The Bradenton Yacht Club was chartered and incorporated on May 11, 1946, with 18 charter members. BYC originally met at the Memorial Pier building in the city of Bradenton. By 1960, membership had increased to 63, and BYC rented a building on a small basin west of the Desoto Bridge to accommodate that growth.

A few years later, BYC decided to look elsewhere for a home of its own. In 1966, a suitable property was located on the north side of the Manatee River. Construction of the original structure began in May, 1967, and the original building was completed in January, 1968. A BYC milestone was reached in 1971-1972 with membership topping 250, requiring the addition of a new kitchen, swimming pool, bathrooms and an office.  

Our Yacht Basin was completed and dedicated on May 22, 1976. Two tennis courts were added in 1985. Our ever popular Tiki Bar was built in 1987. On August 15, 1989, the BYC property was annexed into the City of Palmetto. Within two months, the membership voted to build our existing facility, a good move because membership had topped 500. With the new facilities completed, BYC began to offer full restaurant and bar service to our members and guests.  

To complement the new clubhouse, the pool area was expanded and renovated in 1993 creating an attractive connection between the club and the waterside Tiki area. We continued our outdoor improvements and added a storage building and workshop, enclosed the Dry Boat slips, added a Youth Sailing program, a fleet of four JY 15 sailboats, and improved the boat ramp launching facilities. BYC built a fuel dock offering full gasoline and diesel service that opened for business in 2001.  

During the summer and fall of 2000, our clubhouse underwent a major interior renovation.  In the 2007- 2008 year, we reached a membership cap of 650 members  A new Pool Bar was added in 2015 that adjoins the pool area and overlooks the Manatee River. The Clubhouse roof was completely replaced in 2016 and the Bishop Youth Sailing Center opened on the property in 2017.  In 2018, the Board of Directors determined that in order to maximize our member’s experience at the club, this membership cap was set to 625. Our most recent renovation in 2018, a brand new clubhouse kitchen, took about four months to complete. Over the years, we have created a facility were we can all be proud to say, “Come join us at the Bradenton Yacht Club and enjoy our club.”

View BYC Historical Photos