I would like to join but do not know any members of FBYC. Can I still join the club?

Yes! If you don’t already know club members who can help you line up a sponsor, contact the Membership Chair who will put you in touch with current Members, preferably in your area of interest. For example, if you are interested in racing, the Chair would arrange for you to meet with Members who are active in the Offshore Division or the One Design Division. You would also be informed of any club activities that might be of interest to you and encouraged to attend where the sponsoring Member would serve as your host and assist you in meeting other Members.

I used to be an Active Member of FBYC. If I want to rejoin will I have to pay the initiation fee again?

Yes, but only a percentage of the initiation fee in effect when you rejoin. If you resigned in good standing with no outstanding obligations to the Club, and if this is the first time you are applying to rejoin, then upon approval of your application by the Board, you would be required to pay a percentage (25%) of the current initiation fee. Persons applying for a second or subsequent readmission will be required to pay 75% of the current initiation fee. The Board reserves the right to waive or alter the readmission fee at their discretion. For more information on this program, please contact the Membership Chair.

Do children of Members have to pay the initiation fee to join after they are no longer eligible to be part of a Family membership?

Not Necessarily. There are two programs to encourage children of Members to join FBYC while they are young adults:

1. Children of Family members cease to be part of a Family membership as of January 1, the year following the year in which they (a) turn 25, (b) marry, or (c) are discharged from active duty in the Armed Services. If a Junior member moves up from a Family membership into his or her own membership and pays dues before January 31 of the year in which the child ceases to be eligible to be part of a Family membership, he or she may join the club without payment of any initiation fee.
2. A person who was formerly part of a Family membership, between the ages of 26-35, is considered a former Junior member of the Club and eligible to rejoin without paying any initiation fee.

Can children of members use the Club?

Yes - FBYC is a family-oriented Club and encourages members to utilize the club with their children and families. Unmarried children of members have full use of the club facilities and are counted as members with unlimited privileges until they reach age 26.

I am interested in a place to keep my sailboat. Does the Club have places for members to keep their boats?

Yes - The Club has available for rental to members, on an as-available basis, storage for sailboats owned or chartered by members: slips for keel boats, a hoist and dry sail storage area for keel boats under 30 feet, and trailer and rack storage for boats 24 feet and under. You can apply for a slip or dry storage only after your application has been approved and your boat properly enrolled. Some of these rentals may have a waiting list and you would have to wait for an opening.

Is there any literature I can give to a friend who might be interested in joining?

The Club has a prospective member brochure which you can download and print, available at this link: (New Member Brochure) Also, there is a video entitled FBYC 2023 Club Tour that gives you a dynamic view of FBYC’s property, buildings, facilities, and views of the water.

Will I be glad I joined Fishing Bay Yacht Club?

YES!  Of the many benefits membership offers, here are a few of the most often cited by members:

• Our Club property is located on one of the most beautiful parts of the Bay, with direct access to Fishing Bay on one side and on the other side, Jackson Creek where it joins the mouth of the Piankatank River at the Chesapeake Bay. We have ideal sailing venues, from small boats to large, off-shore boats. 
• FBYC’s Junior Program is highly regarded. For many of our children and youth, participation in this program has been a life-changing growth experience. 
• The Cruising Division offers 16 significant events annually; the Offshore and One Design Divisions offer stellar racing programs and major regattas each year.
• When you join FBYC you become a member of a community that needs you. You can count on opportunities to participate, serve, and use your skills. 
• FBYC is fundamentally an opportunity to participate in experiences anchored in sailing. We are a group of sailors banded together to achieve a higher level of sailing enjoyment and fulfillment. Participation will net you a dream realized. 
• Membership enhances your experience of friendship. It encompasses the folks you race and cruise with, or socialize with at events, have communal meals with, the group childcare you share at the pool and on Fishing Bay beach, and our children at play, catching crabs or lightning bugs, and having fun, safely. FBYC is a child-friendly, safe environment.
• We genuinely want others to join us. We love what we do. We reach out to everyone who wants this sport as a life style. We especially want to connect with young adults to help them find a life time of self-actualization through sailing.