History of the Palatka Yacht Club

The Palatka Yacht Club (PYC) met informally for several years filling a gap during which no yacht club existed in Palatka after the St. Johns Yacht Club ceased operation—the St. Johns Yacht Club (legally incorporated in the 1950s) was the originator of the first Mug Race.

Dan and Nancy Sheffield moved to Palatka and were instrumental in organizing the PYC very much like the one that they had belonged to in Miami. The Sheffields and other founding members had the experience of belonging to a yacht club without a proper clubhouse and knew the challenges. They also had two key ingredients, the love of boating and perseverance.

For several years the PYC conducted monthly meetings in the home of various members. The monthly meetings served as both the directors’ meeting (as there were no formal directors at that time) and a business meeting. Business was transacted over a dinner served by the host of the meeting. At that time, the club consisted of approximately a dozen members, most of whom had boats. Finally, in 1976 PYC was incorporated by its members (charter members).

Club membership soon grew beyond a single meeting in member homes. Meetings then moved to "floating events," then later to rented halls necessary to accompany the growing membership. PYC held many monthly meetings, club functions, commodore balls, and dances over the years at the old Holiday Inn (now Quality Inn & Suites Riverfront), the Civic Center at Ravine Gardens, Lion’s Club, Price Martin Community Center, and the Palatka Women’s Club.

Members Gene O’Connor and Colin Mackenzie raced in the first Mug Race as St. Johns Yacht Club members and continued racing as PYC members. PYC boats have participated in every Mug Race. Club members provide support for the Mug Race by assisting the race committee at the start of the race and by providing hospitality for the racers. PYC sponsors the Gene O’Connor Commemorative Trophy to the first PYC member to finish the race and the Colin Mackenzie Memorial Trophy for the first Putnam County resident to complete the event.

PYC rendezvous were numerous and were often over night events. Some of those early events included overnight boating to Harbormaster’s Marine in Jacksonville (now River City Brewing), Astor (south of Lake George), and 3-day weekend events to Ft. Brook through the Buckman Lock onto Lake Ocklawaha (Rodman Reservoir). Other outings were cruises to enjoy food and drink at Corky Bells and the Old Shell Harbor. Capt. L.J. Smith, who ran Shell Harbor at the time, always looked forward to the arrival of the club and made sure that everyone had an excellent dinning experience—which it was indeed!

Membership continued to grow despite the fact that the club was without a home of its own. While many members looked forward to the wonderful catered dinner meetings, events and rendezvous, others dreamed, explored, and discussed the club having its own home.

After many years of not having a large enough membership to afford a clubhouse, the PYC dream of owning their home was achieved in 2004. In approximately 2003, several members found an old steel hull that was half sunk at the old Offshore Ship Building facility across from Seven Sisters Islands, just south Palatka. The club acquired a large hull originally destined to become a floating entertainment vessel. PYC renovated the hull into a multilevel floating clubhouse with inside seating for nearly 100. Built in the style of an 1800s riverboat, the clubhouse, complete with wheelhouse and towering stacks, is moored on the St. Johns River at Browns Landing, about 11 miles south of Palatka. When found, the dimensions of the hull were 80 feet length overall (LOA) by 28 feet in beam; after the modifications were complete it measured 85 feet LOA by 32 feet high by 32 feet in beam and weighed approximately 68 tons. The build out was ready for its members in 2005.

Activities at the clubhouse are many and cover everything from regular monthly gatherings to weekend boating rendezvous, including canoe trips.

Now, PYC has a physical address (107 Marina Road), a telephone number (888-851-1811), and a Web site (http://palatkayachtclub.org) in addition to its mailing address (PO Box 2004, Palatka, Florida 32178-2004).

On the great St. Johns River, we enjoy all forms of boating.