What We Do

Sailing and Having Fun Since 1976

Rich in history and aquatic heritage, especially given our land-locked home base, The Gulf Atlantic Yacht Club offers sailing comradery, events and support, making it North Florida’s premier land-locked sailing yacht club.  

GAYC is a private club for Members only; however, we welcome guests. We also welcome potential new members who are free to attend a meeting or event to get to know us before joining.

Our home base is located in Gainesville, FL, ideally centered between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. We also have many beautiful large inland lakes for sailing activities. The club has offered a racing, cruising, and social schedule, as well as monthly programs on different aspects of the sport.

In recent years, the club has slowed down a bit, and racing has been on hold. However, we still meet to talk about sailing, learn from interesting speakers at our meetings, have social events, and, of course, sail.

Our Mission

Our mission, like our by-laws, follows the “keep it simple” stratagem — to sail, talk about sailing, support sailing and sailors and have fun.

“I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, And the wheel’s kick and the wind’s song and the white sail’s shaking, And a gray mist on the sea’s face, and a gray dawn breaking.”

— John Masefield

Some of What We Do