The Early Years
The Corpus Christi Yacht Club will be 78 years old come November 13, 2001. A youngster compared to New Orleans' Southern Yacht Club (152 years old), and the Houston Yacht Club (100 years old). But it is the third oldest yacht club in the Gulf Coast.
Incorporated in November 1923, it might be of interest to consider the Club's start in light of events of that time.
The population of Corpus Christi was then about 15,000, There were 1,000 telephones installed and the City was recovering from the great 1919 hurricane that had devastated the City just four years earlier. In 1921, everyone's interest was focused on the waterfront. Just before the storm hit a $600,000 bond issue had been approved for construction of the rock breakwater. After the storm, the State Legislature had to come to the City's aid by passing a bill remitting ad valorem taxes of seven nearby counties for 25 years for the construction of "seawalls and breakwaters". The Federal government, the State and the City had joined hands for the massive project of creating the Port of Corpus Christi. The project included dredging the ship channel from the City to the Gulf finishing the rock breakwater around the waterfront, and dredging the inner harbor to make Corpus Christi a deepwater port.
We have very little record of the early days of the Club. We do know however, that although its charter from the State is dated November 13, 1923, it was organized earlier, probably in the spring of 1923. By February 29th, 1924, according to a news item in the Corpus Christi Caller Times, there were 82 members and the Club was making plans to celebrate its first anniversary.
There is also evidence that the Club may have been organized considerably earlier. Only two months later, in April 1924, the paper reported that "a new marine ways, the construction of which was begun several months ago by the Corpus Christi Yacht Club, is nearing completion." And it went on to report, "Estimated cost of the way, it is said, is around $3,000 although much of the material was donated to the Yacht Club: and the actual expense of building it was far less. Members of the Yacht Club also did the greater part of the construction work." About 325 feet long and extending into the water off the end of the municipal wharf (at the present CCYC Clubhouse), it was reported to be able to handle the largest boat that could enter Corpus Christi Bay. At that time the Japonica, a three-masted sailing vessel which had been converted to an excursion boat, was the largest boat here. The ways were still in existence in 1937 as can be seen in Doc McGregor's aerial photograph taken in that year. On it can be seen a large schooner or ketch hauled out for repair. We don't know details of the ultimate outcome of the marine ways, but we suspect that it was sold and ultimately became the Nelson Boat Works.
The opening of the Port of Corpus Christi and the deepwater entrance from the Gulf at Port Aransas three years later, in 1926, created considerable excitement. This coincided with the completion of the rock breakwater. There was now a protected harbor for small boats and ready access to deep water. Much enthusiasm for boating was generated and the nest year, 1927, the first Galveston to Corpus Christi sailboat race was held. Thus was started the first of a long series of annual races, broken only by World War II.
Winners of the 1931 Galveston race included Clyde Norris, D.H. Morre, and Dr. J.V. Blair, all of whom served as Commodore of the Corpus Christi Yacht Club during its early days. As best we can tell, the Club was primarily a social club made up predominantly of large powerboat owners. However, we do know that there were several sailboats. One of the boats, a 32-foot catboat, the Four Friends (owned by the Klebergs and sailed by Texas Ranger Colonel Bill Sterling) was well known on the waterfront. The boat can be seen in the McGregor photograph on display in the Yacht Club.
During the period 1930 to 1936 the Club was fairly active socially. Members met in a little house about halfway out on the pier in front of the Edgewater Beach Cottages on North Beach (now Corpus Christi Beach). Later, when the Club became completely inactive, that little house became one of the meeting rooms for the Thomas Lipton Yacht Club, serving as headquarters during regattas.
We have no report or record of the Corpus Christi Yacht Club sponsoring any racing activities during this period. But we do know that on special occasions, for instance when Old Ironsides visited the port in 1932, the Club would organize a boat parade.
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