Club History

Discover Coral Reef

2021-2022 Commodore Peter Baumberger offers acknowlegement and appreciation to the following CRYC Members for their part in this special project: Executive Producer Cynthia Demos, Historian Iris Guzman Kolaya, Drone Pilot Matt Rubino and Descendents of CRYC's Founding Members: Debbie Larkin Riston, Frances Virgin Owen, Ann Hicks, Jimmy Sadler and Anson Christiansen.

A Legacy Worth Preserving

Every yacht club has a history. Few have a legacy.

Coral Reef Yacht Club has been more than a place to dock a boat, it has been a home for generations of families, a gathering place for lifelong friendships, and a beacon of excellence in the world of yachting. Since our founding in 1955, countless members have dedicated their time, talents, and passion to building a club that embodies seamanship, sportsmanship, camaraderie, and service.

This history belongs to all of them.

Miami's Coral Reef Yacht Club, FIFTY YEARS ON BISCAYNE BAY, reflects the remarkable work completed for our 50th Anniversary by author Judith S. Welsh, a CRYC Member, whose dedication preserved the stories, photographs, and memories that might otherwise have been lost. We honor her work and the many members who shared their recollections, helping ensure that the spirit of Coral Reef Yacht Club would endure for future generations.

This book is a celebration of people, the visionaries who founded our Club, the volunteers who shaped it, the competitors who brought it international recognition, the families who made it their second home, and the young sailors who represent its future.

May these pages remind us where we came from, celebrate who we are today, and inspire those who will carry the Coral Reef tradition into the decades ahead.

The Spirit of Yachting Since 1955.