Ford Yacht Club
Published: Tuesday, February 21, 2012 7:00 am
By: Ford Yacht Club
In 1947 where the Detroit River meets Lake Erie, Ford Yacht Club was formed by a group of Ford Engineering employees. Their objective was to establish a yacht club "to foster boating activities for families of moderate means." A 59-acre tract of vacant land at the southern tip of Grosse Ile was selected. Many days of planning followed before clearing the land and shoreline development began. The dedication ceremony was held on October 2, 1948. From the beginning, the club has relied on the participation of the membership for its operation and improvement of the facilities. A majority of the work required to operate and improve the Club is still provided by the membership today.
The original docks were located on the banks of what has come to be known as the East Basin. The first Club House was built in 1949. It has been rebuilt and enlarged many times over the years, most recently in 1989 when the size was more than doubled. The current facility has a view of Lake Erie that is second to none. It includes a full service restaurant and bar, complimented by an outdoor deck and extensive grounds with an outdoor grill and picnic shelters conveniently located near the docks. There is also a playground for children.
The Club has continuously improved the docks and added to the facilities. The West Basin was started in the mid 1950’s and has been expanded and enlarged over the years. The most recent harbor improvement was the addition of dockage on the inside of Banana Island. The Marina now has dockage for over 285 boats, as well as the room and the boat handling equipment to haul out and launch, and to provide winter storage. There is also a launch ramp and storage area for trailer-able boats and a single-point lift facility for launching and retrieving dry sailed sailboats, dinghies, and jet skis.
The membership is about evenly divided between Power and Sail. There are many combined boating programs and an active racing program for competitive sailors. There are rendezvous by boat and bus to many points on Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, and Lake Erie. Finally, there is an extensive year round social program with events covering the four seasons to meet the needs of the membership.
We offer three types of membership: our Basic (Social) membership gives the member the use of the grounds, the Club House, (bar restaurant, social events, etc.), and limited boating privileges. Regular membership gives the boater full use of the boating equipment and storage, and use of the boat ramp and Single Point Lift. Regular members do not have dockage rights. The Equity membership offers full privileges to the Club and its facilities. Docks are awarded based on member seniority and boat size compatibility.
If we can answer any questions you have about Ford Yacht Club, please contact the Ford Yacht Club office at 734-676-8422; located at 29500 South Pointe Rd., Grosse Isle, MI 48138. E-mail us at [email protected]. You can also visit the club website at www.fordyachtclub.com.
