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Lake Travis Lifestyle

Your Guide to Lake Travis, Austin TX

Austin Yacht Club: Sailing on Lake Travis Since 1952

Written by Cathy Hale | June 11, 2015

If the words “yacht club” conjure up images of Thurston Howell III from Gilligan’s Island in a yachting cap and ascot, well, you’re not alone.

Yachting very well may be misconstrued as a stuffy pastime, but not at Austin Yacht Club . This laid-back Lake Travis gem has been serving up serious sailing since 1952.

Austin Yacht Club is just a few miles off of RR 620 and Hudson Bend Road. If you follow the bright green scenery past Infamous Brewing Company and the neighborhoods of Travis Landing and Lakeland Hills, you’ll discover AYC on your right at the end of Beacon Road sitting on 30 acres with wet and dry slip storage.

Obviously, the Austin Yacht Club is buzzing right now thanks to the return of Lake Travis, but the AYC, an accredited American Sailing Association (ASA) School, is actually a hub for sailing and racing all year long.

In April, AYC Commodore Barry Bowden commended AYC for hosting the J22 Circuit Regatta in March and the Easter Laser Regatta over Easter weekend, which were the first races they’d been able to host since the drought.

Prior to the daily storms, the weather was actually great for local AYC sailors who took advantage of the wind and cool temperatures. In fact, during the Spring Series, they saw some of the fastest sailboat rides ever thanks to sailing skills and extra gusts from Mother Nature.

The Austin Yacht Club is gearing up for a bunch of races this summer including the Independence Cup Regatta (and party) on July 4.  And don’t forget, the AYC is not just fun for adults, they offer amazing Sailing Camps for kiddos all summer.

PBJ Summer Sailing Series (4-10) This AYC sailing camp is designed for first-time sailors and serves as an intro to the sport. The goal of this program is to get young children comfortable on the water and spark an interest in boating and sailing.

The AYC’s US Sailing certified instructors make sure everything is simple, fun and safe. They focus on teaching the basics with games and hands-on learning activities.

Junior Sailing Camp (8-16) Junior Sailing Camps are offered every week through the final week of July 20-24. During each week of camp junior sailors learn and practice fundamental skills on the Optimist fleet including four brand new ones.

AYC is dedicated to providing a fun and safe environment for young sailors. In addition to hands-on instruction, camps offer classroom discussion, land activities, water drills and special activities like racing, destination sailing and wind surfing.

Learn to Sail AYC invites everyone, members and non-members, to learn how to sail at various workshops during the year, as well as private lessons.

In the spring, AYC held a weekly clinic for beginning sailors to teach them sailing terminology and concept — you don’t want your boom to swing violently during an accidental jibe — as well as on-the-water practice. They will be hosting a similar workshop in the fall, so keep an eye on their website for more details.

In addition to multiple access points and beautiful views of Lake Travis, this private club has all of the amenities you need to stay comfy when you’re not yachting like a 2-level clubhouse with a bar and roomy patio, a swimming pool, a playscape, cabins, outdoor event areas and more.

With the brilliant blue water lapping at the shore, if you’ve ever thought about sailing … this seems like a perfect time to give it a try.

About Cathy Hale

Cathy is a nationally recognized writer, marketing nerd and proud mom of two. In addition to her role as Senior Staff Writer for Lake Travis Lifestyle, Cathy is a content writer for brands like Little Remedies and Clear Eyes. Over the years, she has been featured as a mommy influencer for Babble, iVillage, SELF, Parents and BabyCenter. She's been happily navigating the wild world of motherhood in Lakeway since 2007. Catch her on Instagram: @CathyATX

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Best marina on Lake Travis

Crosswater Yacht Club

Offering 247 state-of-the-art covered slips, ship store, fuel dock, and more.

Slip Rentals

At Crosswater Yacht Club, we know you deserve the best in amenities and exceptional customer service when it comes to your marina and boat. That’s why we offer unique slip options, VIP golf cart service from your car to your dock, marina events for the whole family and more. Come explore our corner of Lake Travis where we do the work and you enjoy the water!

Crosswater Yacht Club has been awarded Outstanding Marina of the Year by the Marina Association of Texas in 2014 and 2020. The award is in recognition of exemplary business practices, outstanding customer satisfaction, environmental responsibility, and the cooperative efforts of the staff, community and marine industry. 

They have also been the repeat recipient of the Clean Marina of the Year  in 2014, 2015 and 2018. The Clean Marina award recognizes outstanding clean water practices to protect our Texas waterways.  

Marina of the Year

Clean Marina of the Year

2014, 2015, 2018

“ Best marina and staff on the lake! A short golf cart ride or walk from the parking lot and the dock hands are always eager to help you take your cooler and what not to your boat. Thanks to Roland and staff for creating such a great boating community! ” LaJean E.

“ "My wife and I have lived on and boated on Lake Travis for the past 25 years. We have always gotten our fuel at another marina on the lake. This past Sunday (7/3/22) we stopped at Crosswater Yacht Club to gas up. We just wanted to offer our compliments on your facility and the service provided by your staff. Everything was quick and easy; docking, fueling and paying. Your fine staff handled everything, allowing my wife and I to look around the store and visit your very clean restrooms. It was a first class experience. We'll be back." ” Joe C.

“ Crosswater is a first-class facility with a top-notch staff. The ship store is well stocked and has many items that are unique and hard to find. The golf cart shuttles on the dock are hard to beat! ” Roger D.

“ Best run marina on Lake Travis, and I have had boats at more than a few! ” Mark J.

“ Cleanest and nicest docks of any marina I’ve been to or slipped at. The staff is fantastic and friendly. Can’t say enough about Ted, Roland, Barrett, Elle, and the rest of the team. ” Brian K.

“ "I wanted to give a big shoutout to Roland and crew at Crosswater Yatch Club! The marina is always clean and the customer service is second-to-none. There have been many occasions where they have gone above and beyond taking care of my family and our boat. If you’re looking for a marina on Lake Travis this is the place to be. It’s like a country club on the water!" ” David G.

Marina Location

Crosswater Yacht Club is situated along the beautiful south shore of Lake Travis and is approximately 10 miles west of Austin in Lakeway, Texas. This de ep-water marina sits on the main body of Lake Travis between mile marker 14 and 15.

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ASA Veterans Sailing Education Program - Sign Up Now >>

At ASA we recognize the sacrifices made by the brave men and women who have served or are serving in our country's armed forces. As a token of our appreciation, and our way of saying thank you, we are inviting veterans and active military personnel to share our passion for sailing by offering a discount on our ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing course. Austin Yacht Club is offering a minimum of $50.00 or 10% off their ASA 101 Basic Keelboat Sailing course.

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Thank you for your interest in the Austin Yacht Club. We hope this information is helpful in your consideration in joining our club. For your convenience, you may apply for membership online.

The Austin Yacht Club is a private sailing club, founded primarily for the purpose of promoting sailboat racing and sailboat racing-related social activities and water sports on Lake Travis. A completed Membership Application and the non-refundable application fee begins the membership application process.

AYC is located on over 30 acres of lake front property on Lake Travis, in the heart of Texas Hill Country, 30 minutes from downtown Austin. AYC’s programs and events include junior and adult sail training. Camps and clinics, typically taught by members with world-class cruising and racing 
experience, cover a wide range of topics. Many programs are free or discounted for AYC members, and open to non-members. At AYC, racing is a year-round sport. Friday Night Beer Can races, Wednesday Night Laser/Sunfish races, regular weekend Series Races and numerous annual Club Regattas offer everyone – from new racers to national champions –opportunities to test their sailing skills on beautiful Lake Travis.

There are many benefits that come with membership. The AYC facilities include all of the amenities that active sailboat racers need to conveniently race their boats and enjoy Lake Travis:

• Wet slips for 160 boats up to 30’ in length in a sheltered cove
• 76 dock spaces for small Centerboards, allowing easy launch access
• 200 dry sail parking spaces with boats stored on trailers
• Two launch ramps with rigging docks
• Two mast-stepping cranes
• A members’ work area with a hoist (10,000-pound capacity)
• Dry out area for temporary storage “on the hard” Clubhouse with air conditioning and wireless Internet
• Swimming pool, picnic areas, and playground
• Bathhouse with showers
• Rental cabins, screened camp shelters, and RV hookups

AYC members are our biggest asset and the Club has a long tradition of volunteerism. This spirit strengthens AYC’s sense of community and keeps membership affordable. Whether it is a Club Work Party, a Series Race, a Club Regatta or one of the Club’s numerous social gatherings, our members are always willing to pitch in to make it a great event – to ensure all feel welcome and leave with great memories.

Sailboat racing is a priority at AYC but that doesn’t mean prospective members need a long sailing and racing resume in order to join the Club. AYC offers tremendous opportunities for sailing education, including Learn To Sail and Learn to Race Clinics, Race Management Clinics, a Youth Sailing Program, Summer Youth Sailing Camps and PB&J Sail Training for sailors as young as age four. AYC is an accredited ASA Sailing School and offers a host of certificate courses

Membership Levels

Senior membership.

  Fees: Click here to view fees

Boat Storage: Yes, for an additional charge

AYC Member Benefits: All

Voting Privileges: Yes

Probationary Period: Yes

Activities Required: If joining prior to April 1, 2023: 15 Activities with a minimum of 8 race related activities, 3+ volunteer activities, 1 Race Committee. If joining on or after April 1, 2023, ask the General Manager or Membership Chairperson.

Senior Membership entitles you to boat storage on the docks or grounds and voting privileges in addition to all other AYC membership benefits. “Senior Membership” is approved following a one-year probationary period, in which the new member completes required activities. Boat storage fees are an additional charge. Priority for storage is reserved for active racers due to our limited number of slips.

Associate Membership

Fees: Click here to view fees

Boat Storage: No

AYC Member Benefits: Most (no office, no voting, no boat storage)

Voting Privileges: No

Activities Required: If joining before April 1, 2023, 15 total activities with a minimum of 1 Race Committee, 3 Racing Activities, and 3 Volunteer activities. If joining on or after April 1, 2023, ask the General Manager or Membership Chairperson.

Associate membership is designed for individuals who are learning or enhancing their sailing skills and do not intend to store a boat on the premises. “Associate Members” are entitled to all AYC membership privileges, with the exception of boat storage, the right to hold office, and all voting privileges. “Associate Membership” is approved following an one-year probationary period during which “Activities Required” must be completed.

Young Adult Membership

Boat Storage: Yes

Activities Required: If joining before April 1, 2023: 15 total activities with a minimum of 1 Race Committee, 8 Racing Activities, and 3 Volunteer activities. If joining on or after April 1, 2023, ask the General Manager or the Membership Chairperson about the requirements.

Young Adult Membership is restricted to individuals from 19 to 29 years of age. “Young Adult Members” have all the privileges of “Senior Membership” but monthly dues and the initiation fee are less expensive.

Junior Student Membership

Fees: Click here to view fees . Initiation fee: Exempt.

Parent/Guardian Sponsorship: Yes

AYC Member Benefits: Some

Voting Privileges: no

Probationary Period: none

Activities Required: n/a

Junior Student Membership is restricted to individuals younger than 19 years of age. The purpose of this type of student membership is to allow limited, supervised use of the AYC facilities by junior sailors who are learning to race. Juniors are eligible to be members in this category until they reach the age of 19. “Junior Student Member” privileges shall be limited to use of the AYC facilities and boat storage in the Junior Sailing Facility.

“Junior Student Members” are exempt from initiation fees and are not included in the applicant priorities. They do pay dues and carry an account at AYC which shall be billed to a parent who agrees to be responsible for the “Junior Student Member” charges. “Junior Student Membership” is an individual membership, not a family membership. A “Junior Student Member” may be accompanied by family members on AYC grounds while sailing or participating in a Junior Sailing activity. A “Junior Student Member” does not have guest privileges, but may invite family or a guest to AYC for social functions.

For complete information about AYC membership policies and procedures, including specifics on probationary requirements, please read Sections III to VII of the Membership Handbook.

Membership interviews are conducted by the Membership Committee at a meeting on the third Thursday of the month January-October, second Thursday in November, and not in December. Final approval is voted by the AYC Board at its monthly meeting on the fourth Thursday of each month January – October, third Thursday in November, and not in December. Check with the office and/or AYC Calendar to verify. Completed membership applications with the $100 (plus tax) application fee must be received in the AYC office no later than close of business the Tuesday just prior to the Membership meeting. Attendance at this meeting is required for all prospective members, and the AYC Office will attempt to contact you prior to the meeting.

Sailboat racing is a sport that can be enjoyed by the entire family. The Austin Yacht Club offers an extensive racing program complemented by a social calendar and excellent Sail Training opportunities for youth, high school/college age and adult sailors. We hope you will consider joining AYC.

Feel free to contact the AYC Office if you have any questions or require further information. The office is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Sincerely: Immediate Past Commodore & AYC Membership Chair

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Yachtapalooza Sets Sail This Weekend, Aiming To Get South Siders Excited About Boating

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EAST SIDE — A day-long open house for local boaters of all experience levels this weekend in East Side aims to be an accessible, fun draw for newbies to the nautical world, organizers said.

Yachtapalooza takes place 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Crowley’s Yacht Yard , 3434 E. 95th St.

The free, indoor event celebrates its 25th anniversary this year. It features free seminars and demonstrations, a pig roast, live music, a flea market Friday and Saturday and a three-day sale on nautical items from Boater’s Closet Friday-Sunday.

Organizers hope to draw 1,000 current and future mariners out to this year’s event, said Nick Fugate, sales manager at Crowley’s Yacht Yard.

Yachtapalooza will also include a boat showcase by Nautical Donations , Crowley’s charitable arm, featuring several rehabbed, budget-friendly boats for sale.

Proceeds from the boat sales will support nonprofits like the Chicago Maritime Society and the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation, Fugate said.

The Chicago Boat Show dropped its sailing portion in recent years and is planning a move to the suburbs next year , so this weekend “is probably the closest thing to a sailboat show that we’ve got in Chicago,” said Charles Szymanski, a Yachtapalooza organizer and president of the nonprofit Rainbow Races .

With a few dozen vendors and free seminars on topics like marine pumps and toilets, splicing line and rope, and applying epoxy and varnish, Yachtapalooza offers “anything you would need” to maintain a boat, Fugate said.

The seminars give attendees “the chance to use the products, put their hands on them and feel them, and learn a little more than watching a powerpoint on a screen,” he said.

The event is “the perfect opportunity for anyone looking to get into sailing, [with] questions about sailing or [wanting] to check out a sailboat for the first time,” Szymanski said.

Rainbow Races is one of Yachtapalooza’s featured vendors, and its members will host one of the day’s seminars. The group aims to erase barriers marginalized groups may face in getting into sailing, Szymanski said.

It’s the only U.S. Sailing-sanctioned, LGBTQ+ sailing school in the country, and the only LGBTQ+ sailing organization in the Midwest, he said.

Rainbow Races’ first day of sailing school begins May 18. The group is offering a $50 early-bird discount on sailing classes through the end of April with the discount code “hydra50.” To register, click here .

The sailing world struggles with homophobia, misogyny, elitism and other forms of discrimination prevalent in other sports, Szymanski said. Rainbow Races creates a safe community around the sport which tries to counter those problems, he said.

Despite its issues, due to the collaborative nature of sailing, it’s also “probably the most friendly sports arena I’ve experienced,” Szymanski said.

“Sailing is a true team sport,” he said. “You have to trust your crewmates with your life, and you also have to support each other.

“Sailors are aware if we don’t evolve, we die … If the wind changes, you have to change with it.”

Chicago’s sailing community is robust, particularly with groups like the Park District, local yacht clubs and Rainbow Races encouraging new people to explore the sport, Fugate said.

But with a massive lake as Chicago’s backyard and “a very strong maritime history” in the city, the community could definitely stand to grow, Szymanski said.

Yachtapalooza is a free “casual meeting of the minds” that can help spread the joy of sailing and boating and change a misperception that the community is only for the ultra-rich, Szymanski said.

Million-dollar yachts “are great to look at and to dream about, but when you get down to it, Chicago is a blue-collar city,” Szymanski said. “A lot of the folks trying to buy boats are probably younger and more [budget-conscious]. It makes this a really unique opportunity to bring people in, in a very casual, unencumbered way.”

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