Kelowna Yacht Club

What Kelowna Yacht Club does

Kelowna Yacht Club (KYC) is a private, non-profit membership organization founded in 1945 and headquartered at 1370 Water Street in Kelowna, British Columbia. It operates Canada's largest fresh-water marina on Okanagan Lake and serves over 4,000 members across Regular, Lifestyle, Corporate, and Intermediate membership tiers. The club's core offering is marina moorage, social and dining facilities (The Galley Lakeside Cafe and Member Lounge Dining), and a calendar of regattas and social events.

KYC monetizes through a layered revenue model: recurring membership dues, subscription-based Boat Club ($2,575 per 2026 season) and Paddle Club ($99 annually) products, sailing and wake sport education programs (youth camps, adult Sail Canada certifications, Ladies Surf Days), food and beverage operations, private event hosting and catering, and boat and equipment rentals at below-market member rates. GTM is community-led and event-driven, supported by a self-serve online booking platform (FareHarbor), email newsletters with a stated 75% open rate, and an active Instagram presence. Distribution is anchored to its single waterfront facility in downtown Kelowna.

The underlying technology stack is conventional — web-based booking via FareHarbor and ClubhouseOnline membership management — with no proprietary platform or AI capabilities. Strategic differentiation is grounded in the physical lakefront asset, an 80-year heritage brand, a 58-club reciprocal network across BC, Canada, USA, Mexico, and Jamaica, and a 42-business local member benefits program. The club is governed by a Board of Directors with Commodore Danny Foster as the top elected officer; there is no external parent, no venture capital ownership, and no disclosed financial information.

Name

Kelowna Yacht Club

Legal name

Kelowna Yacht Club

Website

https://kelownayachtclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kelowna Yacht Club is a non-profit, membership-based yacht club founded in 1945 in Kelowna, BC, operating Canada's largest fresh-water marina on Okanagan Lake. It serves over 4,000 members with moorage, dining, sailing and wake sport education, Boat Club and Paddle Club subscriptions, catering, and event hosting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yacht Club and Marina Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Marinas (71393)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

Sailing & Water Sports Teams/Clubs (Sailing, Rowing, Surfing) (MPAKABAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE), Private Charters & Yacht Experiences (Crewed, Bareboat, Day Charters) (THAJAJAB), Boat & Marine Leasing (FSAKANAH)

Keywords

• Yacht club memberships
• Marina moorage services
• Sailing education programs
• Boat rental services
• Watersport training

Headquarters

HQ city

Kelowna

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual and recurring membership fees from over 4,000 members across various membership types (Regular, Lifestyle, Corporate, Intermediate). Members receive access to marina facilities, dining, events, and reciprocal club benefits.
2. Moorage Services: Top-quality moorage services at Canada's largest fresh-water marina. Members receive below-market value pricing for superior moorage.
3. Sailing Education Programs: Revenue from youth sailing camps, adult sailing courses, certifications (Sail Canada Basic Crew, Basic Cruising), and private lessons. Programs include Wet Feet camps, CANSail programs, and wake sport instruction.
4. Boat Club Membership: $2,575 seasonal membership (2026) providing 20 hours of no-charge rentals, 25% discount on additional rentals, unlimited paddle rentals, and discounted fuel surcharges. Membership includes complimentary Paddle Club access.
5. Paddle Club Membership: $99 per member annual subscription offering no-charge kayak and paddleboard rentals, discounted paddle events, and programming including Ladies Night and SUP yoga.
6. Food and Beverage: The Galley Lakeside Cafe and Member Lounge Dining offering seasonal menus, upscale casual dining, take-out services, and dockside delivery. Includes catering for events and weddings.
7. Event Hosting and Catering: Meeting and event spaces available for private events, weddings, and corporate gatherings. Includes banquet room rentals (25% discount for members) and full catering services.
8. Boat and Equipment Rentals: Individual boat rentals (pontoons, bowriders, wakesport powerboats, sailboats), paddle rentals, and accessory/toy rentals at below-market rates for members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kelowna Yacht Club is a membership-based yacht club operating Canada's largest fresh-water marina on Okanagan Lake, providing members with moorage, upscale dining, sailing and water-sports education, boat and paddle rentals, event hosting, and access to Boat Club and Paddle Club fleet programs. The club serves over 4,000 members and is supported by reciprocal arrangements with 58 yacht clubs across North America and internationally.

Product overview

Kelowna Yacht Club operates as Canada's largest fresh-water marina offering a comprehensive suite of water-focused products and services centered around Okanagan Lake living. The core offering includes marina moorage and membership with access to upscale dining (The Galley Lakeside Cafe and Member Lounge Dining), boat and paddle club programs, sailing education (Kid Summer Camps and Adult Courses), wake sport instruction, boat/paddle rentals, catering services, and racing programs. The Boat Club provides fleet access with 20 hours included rentals plus discounts, while the Paddle Club offers no-charge kayak and paddleboard rentals. Education programs include CANSail certifications for youth and adults, with pro instructors like Lily Anderson for wake sports. The club also provides event spaces and catering for meetings and weddings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The Galley Lakeside Cafe Lakeside cafe offering seasonal features and everyday dining for members and visitors at the Kelowna Yacht Club waterfront.
• Member Lounge Dining Upscale-casual members-only dining restaurant with reservation system, seasonal menus, and dockside delivery service.
• Moorage Moorage at Canada's largest fresh-water marina on Okanagan Lake, offering below-market pricing for members with wait list, move list, sublet, and reciprocal moorage options.
• Boat Club Seasonal membership subscription providing members access to a diverse fleet of pontoons, bowriders, wakesport powerboats, and sailboats at below-market rental rates, with 20 hours included and discounts on additional usage.
• Paddle Club Annual $99 membership add-on providing members no-charge kayak and paddleboard rentals, discounted paddle events and programming, and discounted rates for family and friends.
• Boat Rentals Individual boat rentals available to KYC members at below-market rates, including pontoons, bowriders, wakesport powerboats, and sailboats.
• Paddle Rentals Kayak and paddleboard rentals available to members and guests of the Kelowna Yacht Club.
• Accessory and Toy Rentals Watersport accessories and toys including wakeboards, surfboards, water skis, towable tubes, and floating docks available to add to boat rentals.
• Kid Summer Camps Week-long summer day camps for children ages 4-17 covering introductory sailing, CANSail Optimist and 1-4 certifications, watersports, and wake sports, led by certified instructors.
• Adult Sailing Courses Adult sailing and water-sports education programs leading to Sail Canada Basic Crew and Basic Cruising certifications, ROCM Radio Operator certification, spill response, and boat handling instruction.
• Wake Sport Programs Wake surfing, wakeboarding, and water-skiing instruction including Ladies Surf Days with pro Lily Anderson, adult beginner surfing, and private wake sport lessons for parties.
• Group and Private Bookings Private group lessons, school field trips, private wake sport lessons, and private sailing tours available for custom bookings.
• Paddle and Dock Programs Yoga on the Dock, Group Paddle, and Good Morning Paddleboard Yoga classes offered in partnership with Our Yoga Space.
• Catering and Events Catering services for meetings, events, and weddings with multiple event spaces including banquet rooms available for member and non-member bookings.
• Racing Sailing racing programs including regattas such as Blossom Time Regatta, Vernon Regatta, End to End Race, and the Okanagan Women's Regatta.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 4,000 members served
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 58 Reciprocal ClubscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExtensive network of 58 reciprocal clubs across BC, Canada, USA (including Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle, Royal Vancouver Yacht Club, Royal Canadian Yacht Club, Seattle Yacht Club), and international locations (Acapulco Yacht Club, West Indies Yacht Club). Members receive access and privileges at partner clubs including moorage, dining, and meeting spaces.
• Our Yoga SpaceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for yoga programming including Yoga on the Dock and Good Morning Paddleboard Yoga. Our Yoga Space provides certified instructors for waterfront yoga sessions at the club.
• Holy Doodle Sailing ChartersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal sailing charter service offering 20% discount to KYC members. Provides additional on-water experiences for members.
• Navis Marine InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGroup Marine Insurance Program specifically designed for KYC members. Provides boat insurance with exclusive rates through a dedicated marine broker relationship.
• 42 Local Business PartnersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMember benefits program featuring discounts from 42 local businesses including Okanagan Marine Guys (10% off detailing), Rolla Auto Detail ($50 off), Bellstar Hotels (15% off), Anytime Sim Golf (15% off), Apres Tours (15% discount), Beauty Boats (35% off first luxury clean), and many more.
• Waterways EnvironmentalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Spill Response Training at KYC with instructor Rick Grindrod who has 30 years of environmental compliance and spill response experience. One-day course with classroom and hands-on dock training.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• West Vancouver Yacht Club: Local BC yacht club offering marina, dining, sailing and reciprocal privileges on Burrard Inlet. Competes for overlapping Lower Mainland/Okanagan members and visitors.
• Seattle Yacht Club: Pacific Northwest yacht club operating a large marina, dining, sailing school, and racing programs. Listed as a KYC reciprocal partner and a direct analogue in scale and offering mix.
• Royal Canadian Yacht Club: Historic Toronto-based yacht club with marina, dining, sailing programs and reciprocal privileges. Closely mirrors KYC's full-service membership-club structure and is also a reciprocal partner.
• Newport Harbor Yacht Club: Established California yacht club offering marina services, dining, youth sailing and regattas. A direct structural peer in terms of programming, governance and member experience.
• Royal Victoria Yacht Club: Vancouver Island yacht club with marina, clubhouse, sailing school and youth programs. Closely comparable in size, programming and community-led model.
• Royal Vancouver Yacht Club: One of Canada's most prominent yacht clubs, located in West Vancouver. Operates a full marina, dining, sailing school, and reciprocal network; directly comparable membership-club model and one of KYC's named reciprocal partners.
• Corinthian Yacht Club of Seattle: Established Seattle yacht club operating a marina, dining facilities, sailing and racing programs. A named reciprocal partner of KYC with a near-identical full-service club structure.
• Port Credit Yacht Club: Lake Ontario-based yacht club with marina, dining, sailing school and active reciprocal program. Operates on a similar inland-waterway/lakefront model to KYC.

Regional players

• Nanaimo Yacht Club: BC Vancouver Island yacht club offering moorage, clubhouse, sailing and social programs to a coastal/marine member base. Comparable full-service yacht-club format, though on saltwater rather than a lake.
• Vancouver Rowing Club: BC-based water sports club with comparable membership, dining and on-water programming. Overlaps with KYC's water sports education and social club positioning but serves False Creek rather than a lake marina.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks3 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/kelownayachtclub
• Facebookfacebook.com/kelownayachtclub

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kelowna Yacht Club