In early spring of 1971 a small group of Island sailing enthusiasts organized the Hilton Head Sailing Club and in April of that year, in conjunction with the Savannah Yacht Club, held the first Harbour Town Regatta. The perpetual trophy for this annual spring ocean race was donated by Sea Pines Plantation Company.

In November of that year the HHSC was formally chartered and incorporated and became affiliated with the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association (SAYRA), the regional organization of the United States Yacht Racing Union. Following incorporation, the original commodore, Robert G. (Bob) Scott, continued in office for 1972. During that year, in addition to the Harbour Town Cup Regatta, the first annual Calibogue Cup race was sailed in October under the auspices of the HHSC. This fall ocean race was limited to yachts from the three major yacht clubs of Charleston, the Savannah Yacht Club and HHSC. Two perpetual trophies, one for Class "A" and one for Class "B," were donated by Bankers Trust of Hilton Head Island in 1974. Additionally, in 1972 the Club conducted an active schedule of racing and cruising events. The Olympic Class 470 sailing dinghy was selected as the club one-design class. A competition for design of the club burgee was won by Robert H. (Bob) Stafford who was club secretary at the time. The burgee was subsequently placed in Lloyd's Registry in the 1975 edition.

Robert P. (Bob) McDuffie succeeded Commodore Scott for the 1973 term. During that year, Frank H. (Bud) Hall, Jr., club treasurer, donated the perpetual Calibogue Sound Trophy for the Class "B" yacht accumulating the best point score for a year's racing. Exploratory planning and discussions concerning a future club facility and expansion of the club's scope began. The 470 Class attained recognition as a nationally registered fleet of 10 boats and carried out a program of local and regional races, concurrent with the racing of the larger yachts.

Duane S. (Casey) Cason became commodore in 1974. Early that year the first John Biddle sailing film presentation was made through arrangements by William F. (Bill) Marscher. This became a well-attended annual event each ensuing February. The club emblem was designed by Commodore Cason and adopted in March. Various studies of locations and costs of future club facilities were developed and reviewed by the Board of Stewards, assisted by Kenneth M. (Ken) Whitehurst's liaison activities with the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 10-11 and a "Committee of Concerned Power Boatmen" who had expressed an interest in a yacht club organization and facility.

Because of Commodore Cason's illness in June, 1974, Vice Commodore William N. (Bill) Cork acted as commodore until November of that year. During the year Bob Scott donated the John J. McAleese Trophy, to be awarded annually in memory of the late Dr. McAleese to the club member who had contributed the most to the sport of sailing on Hilton Head Island. The selection of club member was made by the Board of Stewards, based on nominations solicited from the membership. The first recipient of the award was Henry C. Haskell. It was subsequently awarded to Robert H. Stafford (1974), Howard I. Price, II (1975), jointly to Robert G. Scott and Michael L. M. Jordan (1976), Carl P. Helfrich (1977) and to Edward H. D. Gibbs in 1978. Also in 1974, the club newsletter, "The Mainsheet," was instituted with Porter M. Thompson as the first editor.

Howard Price hoisted the commodore's flag for 1975. That year saw a significant broadening of the club's sponsorship of major sailing activities. Commodore Price initiated actions which led to the club sponsorship of the Lightning Class North American Championship Regatta in August and the Hobie Cat National Regatta in November, 1975. He also established contacts with the United States Quarter-Ton Yacht Racing Association which led to the selection of HHSC as the sponsoring club for this championship series in 1976. Also, during the year, Past Commodore McDuffie donated the perpetual Walter Coolidge Trophy in memory of the late Dr. Coolidge, for the most successful cruising yacht during the year. The membership approved changes in the club constitution and by-laws to afford full membership privileges to women.

Assuming the office of commodore in 1976, Mike Jordan vigorously pursued the club commitment for sponsorship of the Quarter-Ton North American Championship Regatta which was held in May, 1976. This was the first Quarter-Ton championship event ever held in the open ocean. It not only presented some new problems for lake and gulf skippers and crews, but also significant challenges to the HHSC in organization, race management and logistics involving more than 70 yachts. All were resolved in outstanding fashion by the members.

HHSC becomes "The Yacht Club of Hilton Head Island"

Commodore Thomas H. (Tom) Galbraith assumed office in 1977 and began the task of increasing the membership and stimulation of on-the-water activities. Most significantly, as membership increased, planning was reopened for the location and development of a club facility. Commodore Galbraith brought to fruition a major revision of the club constitution and by-laws, enabling the establishment of "The Yacht Club of Hilton Head Island" in October, 1977 and an immediate broadening of the membership to include power boat members.

In 1978, August (Gus) Wavpotich became commodore and pressed on actively with the increasingly detailed efforts necessary for the selection, acquisition and development of a site and clubhouse. Power boat participation in club activities was very gratifying and the established racing programs were all carried out successfully. In March, under Bill Cork's leadership, a fleet of scale model, radio-controlled 12-Meter sailing yachts was established and an enthusiastic group of about a dozen raced their boats on the lagoon adjacent to the Plantation Club.

Birth of the Clubhouse

Gus Wavpotich was re-elected commodore for the year 1979. Under his leadership the membership came forward with the funds necessary for the purchase of one acre of land adjacent to the Palmetto Bay Marina and for an option on an additional acre. 

On January 31, 1979 a charter was granted for Flying Scot Fleet No. 134. The racing program, spelled out in detail at the beginning of each year, consisted of a Winter (Frostbite), Spring, Summer and Fall Series. In June of 1979 the club hosted an Invitational Ocean Racer Regatta, with yachts coming from up and down the southeast coast. Twenty-six-mile Olympic triangles were laid out to the southeast of Hilton Head Island. 

"We don't expect to be a Newport overnight, but this is the way these things get started," commented Commodore Wavpotich. 

(Taken from Islander magazine July 1979)

1971: Bob Scott
1972: Bob Scott
1973: Bob McDuffie
1974: Casey Cason
& Bill Cork
1975: Howard Price
1976: Mike Jordan
1977: Tom Galbraith
1978: Gus Wavpotich
1979: Gus Wavpotich
1980: John Curry
1981: Grant Morehouse
1982: Edward Gibbs
1983: Tom Galbraith
1984: Harry Billica
1985: John Mingay
1986: Richard Sabin
1987: Richard Brockway
1988: William Ridenhour
1989: Charles Hill
1990: Jim Vaughn
1991: William Walker
1992: Tom Henz
1993: Tom Crews
1994: Randy Tilly
1995: Susan McCann
1996: Charles Fraser
1997: Larry Jordan
1998: John Safay
1999: Jim Vaughn
2000: Don Robbins
2001: Joah Etchells
2002: Kevin McMahon
2003: Judy Safay
2004: Dennis Foley
2005: Bill Nicol