A Brief History
The Gulf Harbors Yacht Club can trace its history back to the year 1965 when we received our charter in April. One month later we were registered with Lloyds Registry and the Club was commissioned on June 19 of that year. Our present picturesque location on the North Channel lies at the west end of Marine Parkway in the Gulf Harbors Woodlands area and was secured in 1975. With the help of many officers and scores of member volunteers, the current clubhouse was completed and commissioned in February of 1978.
Our Bridge and Board
2012 Board
Flag Officers
Commodore Vic Manocchio Commodore@GulfHarborsyc.com
Vice Commodore Phil Laroche ViceCommodore@GulfHarborsyc.com
Rear Commodore Becky Pratt RearCommodore@GulfHarborsyc.com
Staff Officers
Secretary Kathy Hockenberry Secretary@GulfHarborsyc.com
Treasurer Kathy Hockenberry
Fleet Chaplain Mary Jo Langie
Fleet Captain Joe Traub
Fleet Surgeon Dr. Mitchel Bendit
Directors
Membership Diane Rhodes Membership@GulfHarborsyc.com
Anchorettes President Karen Shea Anchorettes@GulfHarborsyc.com
Finance/Budget Ed Hecock
House Bruce Long
Lounge Becky Pratt
Banqueting Arlene Consigli Banquets@GulfHarborsyc.com
Scholarship Bonnie Hecock
Soundings/Web Editor Sharon Evans Soundings@GulfHarborsyc.com
Appointments and Committees
Dock Master David Fernandes
Sergeant at Arms Sam Thompson
Publicity Judi Pobst
TLC Laraine Majka
The Gulf Soundings
The Yacht Club offers a monthly news publication which informs the membership of upcoming events, provides space for advertising and includes columns from the Bridge Officers as well as articles of interest from various Directors and Club members.
The links below will take you to a .pdf version of our Gulf Soundings publication
Boating
- The Gulf Harbors Yacht Club is located just minutes away from the beautiful Gulf of Mexico
While many of our members are not boat owners, taking part in group boating activities is one of the distinct advantages of membership in the Gulf Harbors Yacht Club. Our beautiful location on the North Channel and our eighteen slips available to Harbor Side members helps to make fun on the water with family and friends a part of life at our Club. Our canal slips can accommodate vessels up to 40’ in length. We also have two floating docks (one of which is brand new) for use by our Club guests arriving by vessel.
- Aerial view of the North Anclote Key sandbar
The North Channel leads out to the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. A favorite destination for many boaters is the North Anclote Key sandbar and Anclote Island. The island has recently seen the restoration of its lighthouse with the assistance of a citizens group and is managed by the Florida State Department of Parks. See www.floridastateparks.org/anclotekey/default.cfm for further information regarding this lovely park.
Our Yacht Club organizes poker runs several times each year. During these popular events, participants drive their boats to visit the docks of five or more Club members, socializing and drawing a playing card at each location. The object of the event is to have the best poker hand at the conclusion of the run. While winning is purely a matter of chance, entrants rendezvous back at the Yacht Club to check their hands, enjoy a meal and the companionship of other members. Our poker runs require a fee to enter, but part of the fee goes to funding the event, including prizes, while the balance goes to defray Club operating expenses.
Regattas are another of our well-liked boating activities. These boat races are formally structured with specific rules which precisely describe the schedule and procedures to be followed. At our Yacht Club, regattas are held just for the joy of competition and camaraderie, although we often schedule social and promotional activities which surround the race itself.
Just as the name implies, our raft-ups help promote good times with good friends. Any number of Club members will rope their vessels together and visit one another from boat to boat. There’s no better way to enjoy great food and drink while soaking up the sun in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
The Yacht Club also hosts an annual Christmas Boat Parade in December and a dignified Blessing of the Fleet Ceremony each spring, along with fishing tournaments and group luncheons at local waterfront restaurants.
If you live near the water, it’s easy to make boating an important part of your life. There’s no better place to do so in all of Pasco County than the Gulf Harbors Yacht Club!
Anchorettes
The Anchorettes are the women’s auxiliary to the Gulf Harbors Yacht Club. These women embrace a time honored tradition of service to our Club and our community. Each year they take on any number of projects to better the membership experience.
If one looks around our Club they will find many Anchorette contributions, including beautiful etched glass dividers between the lounge and the dining room, lighting fixtures in both areas, patio furniture on our lanai, a decorative glass art piece on the stage, various sets of china, tableware and linens, glass top table covers, an entrance console table, and, most recently, a brand new sound system for the Club.
The Anchorettes expertly host yearly social events such as the 4th of July, Memorial and Labor Day parties.
One of their most significant projects is the annual Fashion Show conducted each spring. This event attracts many guests from the surrounding area and is thoroughly enjoyed by all attendees. During the Holiday Season, they host a Children’s Christmas Party and Tree Lighting Holiday Event. We also have them to thank for our beautiful decorations we all enjoy.
This group is also well known and highly regarded for their active support for community service organizations including the Pace Center for Girls, the SPCA, Volunteer Way and local nursing homes.