About Bras D’Or Yacht Club
Our Service
The Bras d’Or Yacht Club’s upper lounge provides a warm, welcoming atmosphere where you can relax, socialize and absorb the breathtaking views of the Bras d’Or Lake. Our full service bar is open year round, seven days a week and welcomes supporters and visitors alike.
Extending the length of the upper lounge our balcony offers comfortable deck furniture, and a wonderful place to view yachts sailing on the lake, or the day’s sunset. Access to the balcony is gained from the waterfront or from the upper lounge.
Our lower hall provides an ideal setting for hosting a variety of private functions, accommodating up to 100 guests. Bar services, kitchen facilities, sound equipment, and restrooms are available. The facilities of the lower hall can be extended outside on the club wharf with the use of commercial tenting.
A large wharf at the face of the clubhouse can accommodate boats for temporary docking, and dinghy traffic to and from our moorings. Adjacent to the club wharf is our launch ramp which can accommodate just about any sized boat, launched from a personal trailer or by commercial lift.
Our Volunteer Board
- Commodore
- Past Commodore
Steff MacLeod - Vice Commodore
Donald Halfpenny - Rear Commodore
Erin Morrow - Learn to Sail
Dean Baldwin - Events and Entertainment
Dan Morrison - Facilities and Fixed Assets
- Director of Communications
History of the Yacht Club
For almost a century, the Bras d'Or Yacht club has stood at the Baddeck shoreline, greeter to all who enter the harbour.
The clubhouse - with its slipway, flagstaff and viewing verandas, are so much a part of the waterfront of Baddeck, that it is hard to imagine the community without it. But in fact, for the first decade of its existence, the Bras d'Or Yacht Club had no such home base. Meetings were held at Gertrude Hall, the courthouse and in member's main street offices. Minute books from the earliest club days, detail searches for the most basic of yacht club needs - a patch of water frontage to launch boats and a location where sailing trophies could be presented and displayed.
Today, the clubhouse is a vital part of the village's tourism infrastructure. It is a community meeting place. It has played host to birthday parties, kids Halloween dress-up contests, wedding celebrations, regatta festivities and provides a homey gathering place for sailors and friends.
The Bras d'Or Yacht Club's past is interwoven with the history of the village itself.
Governance
Voting privileges at our Annual General Meeting
Eligibility to run for any Board of Directors position
Opportunity to volunteer and have your say with many different BYC committees
Boating
Discounted rates on sailing lessons
Eight free days on BYC moorings per calendar year
Exclusive access to moorings for seasonal use
Free access to boat launch ramp
Exclusive access and competitive rates for boat storage on BYC Grounds
Bar & Entertainment
Discounted beverage prices (excluding events when drink tickets are sold)
Discounted admission prices for social events and entertainment
Free admission to Member Appreciation Night
Facility Rental
Preferred rates on Lower Lounge rental
Free access to basic kitchen and preferred rates for access to industrial kitchen
Travel
BYC Members can access yacht clubs worldwide (excluding royal squadrons/clubs)
““There was quite a large gathering on the shore of the waterfall harbour, off Beinn Bhreagh Harbour. Bonfires, baked oysters, sandwiches bread & butter, ginger ale and tea. The Scraper and the Alexander were anchored near by decorated with lanterns also numerous boats and motor boats on shore. The supper table had been made of boards and a temporary wharf on the shore. Supper was followed by Gaelic songs.””
—Alexander Graham Bell, describing a clambake (with oysters) on the harbour. He composed a song “dedicated to the Bras d’Or Yacht Club by Beinn Bhreagh Friends” in honour of the club.