A Brief History of the Club

The first sailing club on Lake Murray was established in the 1930’s, but dissolved when the winds of war blew across the world. Its commodore in 1936 was George V. Sumner, who later became the founder of the Columbia Sailing Club. It was Sumner’s lake home, "Hickory Dock" which became the focal point for Lake Murray sailing in later years. Two doors away lived Robert H.  Webster, another sailing enthusiast, and between the two the nucleus of CSC began to emerge.  Other sailors, including Ben Knowlton, moored their sailboats in the Sumner/Webster cove.  Knowlton, a New Englander, sailed year round in his Hampton. The founding of the Columbia Sailing Club occurred on the back porch of Martin Jones Sr.’s home at 630 Pickens Street on July 17, 1957. R.H. "Bob" Webster was elected chairman, and charter member.

Charlie Craig offered his lake home as headquarters for the club’s first major regatta on Labor Day weekend. Twenty-five boats participated in what became a laborious drifter. For that reason, CSC’s annual regatta was shifted to May in hopes of more favorable breezes. Some 19 members paid dues of $5 per quarter. There were no initiation fees. Zan Heyward, Jr. was the chairman of the 1958 regatta and arranged with CSC member Alex Croswell to use his cottage and ramp for the event. While only four out of town sailors had participated in the 1957 races, several more turned up for the May regatta and word of CSC’s hospitality began to spread. The Croswell home, only two points up the lake from the present CSC site, stood duty again as regatta headquarters in May, 1959. The single ramp proved insufficient to meet the demands of the crowd. Skippers showed up from Savannah, Charleston and Augusta, but one day of rainy weather and red clay mud tracked on the Croswell carpet somewhat marred the weekend.   However, media coverage was superb and the Columbia Record printed a two-page spread. Sailboat racing had arrived at Lake Murray. Meanwhile, Bob Webster and his daughter, Sally, happened one day to sail by a piece of land near the dam that appeared to be an island. Bob inquired into the property at SCE&G and found that it did not exist on their maps. It had been intended as fill for the construction of the dam, but was left alone when workers ran into hefty boulders. Webster paid the power company one dollar for a lease of the land to CSC for the "erection of a temporary judging shelter for sailboat races." It was on this tenuous lease that the club functioned until the spring of 1977.

With great optimism—especially since the lease contained a provision through which SCE&G could call for its land back, in original condition, upon 30 day notice—CSC put in a crude road, cleared land and built a small clubhouse which was designed by member Reid Hearn and fabricated by a Savannah firm. It arrived on a flatbed truck. Each member was assessed $100 to help with costs and a bank loan was personally secured by the flag officers because the bank was uncertain about lending money to an entity called a "sailing club." The 1960 Midlands Regatta was held on our leased property in May and has occurred in May every year since, with the exception of 1962 and 1972, when they took place in August. We were the hosts of the South Atlantic Yacht Racing Association (SAYRA) Championships in those years. As membership limits were expanded, more improvements were made. An east wing was added to the original prefab; a kitchen and extra rest rooms were built.

The Ladies Auxiliary, organized on October 23, 1967, raised money for the construction of the covered patio and grill on the west end of the building and for construction of the bathhouse. The ladies, organized to "aid Columbia Sailing Club in their projects," have proven to be invaluable partners in the growth of CSC. Other gifts from the ladies have included the VHF communications system; the ice maker’ a refrigerator; the folding chairs; the CSC burgee which flies from the flag pole; and other equipment. The Auxiliary has played a major role in the social activity of the Club and is regularly responsible for planning the Christmas parties, regatta registration, regatta lunches and operation, and the Annual Ladies’ Sailing Program. CSC conducted outstanding Youth Training Programs through the years, turning out excellent young sailors and potential members. The club developed cruising boat facilities in the back cove as boats multiplied. This development is financed by rental fees. CSC has always been recognized as a club capable of hosting top-flight competition. The club had displayed outstanding teamwork in hosting some of yachting’s most distinguished events. CSC race committee work is legendary among sailors, as acknowledged by the World Jollyboat Association which asked Jack Helms to run its world championships at Nag’s Head, NC. Jack and his CSC committee of John Wrisley, Bob Armstrong and Martin Jones ran a perfect five-race series without a protest. Willard Davis continues to bring honor to the Club with his fine race management. Staton Peele served on the USYRU Championship Committee—the pinnacle of men’s sailing in the U.S. Yacht Racing Union, and in Staton’s honor and memory the USYRU Sportsmanship Award has been established for the Mallory Cup Finals (USYRU is now USSA). It was generally accepted that the old lease would one day have to be replaced with a more business-like arrangement, and in April, 1977 the big step was taken. CSC bought the land. Each member was assessed $100 and 20 life memberships were sold for $1,200 each. The remainder of the purchase price was financed. When the back cove mooring facilities were developed they were expected to be sufficient for many years, but by 1983 it was time to expand.

Members approved a plan to increase capacity to 94 slips and the construction took place in 1984/85 under the leadership of Larry Propes. Although they were forced to moor elsewhere, boat owners continued to pay slip rentals to help finance construction. At its annual meeting in 1985 CSC expanded again. Members approved spending $35,800 for the acquisition of 3.58 acres of adjacent land. Through all the years the CSC tapestry has been woven with distinguished sailors and exciting sailing, including national and international regattas and USSA qualifying events. For many years E-Scows from other parts of the country were hauled to Lake Murray for an Easter Regatta. In 1987 this event transformed into an Easter J-24 Regatta with more than 30 boats participating. Modern day sailing at CSC is a far cry from the first regatta with its handful of Sailfish, three or four Lightnings, four Y-Flyers, a couple of Hamptons and a few other boats of forgotten classification This historical synopsis does not permit listing all of the people who have made significant contributions over the years. But to illustrate the caliber of these people, we point to the 1986 honor given Willard Davis when SAYRA named its Outstanding Service Award after him. And the memory of Staton Peele’s many contributions to CSC, SAYRA and USSA will live in the new Sportsmanship Award to be given at the Mallory Cup Finals. CSC also adopted a Sportsmanship Award, and its first recipient was Dr. Ed Schlaefer.