Midland Bay Sailing Club Heritage 1967-2017

Celebrating 50 years of competition, cruising, community service, and camaraderie

Welcome to the Midland Bay Sailing Club Heritage Committee’s section of the MBSC website. Here, members can learn more about our club's storied past, in images and words, as we build towards the club's 50th anniversary in 2017. Most important, it's where members can contribute to that knowledge base, by helping identify boats, people, and events in photos that stump the committee, and by contacting the Heritage Committee by email to share information. Watch especially for new blog postings, as we'll be seeking member input on items

Coming Together: A Racing Fellowship Creates a Club

Coming Together: A Racing Fellowship Creates a Club

May 2, 2017

Coming Together: A Racing Fellowship Creates a Club In 1964, competitive sailing came to life in the Midland area with the arrival of Vic Carpenter and Jan Gougeon, professional boat builders from the Bay City, Michigan area. Vic was the pioneer of epoxy and probably the best wooden boat builder in the world, with a … Read More

The 1970s: A New Beginning

The 1970s: A New Beginning

October 19, 2020

The 1970s: A New Beginning In the mid-1960s, sailing was moving away from a domain for the well-to-do and the die-hard enthusiasts and toward a sport that would be more widely enjoyed. The early Midland sailors that came together with a view to forming a sailing club to support their interest were part of the … Read More

The Hope Island Race Tragedy of 1982

The Hope Island Race Tragedy of 1982

October 20, 2020

The Hope Island Race Tragedy of 1982 Introduction The fierce line squall that swept across Georgian Bay on Saturday, August 28, 1982, produced the darkest day in the history of Midland Bay Sailing Club. The sudden squall caught the fleet in the annual Hope Island Race on what was already a very windy day, and … Read More

The Property on Midland Bay

The Property on Midland Bay

January 25, 2018

The Property on Midland Bay Before there was a clubhouse, there was the deck at the Burt-Gerrans cottage near the lighthouse at Midland Point. See Coming Together to learn more about the club’s formative years. As John Daniells describes in Coming Together, the Midland Bay Sailing Club was formed as a fellowship of racing-minded sailors … Read More

The Sailing School: The Early Years

The Sailing School: The Early Years

October 19, 2020

The Sailing School: The Early Years The sailing school was established in 1972. The Club, led by Commodore John Leitch, felt strongly that giving back to the youth of the community was an important initiative, both for the future of the Club and for sailing in the area generally. That year, instruction was undertaken by … Read More