Brief History of Lake Guntersville Yacht Club
1940 – 2009
On October 20, 1940, a group of boating enthusiasts met with the idea of
forming a club on the newly formed Guntersville Lake. They got the word out and had a fish-fry at a
house owned by TVA on Pine Island. Over 150 people showed up but not all joined. Officers were
elected and dues were set at $5.00 per year. One month later another meeting was held, this one at
the Glover Hotel. Twenty-two more members joined. In 1942, with 39 members, the Club decided to
incorporate so they could begin to work with TVA for an appropriate site. Several trips were made
to Knoxville and finally in 1947 TVA agreed to lease the present site. This lease for originally
for 3 years with a renewal of 16 years if TVA approved of the Club’s plans. Dock construction began
in May, 1948, with 420’ of fixed piers.
By 1953 the Club had invested in the original dock, plus two
additions, a road from
the highway, a pavilion, a barbecue pit and shuffleboard
court totaling $18,205. The Club
was used by members mostly on weekends.
There
was no permanent dockage. Many members did not own boats and those that did kept
their boats at their own private dock or at marinas. Finally, in 1955, TVA
agreed to sell
the property to LGYC for $5000.00. Since that time there have been additions and
improvements including a clubhouse with kitchen and bathroom and shower
facilities. |
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There
is also a large dining hall and smaller lounge area, along with the Club’s
offices. A swimming pool was added in the late 1960’s, and a large gazebo
adjacent to the pool deck added within the last 10 years. There are fueling facilities with
underground tanks and a pump-out system for boat holding tanks. There is also a launch ramp and dry
storage for boats and trailers. Additionally there are two residences on the property for employees.
The most significant expenditure has been on docks to house the member’s boats.
In 1969 there was a fire at the Club which destroyed all the boats and all the docks. At that time
there were approximately 18 slips. In 1970 rebuilding began and since that time slips have been added
on several occasions. Before the storm of April, 2009, the Club had 73 covered slips and 7 open slips. In the early years of the Club there were often over 100 members. However, since
most members now are boat owners and wish to keep their boats docked permanently at the Club, the
membership has been limited to 100 regular members. There are currently 85 regular members, along
with several non-resident and honorary members who do not house their boats at LGYC.