Welcome! Click here for an introduction to the Arizona Yacht Club and to apply for membership using our secure, online system.

Frequently Asked Questions

We'd love to have you join AYC, but understand that you might have a lot of questions first. Here's a starter — answers to a few of the questions we're asked most often.

Do I have to own a boat to become an AYC member?

No, you don't need a boat to be an AYC member. In fact, AYC has a "fleet" of non-boat owners, who just want to crew. So if you're between boats, a new sailor, or just want to do some research before buying, join AYC and get the experience!


What does the club do?

AYC offers the most complete sailboat racing schedule in the Southwest, but the club is much more than just racing. There are social programs, including our monthly meetings, picnics, raft-ups, and other non-competitive events. Our nonprofit subsidiary, the Arizona Sailing Foundation, offers sailing education and seminars, and an active and acclaimed Junior Program.

I thought Arizona was a desert. Where's the water?

Air conditioning and water projects made it possible for 4,500,000 people to live where only saguaro cactus and rattlesnakes used to survive. Thank the water projects for a series of dams that created the lakes and great sailing — and we can do it 12 months a year!

AYC holds a number of regattas and special events on Lake Pleasant, a beautiful, scenic lake just about 20 miles northwest of central Phoenix. And there's Tempe Town Lake, offering convenient sailing in the heart of the Metro Area. Two hours away, Lake Roosevelt curls through the hills and timber of higher country. There are a number of small, community lakes where we hold events, such as Val Vista Lakes, McKellips Lake, and Estrella Lake. And the Sea of Cortez in Mexico is less than a four hour drive.

Tell me a little bit about the AYC members.

The AYC Membership is composed of over 250 active sailing families, with a wide mix of ages, backgrounds, and sailing experience. Because the club has been active since 1958, we have an excellent base of long-time members, plus a lot of people who have joined within the last two or three years. Since Arizona draws so many people from other states and countries, we're probably more open than most clubs to welcoming new members.

Is AYC membership reciprocal to other Yacht Clubs?

Yes, currently there are over 40 Yacht Clubs that officially recognize AYC, plus dozens that offer consideration to AYC members.

How many AYC Racing Fleets are there?

The number fluctuates as the popularity of different boats rises and falls. Right now they include:

• Buccaneer

• Capri (Catalina) 14.2

• Catalina 22

• Challenger

• Laser

• Merit 25

• PHRF Spinnaker

• PHRF Non-Spinnaker

• Portsmouth

• Santana 20

• Sunfish

• Thistle
  

There are links to information about the fleets on our racing page.

How would I know what's happening?

Our three primary information pipelines are our monthly newsletter, the Yahoo! discussion group and this Web site. The Compass Points magazine (click here for a large PDF file of the most recent one) is a forum for news, photos, advertisements, and ideas. You can sign up for the Yahoo! group from the home page of this site. The Web site is a handy reference for people like you who have Web access. Here you'll find all the calendars, results, and reference information you need to plug into AYC.

Can you teach me to sail?

The Arizona Sailing Foundation (ASF) is a non-profit arm of the Arizona Yacht Club created to teach the art of sailing. ASF has educational programs taught by US Sailing-certified instructors to help anyone in the community learn to sail. Learn more about ASF here.

Do you have a program for my kids?

ASF also has an active training program for kids as young as 8 and continuing through college. The emphasis is on fun, but the program also offers an opportunity for the kids to pick up advanced sailing techniques. Here's where you'll find more about the Junior Program.