Saginaw Bay Yacht Club

What Saginaw Bay Yacht Club does

Saginaw Bay Yacht Club (SBYC) is a private, member-owned yacht club founded in 1894 in Essexville, Michigan, and currently operated as a Michigan non-stock corporation chartered in 1959. The club sits on 480 feet of Saginaw River frontage approximately one mile from the river's mouth, giving members direct access to Saginaw Bay and the Great Lakes. It is the second oldest yacht club in Michigan, celebrating its 130-year anniversary in 2024, and has over 220 members across Full, Social, and Junior tiers. Facilities include a clubhouse with full dining room and lounge, a kitchen led by a chef with 27+ years of experience, two marina basins with fixed ('A') and floating ('B'/'C') docks, a launch ramp, dry storage, and winter storage.

The club's revenue model combines recurring membership dues and initiation fees, annual and transient dock slip rentals, dry/winter storage, and dining/bar and private-event catering. Pricing is fully transparent: Full Membership costs $500 initiation plus $142/month, Social Membership $250 initiation plus $100/month, and Junior Membership (ages 18–26) is $0 initiation plus $40/month. Dock fees are tiered by basin and vessel length ($1,200–$1,500+ minimums plus $15/ft above 40 feet), with utilities billed on a $13-per-point system and transient dockage at $10–$30/night. The club is a member of the Yachting Club of America (YCA), which provides reciprocity privileges at nearly 800 affiliated yacht clubs across the United States and direct reciprocal agreements with 40+ Michigan-based clubs.

SBYC operates without proprietary technology beyond the Clubspot platform that powers its website, member portal, dining reservations, and event calendar. The technology posture is administrative rather than strategic. Its go-to-market is relationship-driven: prospective members must be proposed and seconded by two voting members, recommended by the Membership Committee, and approved by majority vote of the Board of Directors. Member engagement is sustained through a deep social calendar — Mother's Day Brunch, Easter Brunch, Venetian Night, Blessing of the Fleet, Christmas Parties, Saturday-night live music, and the Hart-Billy Legacy Dockage at the Bay City Fireworks Festival — and a monthly newsletter (The Masthead). The club is governed by a Board of Directors and Flag Officers (Commodore, Vice Commodore, Rear Commodore, Treasurer, Secretary) and operated by a small staff including General Manager Jason (Jay) Wendt, Business Manager Bobbie Gamble, and Chef Tyler Vincent.

Name

Saginaw Bay Yacht Club

Legal name

Saginaw Bay Yacht Club

Website

https://sbycmi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1894

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Saginaw Bay Yacht Club is a 130-year-old, member-owned private yacht club in Essexville, Michigan, serving over 220 members with marina dockage, dining and bar services, social events, and reciprocal privileges at nearly 800 yacht clubs through the Yachting Club of America.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Essexville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Initiation Fees: The club generates primary revenue from membership initiation fees (Full $500, Social $250, Junior $0) and recurring monthly dues (Full $142, Social $100, Junior $40). These fees provide access to club facilities, dining, and for Full members, dock/slip privileges.
2. Marina Dock and Slip Rental: Dock and slip rental fees constitute a major revenue stream. 'A' Dock minimum is $1,500 plus $15 per foot over 40 feet. 'B' and 'C' Docks minimum is $1,200 for boats up to 22 feet; 'C' minimum $1,500 for boats over 22 feet but less than 40 feet. Utilities are charged per point system at $13 per point with a five-point minimum. Transient dock fees range from $10/night (under 20 ft) to $30/night (40 ft and above).
3. Dining and Bar Services: The club operates a full dining room and lounge with a chef who has over 27 years of experience. Dining and bar services are available to members, their guests, and reciprocal club members. A service charge is automatically included on bills. The club also hosts private events (business meetings, birthday parties, graduations, retirements, showers) generating catering revenue.
4. Dry Storage and Winter Storage: Dry storage fees for boats on trailers: $100 summer storage for slip holders, $300 for non-slip holders. Winter storage (from December 1st) is $100 for both slip holders and non-slip holders. These fees provide additional recurring revenue from members who do not hold full dock slips.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Saginaw Bay Yacht Club is a private member-owned yacht club that provides marina dock and slip rental, full dining and lounge services, private event hosting, and a year-round social calendar to its membership. Members gain access to two marina basins with fixed and floating docks, reciprocal privileges at nearly 800 yacht clubs through the Yachting Club of America, and clubhouse facilities located one mile from the mouth of the Saginaw River in Essexville, Michigan.

Product overview

Saginaw Bay Yacht Club is a hospitality organization offering marina facilities, dining services, and membership programs rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include dock/slip rental for boats, full dining and lounge facilities, event hosting capabilities, and various membership tiers (Full, Social, and Junior memberships). The club operates seasonal dining hours from January through December with varying schedules, and provides reciprocal privileges with other yacht clubs through the Yachting Club of America network. No distinct technology products, software modules, or branded digital offerings were identified in the source material.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Full Membership Membership tier for individuals or legally married couples aged 18+ providing full access to clubhouse, dining, marina dock privileges, voting rights (two votes), and ability to hold board and Flag Officer positions.
• Social Membership Membership tier for individuals or couples aged 18+ providing clubhouse, dining, social event access, one vote, and board service rights without marina dock privileges.
• Junior Membership Affordable membership tier for sons and daughters of Full Members aged 18-26, allowing yacht ownership and launch on Club property with a pathway to Full or Social membership upon aging out.
• Marina Dock and Slip Rental Annual slip and dock rental services at two marina basins with fixed 'A' docks and floating 'B'/'C' docks, accommodating boats from under 20 feet up to over 40 feet, plus transient docking by the night.
• Clubhouse Dining and Lounge Services Full-service dining room, lounge, and patio offering chef-prepared menus for members, their guests, and reciprocal club members; service charge is included on bills.
• Private Event Hosting and Catering Private event space and catering for member-hosted functions including business meetings, birthday parties, graduations, retirements, and showers, booked through the General Manager.
• Dry Storage and Winter Storage Seasonal boat storage on Club property including summer dry storage for trailers and winter storage from December 1st, available to slip holders and non-slip holders.
• Social Events and Entertainment Program Annual calendar of member social events including Mother's Day Brunch, Easter Brunch, Christmas Parties, Venetian Night, Blessing of the Fleet, Hart-Billy Legacy Dockage at Bay City Fireworks Festival, and live Saturday night patio music during summer.

Quantifiable outcome

• 130 years of continuous operation (established 1894, celebrated 130-year anniversary in 2024)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Yachting Club of America (YCA)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1963SBYC is a member of the Yachting Club of America, founded in 1963 as the first National Association of Yacht Clubs, with founding principles designed to serve the advancement of Yachting. YCA maintains reciprocity agreements with nearly 800 yacht clubs across the United States. Through this network, SBYC members enjoy dining, bar, short-term docking, and shower privileges at participating clubs when traveling by boat or car. YCA was co-founded by John Wayne among other notable members.
• NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)minorOthersNOAA is listed as a friendly link on the SBYC website. NOAA provides water level information through its Tides & Currents portal, allowing SBYC members to check water levels along the Saginaw River reported from the nearby Coast Guard Station. NOAA is a federal agency focused on the condition of the oceans and the atmosphere.
• Saginaw Bay Power SquadronminorOthersListed as a friendly link. The Saginaw Bay Power Squadron is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to making boating safer and more enjoyable by teaching classes in seamanship, navigation, and related subjects. Provides educational resources and safety training accessible to SBYC members.
• United States Coast Guard AuxiliaryminorOthersListed as a friendly link. The US Coast Guard Auxiliary promotes boating safety, security, and stewardship since 1939. SBYC is located just north of the US Coast Guard Station, and members can reference Auxiliary resources for boating safety information.
• Bay SailminorOthersListed as a friendly link. Bay Sail is a private non-profit organization dedicated to promoting environmental stewardship of the Saginaw Bay and the Great Lakes through engaging shipboard experiences aboard two schooners, the Appledore IV and Appledore V. Programs include science education for K-12 school groups, overnight voyaging for youth and adults, public sails, charters, group tours, and port visits.
• Saginaw Bay Community Sailing Association (SBCSA)minorOthersListed as a friendly link. SBCSA is on a mission to making sailing affordable and accessible to youth and adults in the Great Lakes Bay Region. As a community sailing organization in the same region as SBYC, there is potential for member engagement and youth development programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Saginaw-Bay-Yacht-Club-SBYC-100064358155739
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/saginaw-bay-yacht-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Saginaw Bay Yacht Club