Let's say you want to start a new yacht club. -Are there official rules to do so? Or do you just organize on your own and make your own rules as the members see fit?

What kind of rules are you talking about? You can do anything you want and only local municipality rules are the only governing issue. If you want to be recognized by US Sailing or another sailing organization, you'll need to abide by their rules which are fairly minimal.

This mental exercise is for a paper club, correct? You're not planning on owning any facilities (clubhouse, marina, etc)?

I agree with Jake; the formal requirements are pretty easy.

Perhaps a good step would be to establish a relationship with trusted advisers: CPA or Tax attorney, Insurance twerp, and a really sharp networking person (to attract members, make sh*t happen, etc).

Can you set one up as a 501(c)(3)? So my dues/fees would be tax deductible?

What are the objectives of the club? Is this club going to do anything that existing club(s) aren't?

And if you can answer the "what's in it for me?" question that plagues the world today, you're golden

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You can also talk to other small sporting groups in the area as I expect they are setup in the same way. The trick I found was to find what is the legal name of the type of group. In Australia we have "incorporated associations". Once you have the correct type, you can then google it. Be aware that different yacht clubs may be setup as different types of associations due to the amounts of $ involved.

Most groups use "Roberts Rules of Order" to handle meetings and organizational rules. The legalities of Corporations etc. have to do with "owning" property. Stock holders versus members etc. Non profit versus for profit. It is unlikely you can get a 501 C3 for a Yacht these days, due to "benefits" to members via private club and such.
However, all that said you are wide open to design dues and member issues all you want.
Good Luck

More like a miracle worker...

Mike

Set up the club as a not for profit. Establish a foundation using 501 ( c ) (3 ) to accept donations.

I guess I was expecting a little more structure for a yacht club, considering the extensive history of well known yacht clubs. Of course, anyone can organize a group of people and call it a club for just about any legal reason. But I expected tradition, and Associations to limit what would be normal, expected, and accepted, for a yacht club. Hmm...

I certainly back Hobie1616. Think in terms of a sailing club such as Sarasota Sailing Squadron or Clearwater Community Sailing. Google their sites and see for yourself what has worked. SSS has no liquor license; therefore, there is no entanglement with the feds and city with that issue. That Works for kids!

Dunedin, FL is another example of where a "Waterfront Development Committee" working with the city and state authorities have succeeded. They are now offering after - school, high school sailing in 420s. They began by working with marina owners and businesses to open up access. One of the first physical steps involved adding sidewalks to the waterfront. I believe paddleboard/kayak areas are coming down the road if not recently established.

One of the important valuable resources a group may incorporate is a 501 (c) 3 plan for growing your fleet of boats and other physical resources necessary.

I just donated my 16' boat to their effort so a high school instructor can add sailing to their curriculum. They refitted the craft (new engine and paint) and now she hauls kids back and forth in their 420s to Clearwater for race training.

P mail me, and I can hook you up with a very nice human being that would love to answer any questions you might have.

Regardless of how a new club is organized, get the financial systems set up for the long haul. I'm currently butting heads with our CPA trying to bring our systems into the 21st century. Maui is a relative small place when it comes to orgazinational experience. The CPA has no clue on how set up club (company) with multiple divisions.

Jeff, one of the side benefits of the US Sailing requirement for race officials to work at any club, for any boat, in any area of the country; is that we get to see all levels of yacht clubs. I think people like us, who grow up on beach cats, have this vision that New York and St. Francis are the norm for "yacht" clubs.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Most clubs are quite modest, and some are not too far ahead of our Hobie fleets (which often stage regattas out of the back of SUVs and tents; a utility trailer or RV would be a huge luxury).

The interaction between yacht clubs and US Sailing is also not very different than our fleet relationships with US Sailing. They verify membership, use the rules and occasionally host events such as seminars and championships. They tend to make better use of training materials, but that's simply a matter of the fact that they have the facilities to run more youth programs.

Hope this helps.

Mike

Sure! All this information helps. The possibilities of a "yacht club" seem wide ranging, from informal, to major snob appeal. Maybe we'll just get some lakeshore neighbors together in lawn chairs around a beer cooler, and call it a Yacht Club. The elected Commadore gets possession of the beer cooler and lawn chairs.

That may sum up how most clubs of any type start out. At some point one of the neighbors will suggest getting a little fridge for the beer instead of having to go to the store to buy ice. Then a rain storm hits during the second round of brews and someone says we outta have some kinda structure to block the rain and the sun and if we had walls we could meet when it's cold and wouldn't it be nice if there was something to heat up some weenies and maybe have a tapper instead of beer cans and...

You get the idea.