West Vancouver Yacht Club

What West Vancouver Yacht Club does

West Vancouver Yacht Club (WVYC) is a private, member-owned yacht club founded in 1945 and based at Fisherman's Cove, 5854 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, British Columbia. It serves approximately 700 members across four tiers — Active, Social, Intermediate, and Junior — with full-service waterfront amenities including a 190-slip yacht basin, 27 dry storage slips, clubhouse, yachting centre, hoists, a marine elevator, a workshop, and a mast tower. The club's geographic footprint extends across Howe Sound, the Gulf Islands, and the Sunshine Coast through four outstations: the owned 40-acre Elliott Bay property on Gambier Island, the owned Kendrick Island at Gabriola Passage, and leased facilities at Pender Harbour Resort and Salt Spring Marina.

The club's product portfolio centers on a membership program supplemented by Sail Canada CANSail-certified instruction (Adult Learn-to-Sail at $499, private lessons at $240 for members, youth summer camps, and K-12 school programs at $35/child/day), a Boat2Go boat sharing program providing access to a Beneteau First 36.7, J/22 keelboats, 17' Boston Whalers, kayaks, and SUPs, a competitive racing program featuring the Southern Straits Classic and Pumpkin Bowl Regatta (Western Canada's largest dinghy regatta), the WVYC Race Team youth development pipeline, and event/catering services for weddings, corporate functions, and member social events. The technology footprint is conventional — website, member portal, and online event booking — with no proprietary platforms or AI components.

WVYC operates as a non-profit member-owned organization governed by a Board of Directors, with revenue generated through recurring membership dues and entrance fees (financed over 48 months), usage-based boat sharing, fee-for-service sailing instruction, and event/catering fees. New members are acquired through a community-led, referral-based process requiring two current member sponsors, supplemented by awareness generated through signature regional racing events. The club has achieved Clean Marine BC's top Five-Anchor eco-rating and adopted the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta pledge, formalizing its sustainability commitments.

Name

West Vancouver Yacht Club

Legal name

West Vancouver Yacht Club

Website

https://wvyc.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

West Vancouver Yacht Club is a private member-owned yacht club founded in 1945 in West Vancouver, BC, serving 700 members with 190-slip moorage, CANSail sailing instruction, competitive racing, boat sharing, event catering, and access to four outstations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yacht Club and Recreational Boating Services

NAICS

Marinas (713930), Marinas (71393), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (48721)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG), Private Yacht & Luxury Boat Charters (With Crew) (THAJALAE)

Keywords

• Yacht club memberships
• Sailing instruction programs
• Recreational boating services
• Yacht racing events
• Marine moorage facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

West Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Entrance Fees: The club generates primary revenue through membership entrance fees (with age-based discounts), monthly/annual dues, and installment financing options (48 months at club bank interest rates). Membership categories include Active, Social, Intermediate, and Junior with varying fee structures.
2. Boat Sharing Program: Revenue from boat sharing program including sailing yacht (Beneteau First 36.7), Boston Whalers, J/22 keelboats, and kayaks/SUPs. Members pay for access to club-owned vessels for day sailing, overnight trips, and outstation visits.
3. Sailing Instruction Programs: Revenue from sailing instruction including Adult Learn to Sail courses ($499), private lessons ($240 for members), youth summer camps, school programs, and CANSail certification courses.
4. Events, Weddings, and Catering: Revenue from hosting events, weddings, milestone celebrations, business meetings, and seminars. The club offers catering services with event spaces overlooking Fisherman's Cove.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

West Vancouver Yacht Club is a member-owned yacht club providing access to a 190-boat moorage yacht basin, 27 dry storage slips, clubhouse and yachting centre facilities, four remote outstations, and dining services. The club delivers Sail Canada CANSail certified sailing instruction from beginner youth programs through adult learn-to-sail and competitive racing, alongside a Boat2Go boat sharing program with sailing yachts, Boston Whalers, J/22 keelboats, kayaks, and SUPs. Members and event clients access year-round racing programs including signature events (Southern Straits Classic, Pumpkin Bowl Regatta), event hosting and catering services, and a youth Race Team pipeline.

Product overview

West Vancouver Yacht Club operates as a membership-based yacht club offering a portfolio of interconnected recreational and educational services. The core offering is the membership program providing access to 190-boat moorage capacity, clubhouse facilities, and four outstation destinations. Complementary services include learn-to-sail programs (CANSail certified), competitive racing programs featuring signature events like the Southern Straits Classic and Pumpkin Bowl Regatta, a Boat2Go sharing program with diverse watercraft, event hosting and catering, and youth development through the WVYC Race Team with Corinthian Fund support. The Club's facilities include hoists, workshop, marine elevator, mast tower, and a Clean Marine BC five-anchor certified facility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Pumpkin Bowl Regatta recognized as Western Canada's largest dinghy regatta, attracting youth sailors from across the region
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Georgia Strait Alliance (Clean Marine BC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2019Clean Marine BC is a voluntary eco-certification program. WVYC achieved the top five-anchor rating in March 2019, committing to environmental best practices including eliminating contaminants, waste reduction, recycling, and energy conservation. The club also adopted the Sailors for the Sea Clean Regatta pledge for yachting events.
• Pender Harbour ResortcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeased outstation facility providing WVYC members access to resort amenities including pool, shore-side accommodation, boat launch, laundry, and WiFi. Located 39nm from club at Duncan Cove, ideal stopover for cruises to Desolation Sound.
• Salt Spring MarinacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeased 240 feet of dock space in Ganges Harbour for member moorage from May 1 - September 30. First come, first served basis with shore power included.
• Page's Resort (Silva Bay)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocated near Kendrick Island at Silva Bay, Page's Resort provides dinghy dock access, gas, liquor store, art gallery, and food options (Fire Truck Grill, Li'l Market Store) for WVYC members cruising the Gulf Islands.
• Sail CanadacoreTechnology or IntegrationNational sailing federation providing CANSail certification standards. WVYC instructors are Sail Canada certified to deliver accredited sailing courses aligned with national standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Maple Bay Yacht Club: Maple Bay Yacht Club on Vancouver Island is a member-owned club providing racing, cruising, and reciprocal club access in the Southern Gulf Islands — the same cruising territory as WVYC's Kendrick Island outstation.
• Nanaimo Yacht Club: Nanaimo Yacht Club is a Vancouver Island-based member-owned club offering moorage, racing, and learn-to-sail programs. Operates on the same coastal cruising grounds as WVYC and competes for Gulf Islands sailing events.
• False Creek Yacht Club: False Creek Yacht Club is a Vancouver-based member-owned club providing moorage, racing, and social programming on False Creek. Similar non-profit membership structure and waterfront asset base, though smaller cruising footprint.
• Vancouver Rowing Club: Another member-owned water sports club in Metro Vancouver offering programs, social events, and youth development. Overlaps with WVYC in community-led recreation and youth sport, though rowing rather than sailing is the core activity.
• Point Roberts Marina & Yacht Club: Point Roberts Marina and adjacent yacht club operate at the US-Canada border on Boundary Bay, offering moorage, fuel, and basic sailing community. Comparable in marina services and reciprocal boating access but geographically distinct.
• Squamish Yacht Club: Squamish Yacht Club operates at the head of Howe Sound with racing, cruising, and reciprocal moorage offerings. Comparable regional peer operating in WVYC's cruising waters but with a smaller facility footprint.

Direct peers

• Jericho Sailing Centre: Jericho Sailing Centre in Vancouver offers sailing lessons, windsurfing, kayaking, and dinghy racing to members and the public. Closely comparable in sailing instruction, youth programming, and community-driven access model.
• Royal Vancouver Yacht Club: Royal Vancouver Yacht Club is the most prominent direct peer: a member-owned yacht club based in Vancouver, BC, offering racing, cruising, sailing instruction, marina moorage, and reciprocal club access along the same coastal waters as WVYC.
• Royal Victoria Yacht Club: Royal Victoria Yacht Club is a BC-based member-owned yacht club with comparable racing programs (regattas, one-design events), sailing school, marina, and outstation network — directly comparable in product mix and target member to WVYC.

Others

• Sail Canada: National sailing federation that sets CANSail certification standards taught at WVYC. Included as an ecosystem/standards partner rather than a direct competitor — enables WVYC's accreditation rather than competing with it.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WestVanYC
• Facebookfacebook.com/westvancouveryachtclub
• Instagraminstagram.com/westvancouveryachtclub
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/westvancouveryachtclub

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

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 West Vancouver Yacht Club