Sailing Milestones: RCYC Junior Club Celebrates 100 Years

Built a century ago, the Junior Club building is still on site

May 22, 2025

This summer, The Royal Canadian Yacht Club is celebrating the 100th anniversary of its Junior Club. The RCYC was established in 1852 on Toronto Island and the Junior Club in 1925.

Since its founding a century ago, the Junior Club has been a place where young sailors learn and excel. It has shaped generations of skilled sailors, many of whom have gone on to represent Canada on the international stage as champions and leaders in the sport.

The Junior Club’s first instructor, Roper Dayment, in 1925
Ruth Mills First Girls’ JC Instructor 1956-60

One of Canada’s most prominent development venues, the RCYC Junior Club welcomes youth of all ages and backgrounds, Members and non-members from all over the world and has offered various bursary programs.

Over its century of history, this program has produced Olympians, Olympic Medalists, Pan Am Games Medalists,

America’s Cup participants, Canada’s Cup Winners, Admiral’s Cup, World Match Racers,

World Team Racers, Fastnet competitors, Ocean Race and Globe 40 competitors. Equally importantly, the program has inspired cruisers, and many more who have a lifelong love of sailing.

History: Paul Henderson (left) and Harry Bruce win the Aphrodite Cup

The season’s pinnacle is a Homecoming style party on Saturday, June 28th at the RCYC Island Clubhouse. All past Junior Club attendees, instructors, and coaches are welcome! 

The celebrations include:

Sailpast: Saturday, May 17 (last Saturday)

Cyber Sail Youth Regatta: Saturday, May 31

Junior Club Open House/BBQ: Saturday, June 21

TGIF Sailing Night: Friday, June 27

JC100 Homecoming Reunion: Saturday, June 28

JC100 Family Sailing/Regatta: Sunday, June 29

To Register, Click here.  For more details on our Junior Club 100 celebrations, Click Here

Related Articles

Video Gallery

Bennington 22 MSB

By Andy Adams

If you’ve already had firsthand experience with a pontoon, you will easily understand the appeal of the Bennington 22 MSB. But if you haven’t, let’s start by reviewing a few of the reasons why pontoon boats have become top sellers in markets across North America.

Pontoon boats began in the early 1950s as basically four steel drums lashed to a frame. They were not unlike the log rafts of ancient cultures and not much more sophisticated at first.

Read More

Destinations

The Best of Two Worlds

By Mathew Channer

Interior British Columbia might not be as famous for recreational boating as Canada’s Great Lakes, yet it is no less a world-class boat­ing destination. The mountains offer their own flavour of marine adventure with their series of long, deep ribbon lakes, and there is perhaps no area that embodies this more uniquely than the iconic Okanagan basin in southern B.C. One could be forgiven for assuming this valley was purpose-built for nautical fun, with a few delightful perks thrown in to make the area entirely irresistible (wine-tasting, anyone?).

Read More

Lifestyle