About Us

Contact Info  GYA Foundation  Past Commodores

ORGANIZED 1901 – REORGANIZED 1920

The Gulf Yachting Association was organized to promote the sport of yacht racing on the Gulf Coast and nearby areas. Founded in 1901 and reorganized in 1920, the GYA has grown from the original six clubs to over thirty member organizations. The GYA sanctions various yacht events, including interclub competition in Fish Boats (1920-1968), Flying Scots (1969-2018), currently Viper 640 and serves to coordinate the activities of its members.

The GYA is a member of the United States Sailing Association, the governing body of the sport in this country, and is recognized as a member “yacht racing association” of that organization. In this capacity, the GYA provides representation to the national body for Gulf Coast sailors, runs quarter-final eliminations for national championships sanctioned by US Sailing, and provides an Appeals Committee to hear and decide appeals involving the racing rules.

The GYA is one of four yacht racing associations forming “Area D,” one of ten “Areas” in the United States. Areas have a representative on the Board of Directors of the United States Sailing Association and the same individual serves as a member of the Council of Sailing Associations, an important representative body within US Sailing. Areas are geographical delineations within the jurisdiction of US Sailing that serve many functions in the administration of the sport.

GULF YACHTING ASSOCIATION ARCHIVES

A GYA Historical Records Collection was established in 1993 in the Special Collections Department of the John C. Pace Library at the University of West Florida in Pensacola. (Phone 850.474.2213)

Currently, the collection contains the Minutes of GYA Board Meetings from November 1920 through December 1984 and originals of Lipton Regatta results from 1920 on.

GULF YACHTING ASSOCIATION Foundation

The Gulf Yachting Association Foundation, Inc., established in 1993, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. This means that donations made to the foundation are tax deductible. The primary purpose of the foundation is to support the sport of sailing in the Gulf Yachting Association area.

Gulf Yachting Association Privacy Policy

It is the policy of the Gulf Yachting Association (GYA) that its directory is for the official use by the Gulf Yachting Association and its member clubs. This directory is not to be used for commercial purposes including the creation of mailing lists by or for commercial businesses.

It is the policy of the Gulf Yachting Association to publish in its directory the name, mailing address, at least one phone number and, if available, an e-mail address for each committee chair and members of the various GYA committees. This publication is strictly for communication purposes only. The GYA publishes for each yacht club, a listing of its officers and principal committee chairs with the same information and the same purpose as set forth above. The same information is published for each associate member.

In the absence of specific directions hereinafter set forth, the information as set for the above shall be published each year by the Gulf Yachting Association in its directory.

A committee chair, committee member, yacht club or associate member of the Gulf yachting Association may limit the publication of information concerning such member by making a written request to the GYA Directory Editor, whose name is published in the annual directory, no later than November 1 of each year. In no event shall a person’s name be completely deleted, the name and at least one for of communication must be published. Any change of address, telephone number or e-mail address should be directed in writing to the GYA directory editor as soon as such information becomes available.

It is not the policy of the GYA to sell or otherwise allow any commercial use of the names, address or telephone numbers of any person listed in the directory.

Gulf Yachting Association Web Page Policy

It is the policy of the Gulf Yachting Association (GYA) that the web page and site be for official use by the GYA and its member clubs. It is not to be used for commercial purposes without the express written consent of the GYA Executive Committee.

It is the policy of the Gulf Yachting Association that the Executive Committee shall not enter into any agreement with any commercial business or entity that would call for publishing the name, mailing address, phone number or other information with respect to any member of any GYA member club, but may at its discretion, allow for links to businesses and alike of general nature that would not be offensive to the vast majority of the members of the GYA member clubs.

The Executive Committee is authorized to publish on the website, the names, mailing address and at least one phone number and e-mail address for each committee chair and member of the GYA Committees, should it choose to do so.

A committee chair, a committee member, yacht club or associate member of the GYA may limit the publication of information concerning such member by making a written request to the GYA website editor, whose name is published in the annual directory, no later than November 1 of each year. In no event shall a person’s name be completely deleted, the name and at least one form of communication must be published should the Executive Committee decide to publish any names. Any change of address, telephone number or e-mail address should be directed in writing to the GYA web page editor as soon as such information becomes available.

Supporting Yachting in the Southeast since 1901