Inner Harbor Yacht Club began as most good ideas do, with a conversation over cocktails amongst twenty-one friends who shared a common love for boating. They all dropped one dollar into a hat and the rest is history.
Founded in September 1963 in Tonawanda, NY as a private non-profit traditional boating club built on the principles of building friendships and being a “working man’s club”, Inner Harbor Yacht Club has endured over the decades and carried on those principles within the boating community. The Auxiliary comprised of members’ First Mates was also founded at that time and continues to help the club thrive to this day. Guided by the Bridge and Board of Directors, our small base of membership allows us to feel more like a family than a boating club.
That feeling of family and camaraderie is most evident in the numerous annual traditional and social events held by the club that the membership contributes to and enjoys. A majority of the work around the club is handled in house by many of the talented members who are more than willing to lend their skills and expertise for the good of the club. Members help each other as well. Whether someone needs help winterizing a boat or they just need you to grab a bag of ice, our members really do look out for each other. In regards to boating, our club prides it self on celebrating our shared passion together throughout the summer. It is not uncommon to see our members’ boats gathered together somewhere on the waterways of WNY almost every weekend.
Inner Harbor Yacht Club is active in our community as well. We help to promote safe boating and donate to programs that do as well. Our members have been active in the Excalibur Leisure Skills Center as well as Swiftwater Sail and Power Squadron which offers safe boating courses. Many boats from our club hand out candy at the annual Haunted Harbor event on the Erie Canal. We also donate to various charities throughout the year to give something back to our community.
Inner Harbor Yacht Club; building friend”ships” since 1963.
