rose city yacht club

Rose City Yacht Club is one of the oldest and largest yacht clubs in Portland, Oregon. We currently have about 150 active members, individuals, couples, and families who enjoy the convenience and security of a private moorage, gated parking, and floating clubhouse. 

Commodore’s Welcome

Welcome! Since our beginnings in 1932, RCYC has grown steadily to a 160-slip member-built and owned marina with concrete docks and a floating clubhouse. We do not allow live-aboards (but members often do spend the weekend on board their boats, and we have shower facilities for members and reciprocal guests). While the majority of boats in the marina are sailboats, power boats are also welcome. We perform all our own repair and maintenance of Club facilities, which means that dues and fees are very affordable. Moreover, our work parties are true “parties” with social aspects taking on equal importance to the work. To ensure that all members participate in maintaining the Club, we require a minimum of 16 work hours per year per membership. That said, it does take more hours than the minimum to maintain and develop the Club so we appreciate the extra effort that many members contribute, particularly on special projects. The Club has its own pump-out dock, and there is a commercial fuel dock located at the next door marina.  The Clubhouse has a full galley, restroom facilities and a current capacity of 84 persons. Recently, the Club constructed a new floating patio, with a covered roof, which offers a delightful venue for many a summer BBQ. RCYC enjoys one of the newest all-concrete marinas in the NW, with pressurized water and all-GFI power to each slip. Our marina is strengthened to withstand winter winds, and we maintain depth with our own member-operated Dredge, the “J Randall” in the fall of each year.  Water depth is our marina is maintained at approximately 7 feet when the river level is at 0 feet relative to the Columbia River Datum (CRD) gauge. Note that actual water depth is typically much deeper than 7 feet in the marina, as the river historically runs higher but it can occasionally get down to 6 feet, or less, in the fall during low tides. Our slips are sized for boats up to about 12 feet of beam pretty easily, and some accommodate boats a foot or two wider. Dock tie-up lengths vary from 30 feet to 42 feet. There is normally a six- month to over a year’s wait for a slip, after being sworn in as a new member. We host many organized cruises on the Columbia River, as well as informal gatherings at nearby docks and anchorages. For our “Lazy Daze” cruise, we explore the lower Columbia River estuary, with many stops at island anchorages and small towns along the way. Some of our cruising members voyage everywhere from BC and Washington waters, down to California, Baja, the South Pacific, and beyond.  Many Club members participate in local and offshore sailboat races. RCYC is a regular sponsor of local races on the Columbia River. Skills are shared and we all collectively benefit. Members have trophied in ocean races regularly.

We are family oriented and traditionally have social activities year around, such as the annual Soup and Sail January 1, Opening Day, Walk BBQs and many others. The Club conducts a monthly Board meeting, usually by Zoom, and a monthly General Meeting, usually a hybrid meeting with some members in person in the Clubhouse, and others participating via Zoom. The Club conducts many educational events and seminars. We cooperate with CRYA and our sister yacht clubs and enjoy reciprocal privileges with many yacht clubs in the NW United States, BC Canada, and beyond. Our breakwater hosts reciprocal guests from other yacht clubs who are exploring the Columbia River basin. And finally, the most important feature of the Club is its members. We start with a common love of boating, but we are brought together through camaraderie in so many ways. Building long term friendships in conversation, laughter, and shared food and beverages is what we do best. Sincerely, Commodore Gary Brown and First Mate Lorena Brown