How to become a member of a Toronto Yacht Club

You’ll want to take a tour of a potential club before joining. Most yacht clubs in Toronto will have a process for onboarding new members which starts with a meeting to ensure you’d be a good fit, then a tour to ensure that the club would be a good fit for you, followed up for the formal application process. Once an application has been submitted online, the Membership Committee will connect with to set up an interview (chance to get to know each other). If the boat is approved by the Harbour Master and the applicant by the membership committee, an offer of Membership is usually made. The acceptance of that offer requires the payment of an initial membership fee, followed by haul out and launch storage fees. In subsequent years annual dues, the haul-out and launch storage fees are the only monetary obligations. As a self-help club, HYC members are required to contribute “time” or “work hours” on an annual basis. In 2024 that was set at 24h.  Mandatory time spent during the haulout and launch efforts are counted within those hours.

Unlike more Yacht Clubs in Toronto, Both Power and Sailboats are welcome at HYC, but incoming boats must meet the length and beam parameters of available dockage and land storage as determined by our Harbour Master. Generally, boats of 34’ x 11’ and less are acceptable, but confirmation by the Harbour Master is required for all new boats and member applicants. HYC welcomes diverse boat types, with boats equipped with sleeping quarters, a head and galley are the norm. HYC emphasizes community over exclusivity, but this is not a dry-sail club, so member boats are in the water for the season, and require an over-winter cradle for on-the-hard storage in the off season. Boats are expected to be in good working order and have a minimum of $2,000,000 liability insurance.