History of the Commonwealth Yacht Club

The Commonwealth Yacht Club was founded in 1993 to promote yachting and good fellowship on Barkley and Kentucky Lakes in Western Kentucky.  We are located in the historical little town of Grand Rivers, KY: the “Village Between the Lakes”.  CYC is the only yacht club on Barkley and Kentucky Lakes with its own private facilities where both delicious meals and alcoholic beverages are legally served.

The activities of the club are directed by an advisory board of officers and directors elected by the members who number more than four hundred. Meetings of the officers and directors are held monthly during the boating season, and at the call of the commodore the rest of the year.

Throughout the years the club has provided a variety of entertainment and special events for the members.  We have traveled in our boats "Round the Rivers" starting at Barkley Dam early on a Saturday morning in July and following the Cumberland River to the Ohio and on to Paducah. We anchored across from the riverfront and watched the end of summer fireworks that the City of Paducah provided for their Summer Festival ending.  Sunday morning found us following the Ohio back to the Tennessee River to Kentucky Lake, through the canal to Barkley and back to our slips at Green Turtle Bay.  Other years we have traveled as a group to marinas and harbors close by and those that are farther away.  The tie that holds all of us together is the love of boating and being on the water.

In addition to the boating activities, the club has provided us with musical entertainment for every holiday, and many times we did not need the excuse of a holiday to have music.  We have dressed up for Halloween and dressed down for the Island Parties.  We have worn tuxes and formals and flip flops and cowboy boots, but we have always enjoyed the camaraderie that CYC has provided. The club also provides us with delicious meals and fine drinks.

Our officers and directors are elected in October.  Since 1993 our Commodores have included the following: