Our Sailboat Racing Program has been an institution and tradition at Portage Lake since 1953. Initially established by a daysailing community, when a scattering of seasonal cottage owners met to race their odd collection of sailboats. Festivities were “headquartered” at one of the cottages where the race start signal was indicated with a shotgun at the end of the dock. After-race social events regularly happened on the shore. 

Portage Yacht Club has since grown into one of the leading inland lake sailing centers in the Midwest and one of the oldest sailing clubs in Michigan. Located at the current site on the south shore of the 650-acre Portage Lake, 17 miles northwest of Ann Arbor, it provides a venue for sailors of all skill levels. The sailing season runs from early May through late September.

We pride ourselves with a Sailboat Racing Program that follows world class guidelines, prompting good competition, while having fun on the water, and look forward to our social gatherings off the water. Plus, always offering a helping hand to those, young or old, who are just now learning to sail or race.

If you are new to sailing, or have never sailed, PYC offers sailing lessons to get you on the water to learn and experience the fun and excitement of sailing. Then, once you have some experience being a sailor and want to try racing, the local racers can match you up with a partner who can give you a helping hand to ease you into the fun, excitement, and challenge of racing sailboats.

We invite you to visit Portage Yacht Club on Portage Lake and check us out and look forward to meeting you.

-PYC Commodore, Club Staff, and Portage Lake Sailors.