History

The Bombay Yacht Club was founded in 1846 and only 30 years later on the recommendation of Sir Philip Edmond Wodehouse, Queen Victoria graced the Club with the title of Royal, the first to be bestowed such a prefix in Asia.

The seafront clubhouse was built in 1881 and received a number of prominent visitors within its first ten years, including: H.R.H. Prince Arthur

Prince Arthur

Prince Arthur may refer to:*Arthur I, Duke of Brittany the intended heir of Richard I of England*Arthur, Prince of Wales , eldest son Henry VII of England...

, their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Connaught, and the American railroad tycoon and yachting enthusiast Mr William Kissam Vanderbilt

William Kissam Vanderbilt

William Kissam Vanderbilt was a member of the prominent American Vanderbilt family. He managed railroads and was a horse breeder.-Biography:...

 – part owner of the 1895 America’s Cup winner, the 37.5m sloop Defender.

In 1894, the Commissioners of the Lord High Admiral bestowed upon the Club, the Blue Ensign of Her Majesty's Fleet with a Star of India surmounted by the Imperial Crown.

Another clubhouse was built in 1896, a blending of Venetian Gothic with Indian Saracenic, to provide residential chambers to members and visiting associates.
Yachting received a major stimulus in 1911 when King George V and Queen Mary

Queen Mary

-Monarchs:* Maria of Montferrat , queen regnant of Jerusalem, daughter of Isabella I of Jerusalem and Conrad of Montferrat and mother of Isabella II of Jerusalem...

 landed in Bombay from the Royal P&O liner, s.s. Medina, where amongst others the President of the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, Hon. Mr Justice F.C.D. Beaman, IC.S. was there to welcome them. On their Majesties visit to the Royal Bombay Yacht Club, they encouraged sailing between states and thus started inter-club regattas.

In 1958 the Bombay Club closed as a consequence of prohibition and failing membership resulting from the fact the Club did not open its membership to Indians. The Royal Bombay Yacht Club granted honorary memberships to all Bombay Club members and found a new home for their furniture and other effects – silver candelabra, trophies made by Edward & Sons of London and Glasgow, Sheffield silver cutlery and the weighing chair.

The 1960s saw a new race introduced after H.R.H. Prince Philip visited the Club and presented the Challenge Cup for a Combined Class race not less than 21 miles. The Royal Bombay Yacht Club at that time owned a fleet of four 21 foot Seabird Class boats, whilst its members’ owned all sorts of boats –Chindwin (Bermudian cutter), Iona (a Gunter sloop), Silver Oak (a Yachting World keel boat), Tir (a yawl), Merope (Stor-Draken Class) Griffon and Wynvern (two International Dragons), to name a few. The Club was selected to host the 6th National Regatta for the Yachting Association of India.

In 1984 we were sad to note the passing of one of our dear members, Mr Philip Bragg, who built Suhaili, the first yacht to sail solo non-stop around the world. The yachtsman, Sir Robin Knox-Johnson attended a reception in his own honour at the Club in 2004. In 1988, our current President, Mr Gulshan Rai, became the first Indian to solo circumnavigate, in a 32 ft cutter of Vancouver Class, named Jaykus III, built by Northshore yard at Itchenor, England.

In 2006 the Royal Bombay Yacht Club was honoured to be visited by the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathan Band, KCB, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff (and President of the Royal Naval Club) and Lady Sarah Band, as well as other senior officers of the visiting Fleet. This was shortly followed by a visit from Sir John Stirrup, the Air Chief Marshal of the Royal Air Force and Chief of Defence Staff. In 2010, we received General Sir Hugh Michael Rose KCB, CBE, DSO, QGM.