After the War-Southwestern Yacht Club
The war years brought many young men and women through Corpus Christi - the Naval Air training program at NAS, the radar training program at what is now the University of Corpus Christi, and the Navy wartime patrol and anti-submarine warfare activities. Many of them fell in love with Corpus Christi and either chose to stay here after the War or returned later. Those, along with returning Corpus Christi sailors, sparked the rebirth of sailing.
It started simultaneously in two places - North Beach and around the T-Heads. On North Beach, although the Thomas Lipton Club was still in existence, social members were now in control. The younger members of the Club, back from the war, wanting action, and fretting under the new policies decided to leave the Club to form a new racing club. That club became the Corpus Christi Sailing Club. With all the racing sailors gone, the Thomas Lipton Club eventually died and in effect, the Corpus Christi Sailing Club became its successor.
In another part of the Marina (around the T-Heads) according to Allen Jephson, "a bunch of fellows from the Naval Base would meet with some local fellows on Sundays for a bit of sailing and racing". This gradually grew into a more formalized schedule of races and then into the formation of a full-fledged club, the Southwestern Yacht Club. The Club was sparked by Allen Jephson, Johnnie Mitchell, Eddie Singer, and Henry Luckett. Allen Jephson was the first Commodore in 1945 and held that office for two years. The Executive Committee met in SAMSCO Marine where Johnnie Mitchell was manager, and monthly meetings where held in the Princess Louise hotel. The Club soon had its own burgee, Constitution, and By-Laws. It is of interest to note, in the minute books and other correspondence, that the mailing address was P.O. Box 2345; the Yacht Club's post office box through the late 1990's.
By 1949, under the enthusiastic and mature leadership of Jephson and Mitchell, the Club in its third year was going strong. A very active racing and cruising program was adopted with Snipe racing as the most active one-design class. The Club supervised the boat parades for the Buccaneer Days and handled the soft drink concessions on the T-Heads. It sponsored a regular series of races and regattas attended by sailors from all parts of Texas. Mrs. Jephson was very active in the Girl Scout Mariners. Dues were $15 a year for Senior Members, and $5 a year for Junior members. Already plans were being discussed for a clubhouse.
The officers and building committee worked most of 1949, their third year, drawing up leases for locations either on the L-Head or the south end of the Lawrence St. T-Head. Hoot Gibson, who ten years later designed the present Clubhouse, drew up plans for a building. He ran into lease problems with the City when it was found that the desirable portions of the waterfront came under the State Enabling Act. The City, therefore, could not lease to a private organization. Efforts were started to push a special bill through the legislature that would make such a lease possible.
Although the Corpus Christi Sailing Club continued to be active during this time, in 1949 they were invited to merge with the Southwestern Yacht Club. This they did, and now all the racing sailors were in one club.
Next: CCYC Reborn »