History

November 1934 a group of mostly engineers in their 20's gathered at the YMCA to discuss a boat club at the new lake presently under construction.

In the Winter of 1935 the organization of the Lake Springfield Pleasure Boat Club was announced and one of the first orders of business was a contest to come up with a better name.

C.H. Raney won the contest with the name Island Bay Yacht Club and on May 16th, 1935 corporation papers were filed.

The original lake lease was for 6.5 acres which included the North Bay all the way around to the picnic area.

First dues - $25 to join and $2 per month. Most of the work was done by the members. The first summer the "Gear House" was erected.

Summer of 1935 a tremendous amount of effort went into building fixed docks - wiped out by ice the first winter. A concern we still have to this day.

In 1944, as the war was winding down Jon Greeley suggested that a new club house be built. The new club house construction began in 1966.

A card room was built in 1946 with a cut of each game to go towards construction of a new club house. George Coutrakan was elected states attorney in 1948 and the gambling was forced to quit, the slot machines removed.
 

1946 also marked the beginning of bean soup at the Mid-States Regatta. Mid-States has been held annually since 1939 interrupted only twice by low water in 1954 and leptosporosis in 1998.

The junior sailing program started in 1956.

In 1962 a cottage was built for the caretaker who previously lived in the attic above the gear house.

In 1963 an assessment was imposed of $10 per quarter to pay for $18,000 in sewer construction. No one realized that the work at that time could cost so much. Little did they know how cheap $18,000 would be, 30 years later. During 1994 - 1995 the sewage ejector itself was almost $18,000 to replace.

In 1963 the lease was expanded by 5.1 acres to the west of the club. Membership was about 200.

The club house was constructed in 1965-66 at a cost of $243,000 for the club house, $52,000 for the pool and $18,000 for furnishings. The club members put $45,000 down and took a mortgage for $250,000 at 6% for 20 years. Kitchen equipment was purchased from the Governors hotel which had just renovated.

In the first years after the club was built activities went on pretty much as they had. A steward was hired to prepare the food and the Board of Directors did everything else. The first full time manager was hired in 1967. The first professional club manager was hired in 1977. The club has had three managers in the last twenty-two years.

The early part of the 1980's were marked by tough financial times. However, with a full membership, a higher quality food and beverage operation, and many physical plant upgrades the club is in sound financial condition today.

The 1990's marked growth in the total operation of the club. In 1977 total annual income was approximately $300,000, today it's approximately $1.2 million.

For the last 10 or 15 years the most important unwritten responsibility of the board is to maintain the club's culture and at the same time satisfy the needs of the social members.