North Cape Yacht Club

What North Cape Yacht Club does

North Cape Yacht Club (NCYC) is a private, member-owned yacht club founded in 1962 and located on the western shore of Lake Erie in La Salle, Michigan. The club operates a deep-water harbor with slips for approximately 150 boats and serves 454 members distributed across ten membership categories, including Senior (capped at 325, currently 269), Crew, Limited, Non-Resident, Junior, Intermediate A/B, Club, Emeritus, and Honorary tiers. Operations span recreational sailing, competitive racing, and youth development, with a curated calendar that includes Wednesday Night Racing, a Cruising Fleet, an Adult Learn to Sail program, a Junior Sail Camp, and a Junior Race Team.

The club generates revenue from a tiered membership dues structure ranging from $100 (Junior) to $812.60 (Senior) annually, supplemented by one-time initiation fees for new Senior members, slip and storage fees for the 150-boat harbor, sailing program tuition (sail camps, race clinics, lessons), food and beverage operations, an online Sailing Gear Store, and hosting fees for National and North American Championship regattas. The related 501(c)(3) North Cape Sailing School (NCSS), founded in 1999, extends the educational mission into tax-deductible community programming. North Cape's brand credentials include US Sailing's 2011 One-Design Yacht Club of the Year award and an Olympic gold medal (Anna Tunnicliffe, 2008) attributable to its development pipeline, and the club holds reciprocal privileges with over 100 affiliated clubs, anchored by DRYA membership. Governance is volunteer-led by an elected Board and a current Commodore, Brad D'Arcangelo.

Name

North Cape Yacht Club

Legal name

North Cape Yacht Club

Website

https://ncyc.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

North Cape Yacht Club is a private, member-owned yacht club founded in 1962 on Lake Erie in La Salle, Michigan, operating a 150-slip harbor for 454 members and delivering recreational sailing, competitive racing, junior development, and regatta hosting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Yacht Club

NAICS

Marinas (713930)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)

akta.pro primary industry

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

Keywords

• Private yacht club
• Sailing instruction programs
• Yacht racing events
• Member boat clubs
• Junior sailing education

Headquarters

HQ city

La Salle

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Senior Membership Dues: Annual membership dues ranging from $100 (Junior) to $812.60 (Senior), plus initiation fees of $1000 for Senior Memberships.
2. Club Facility Access: Membership provides access to clubhouse, bar, racing/cruising facilities, deep water harbor, and grounds privileges.
3. Adult Learn to Sail Program: Paid sailing instruction courses at $250 for non-members and $150 for members, with 4-class sessions per course. Includes intermediate courses offered twice per summer.
4. Sailing School Programs: NCSS (North Cape Sailing School), a 501(c)(3) non-profit, provides scholarships for junior sail camps, advanced race clinics, and safety seminars. Funded through donations.
5. Junior Sail Camp: Summer day camp for youth ages 8-16 with sailing instruction, open to members and non-members.
6. Bar and Kitchen Facilities: Club generates revenue through bar service and kitchen facilities for events, with food available during sailing classes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

North Cape Yacht Club operates a private member yacht club providing access to a 150-slip deep water harbor, clubhouse, and organized sailing activities. Its core offerings include adult and youth sailing instruction (ALTS, Junior Sail Camp, Junior Race Team), competitive racing (Wednesday Night Racing and national championship regattas), a cruising fleet program with trips across Lake Erie, and social events for members and families. The affiliated 501(c)(3) North Cape Sailing School provides structured sailing education and scholarships.

Product overview

North Cape Yacht Club offers a portfolio of sailing-related programs centered around its core sailing and racing activities. The flagship offerings include the Junior Sail Camp for youth ages 8-18, the Junior Race Team competing in I-LYA events, and the Adult Learn to Sail (ALTS) program using J80 sailboats. Supporting these is the North Cape Sailing School (NCSS), a 501(c)(3) non-profit that provides educational seminars and scholarships. The club also operates a Cruising Fleet with organized trips, Wednesday Night Racing series, and an online Sailing Gear Store to support junior sailing. The products and programs are interconnected, with NCSS providing the educational foundation, youth programs feeding into competitive racing, and adult education creating pathways to club membership and racing participation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• North Cape Sailing School (NCSS): A 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 to provide sailing education and promote boating safety to all interested persons. Operates sail camps, adult learn-to-sail programs, educational seminars, and provides scholarships for junior sailing programs.

Products and services

• Junior Sail Camp Summer full-day sailing camp for youth ages 8-18 with US Sailing certified instructors covering beginner and intermediate instruction, water safety, rigging, knots, and sailing skills. Open to members and non-members.
• Junior Race Team Competitive sailing team for juniors offering regatta participation in the I-LYA Traveler's Series, Junior Bay Week, and advanced racing clinics. Provides 420s, Lasers, and Optimists for team use.
• Adult Learn to Sail (ALTS) Adult sailing instruction program using a fleet of 26-foot J80 fixed-keel sailboats. Offers introductory and intermediate evening classes using US Sailing Keelboat education curriculum with classroom and hands-on-water instruction.
• North Cape Sailing School (NCSS) 501(c)(3) non-profit organization providing sailing education and promoting boating safety. Offers educational seminars, scholarships for sail camps, and supports the club's sailing programs.
• Cruising Fleet Program Organized cruising program offering multiple annual cruises including Spring Warm-Up, Summer Cruise (8-10 days visiting 4-5 ports), Middle Bass Island Getaway, and Labor Day Weekend Cruise to Lake Erie ports.
• Wednesday Night Racing Series Weekly Wednesday evening races during the sailing season with post-race food and camaraderie, typically drawing 40 boats in 5 classes.
• NCYC Regatta Registration Service Online registration service for NCYC races and regattas using the RailMeets platform.
• Sailing Gear Store Online merchandise store selling sailing apparel and gear to support the Junior Sailing Program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Produced Olympic gold medalist Anna Tunnicliffe
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• North Cape Sailing School, Inc. (NCSS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999NCSS is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 to provide sailing education. Operates separately but in coordination with NCYC, providing scholarships for junior camps, race clinics, and instructor training.
• Inter-Lake Yachting Association (I-LYA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional yachting association covering the Great Lakes. NCYC participates in I-LYA events and extends reciprocal privileges to I-LYA members. Junior sailors participate in I-LYA Traveler's Series.
• Associated Yacht Clubs (AYC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional boating association. NCYC extends reciprocal privileges to AYC members and hosts AYC events.
• Detroit River Yachting Association (DRYA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional yachting association. NCYC recently became a member and extends courtesy to DRYA members at guest facilities.
• Toledo Beach MarinaminorOthersAdjacent marina sharing a dredged channel to Lake Erie. Channel entrance is shared with approximately 100-foot wide passage between rock breakwaters.
• 100+ Affiliated Yacht ClubsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver 100 yacht clubs listed as affiliated/affiliated organizations including clubs from Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania, New York, Indiana. Extends reciprocal privileges for visiting members.
• Anna TunnicliffeminorOthers2008 Olympic gold medalist in sailing. NCYC junior sailing program graduate who has coached at Advanced Race Clinics.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Macatawa Bay Yacht Club: Private member yacht club in Holland, MI on Lake Michigan offering racing, cruising, junior sailing, and social events. Comparable Great Lakes sailing club with similar member-owned governance and regatta hosting profile.
• Bayview Yacht Club: Detroit-based private member yacht club on Lake St. Clair with active racing, junior sailing, and cruising programs. Directly comparable as a Great Lakes sailing club competing for the same regional member base and hosting national regattas.
• Crescent Sail Yacht Club: Private member yacht club in Grosse Pointe Farms, MI on Lake St. Clair with active one-design racing fleets, junior sailing, and learn-to-sail programs. Directly comparable in scale, geography, and member-driven product offering.
• Detroit Yacht Club: Historic Detroit-based private yacht club on the Detroit River offering sailing, racing, junior sailing instruction, and social events. Comparable scale, governance, and product mix to NCYC within the same metro area.
• Toledo Yacht Club: Toledo, OH private member yacht club from which NCYC's founders departed in the late 1950s. Operates comparable sailing, racing, and social programs on western Lake Erie in direct geographic proximity.
• Grosse Pointe Yacht Club: Private member yacht club in Grosse Pointe, MI on Lake St. Clair with similar sailing, racing, cruising, and junior programs. Comparable membership-driven model serving the same southeast Michigan sailing community.

Regional players

• Saugatuck Yacht Club: Lake Michigan member yacht club in Saugatuck, MI with active sailing and racing programs. Comparable membership model but operates on a different lake, providing regional rather than direct head-to-head competition.

Broad incumbents

• Royal Canadian Yacht Club: Historic Toronto-based private yacht club with sailing, racing, cruising, and junior programs across Lake Ontario. NCYC already extends reciprocal privileges to RCYC through I-LYA membership, indicating active peer positioning.
• Chicago Yacht Club: Major Great Lakes private yacht club with significantly larger membership, facility footprint, and race hosting credentials (including the Chicago Mac race). Comparable sailing and racing programs but at substantially greater scale and brand reach.
• New York Yacht Club: Prestigious private yacht club with national racing circuit and reciprocal privileges. Comparable member-owned structure with elite sailing brand, though at substantially larger scale and broader geographic reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/north-cape-yacht-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 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 North Cape Yacht Club