Troike
1998 Norm Winkel (I-LYA 1978)
1999 Craig Wood
2000 David L. Murray
2001 Mark Dahlmann
2002 John Py
2003 Karen Fuller
2004 William Oldham
2005 James Eiselstein
2006 Brent Gardner
2007 John Sheppard
2008 Robert Bunsey
2009 James Resar
2010 Jack Runner
2011 Charla Johnson
2012 Reagan Bristol
2013 Michael Claar
2014 William Taggart
2015 Nicholas Glynos
2015 James Eiselstein
2016 Greg Frisch
2017 Robert Mueller
2018 Thomas Tucker
2019 Paul Berlin
2020 James Preston
2021 William Zucker
2022 Dru Meredith
2023 Andy Sausser
2024 Vernon Brant
2025 Jordan Powell
