Welcome to the Official Web site of the 

City of Deephaven, Minnesota

 

"two square miles of tranquility"

 

The Minnetonka Yacht Club is located on Lighthouse Island, St. Louis Bay. By private membership.

On August 11, 1882, "a small number of yachtsmen met to organize the Minnetonka Yacht Club...with ten boats in the club fleet and the membership number at about 25."

During the summer of 1888, H. J. Burton's first sailboat, the Volante, began winning races on Lake Minnetonka. Designed and built in Boston under the watchful eyes of Hazen and 12 year old Ward, she was a "sandbagger" with such different lines that she created a new interest in the next five years with each triumphant race.

On May 15, 1889, now with 54 members and 30 boats, the Minnetonka Yacht Club became incorporated. And by August of 1890, Ward Burton's sailboat, the Owana, was winning all races against the larger "sandbaggers" then in vogue. The Owana marked a turning point in sailboat construction and brought fame to her Deephaven builder, Arthur Dyer, her owner, and the Minnetonka Yacht Club.

On September 23, 1899, the Minnetonka Ice Yacht Club was incorporated. Within two years, the membership totaled 167.

The Minnetonka Ice Yacht Club clubhouse was situated on Tahtu Island (later Bug Island), just east of the Yacht Club's "Lighthouse Island."

Aquatic sports and golfing privileges in summer meant the clubhouse was open all year, offering buffet lunches as well as room and board. And, it had one of the few telephones around the lake.

Source: Brochure compiled by Deephaven Park Advisory Committee in 1997. For more information about this historic Club, go to www.mycsailing.org