Detroit Yacht Club gets historic designation

[MikeyinBrooklyn]

It's one of the least-known-about jewels in the entire city of Detroit. I am guessing the members probably don't mind that! I was lucky enough to spend a great deal of time there growing up in the 60s and 70s when we had a large sail boat. I loved the DYC! I have wonderful memories.

I have wonderful DYC memories, too. Hope to belong one day. My aunt was a school teacher, and would spend nearly everyday there in the summer. We'd often go with her. I loved the building, the pool, the boats, everything.

An uncle belonged to the boat club [[he build his own boat by hand!). We'd go there, too, occasionally, but I don't have the vivid memories of it that I do of the DYC.

Belle Isle is a real jewel. I loved the slide, conservatory, and the views of the city. Oh, and watching freighters. Could do that all day. Still can.

[EastsideAl]

am i missing something regarding the safety and accessibility of the island? i was doing laps on my bike there this afternoon and not only was it completely safe, it was incredibly accessible. perhaps take a trip there yourself to actually see and understand the place.

There's lots of scary negroes there, enjoying a park [[imagine that!) that belongs to the city they live in, on summer weekend evenings.

[Bham1982]

ive been there at all times, so i know what it is like, but thanks for the offer. i guess i view things like safety and accessibility differently then you.

I think Belle Isle is pretty safe. I don't hear about too much criminal activity there, and have never felt unsafe visiting.

I would say that warm weather weekend evenings are annoying if you're not into teenage carousing, but that's about it.

[JenniferL]

My aunt and uncle are DYC members. I've been there many times as their guest. Mostly, we go in the summertime to swim and eat lunch, but if my uncle can take off from work we'll go for a ride on his boat. He owns a small business and likes to take his clients to the club. The people there are nice. I am not well-to-do and I do not dress in the latest fashions, but I've never encountered any snobbery at the DYC. [[Downtown Birmingham, OTOH, is a different story.) As far as I can see, the majority of the membership is older white people, but there is some racial/ethnic diversity. One time about ten years ago, someone was having a party upstairs and I saw a lot of very classy, mostly older black ladies in ball gowns standing on the balcony. I heard that Aretha Franklin was at this party, but I didn't see her. Last summer, the movie crew for the film "Freaky Deaky" was filming some scenes there. We didn't see any movie stars, but we did watch the extras for awhile. Good times!

[swingline]

I have spent more time on the island than you could ever hope too! Its always nice during the week during the school year even with the nice weather. I take all my pics of the island then. Looks like you need to take a trip in the summertime and I would meet you any friday or saturday evening during June, July or August and get your opinion then that is if the DPD will let us on the island. At one time up until the late 80's there was no problem going anywhere anytime but not anymore.

The massive day-long weekend traffic jams of the 1990s and early 2000s are - with very few exceptions - a thing of the past. The DPD keeps things moving these days and is very quick to issue traffic citations to the jerks who block traffic or otherwise cause trouble. For about 6-7 years now, the DPD blocks access to the island at dusk during the warm months unless you're going to the DYC. At the same time, they also begin to clear the park.

Nonetheless, the myth persists about island chaos during the summer. Suburbanites who got caught in an island traffic jam in 1998 among SUVs with spinners blaring expletive filled rap perpetuate the false belief that you are risking your life to go to Belle Isle on a summer weekend. The scene has changed dramatically and it shouldn't be any kind of deterrent to a DYC membership.

Speaking of which, the DYC is very cool. Tons of stuff for non-boaters. Extremely kid-friendly. If you've got a boat there, it's kind of like heaven.

[p69rrh51]

The massive day-long weekend traffic jams of the 1990s and early 2000s are - with very few exceptions - a thing of the past. The DPD keeps things moving these days and is very quick to issue traffic citations to the jerks who block traffic or otherwise cause trouble. For about 6-7 years now, the DPD blocks access to the island at dusk during the warm months unless you're going to the DYC. At the same time, they also begin to clear the park.

Nonetheless, the myth persists about island chaos during the summer. Suburbanites who got caught in an island traffic jam in 1998 among SUVs with spinners blaring expletive filled rap perpetuate the false belief that you are risking your life to go to Belle Isle on a summer weekend. The scene has changed dramatically and it shouldn't be any kind of deterrent to a DYC membership.

Speaking of which, the DYC is very cool. Tons of stuff for non-boaters. Extremely kid-friendly. If you've got a boat there, it's kind of like heaven.

I do not care about the the jams that clogged the island in the past, I care about the bullet I had to pull out of my radiator!

[noggin]

I do not know if they still do it but DYC ran a shuttle boat from the mainland to the island on the weekends.

I too remember the chaos on the island on late Sunday afternoons 15 years ago. It was so bad my wife refused to drive there by herself. It was just too scary.

[poobert]

The results are in - Grosse Pointers think Belle Isle is scary. In other news, water is wet.

[noggin]

When caught in jammed traffic there was bottle thrown to the car in front of us and then another jumped on the hood. After spending all day drinking who knows if the guns were next.

You are right. That does not happen often in Grosse Pointe.

[poobert]

When caught in jammed traffic there was bottle thrown to the car in front of us and then another jumped on the hood. After spending all day drinking who knows if the guns were next.

You are right. That does not happen often in Grosse Pointe.

No joke. I hear way kinkier shit goes down in the basement of the Hard Luck Lounge.

[ocmobilexec]

I haven't lived in Detroit for 22 years now, but last summer when I spent some time on Belle Isle during a visit back, the island seemed waaaay more safe than it did back in the 70s. There was much more crime back then on the island, and elsewhere in Detroit. Cars would be attacked, rolled over, people shot at while driving, etc. This caused a big issue for folks going over to the DYC... but it seems things have calmed down now, and the island is much cleaner and seemingly safer now. Just my opinion.

[Seven Seat]

The tree on the far left-kinda cut off in the pic. What kind is it???

Interesting that you ask about that tree, I only recently found out about it when someone from the Nature Zoo was leading an island tour and stopped by the Boat Club to look at it. It's know as a 'Dawn Redwood' and it is listed as being 'extremely endangered'. Here's a short quote from Wikipedia:

Metasequoia [[dawn redwood) is a fast-growing, deciduous tree, and the sole living species, Metasequoia glyptostroboides, is one of three species of conifers known as redwoods. It is native to the Sichuan-Hubei region of China. Although the least tall of the redwoods, it grows to at least 200 feet [[60 meters) in height. Local villagers refer to the original tree from which most others derive as Shui-sa, or "water fir", which is part of a local shrine. Since that tree's rediscovery in 1944, the dawn redwood has become a popular ornamental.

From the photos I have of the Boat Club, this one was planted around 1951 so not long after the tree was rediscovered in China. The one in the photo is a male, there is a second female tree just out of view on the front lawn and another equally tall male in the back by the pool.

Back in the day, the Detroit Boat Club was know for its plantings and floral displays.
Steve

[Bham1982]

I've been to the DYC a bunch of times, thanks to one my best friends growing up.

His family had a big yacht and had lots of social occasions at DYC. Beautiful place, from another era.

I do wonder, however, if these places are slowly fading away. I know lots of younger families with money, and none would consider joining a country club, to say nothing of a yacht club.

I mean, who owns these things anyways? Sounds like that rich couple from Gilligans Island, or like some Muffy/Buffy/cabana boy 50's scene.

[Greentree]

DYC used to have reciprocity with the GPYC which was great. No longer. Wish more local clubs would cross market so members could make use of these beautiful places with greater ease. Any reciprocity with other metro-Detroit area clubs?

[poobert]

I've been to the DYC a bunch of times, thanks to one my best friends growing up.

His family had a big yacht and had lots of social occasions at DYC. Beautiful place, from another era.

I do wonder, however, if these places are slowly fading away. I know lots of younger families with money, and none would consider joining a country club, to say nothing of a yacht club.

I mean, who owns these things anyways? Sounds like that rich couple from Gilligans Island, or like some Muffy/Buffy/cabana boy 50's scene.

A majority of DYC members are non-boating members.

It is an excellent way to meet people especially as a young person. Just an observation but you live no where near the water so it wouldn't make sense for people in your area to join a yacht club. For residents here near the water it is not uncommon.