The Seaside Park Yacht Club (SPYC) was incorporated in 1899 to promote yachting and rowing, to foster athletic sports upon the water, and to promote the general prosperity of Seaside Park.  For well more than a century SPYC has fulfilled that mission. The distinctive club house, built on pilings in the bay, is home to a thriving membership of sailors and those who share the Corinthian spirit.

The original clubhouse was expanded in 1906 and that addition represents the current configuration of the building. Ideally situated on the open Barnegat Bay, SPYC was a founding member, in 1914, of the Barnegat Bay Yacht Racing Association (BBYRA) which brings together 14 yacht clubs on the bay in spirited competition among 12 different classes of racing boats. Throughout each summer hundreds of sailors of all ages and the dedicated regatta committee volunteers who run the races gather on the bay each Saturday to race. The culmination of each season’s competition is a celebration and awards ceremony at SPYC when trophies and flags are awarded and glasses are raised in celebration. 

SPYC thrives on volunteerism and member participation that includes member run dinners, often home cooked, as well as elaborate theme parties that sell out to capacity.  Members are encouraged to join the after-dinner festivities which often include live music and a specialty drink. Sunsets on the porch are never a disappointment and Wednesday night and Sunday club races provide ample opportunity for members to get involved. Junior members hone their sailing skills in a summer long sailing instruction program that ensures that SPYC remains competitive on the bay and in the larger sailing community. 

SPYC’s first Commodore in 1899 was mayor of Philadelphia and much of the early membership resided in Philadelphia, Philadelphia’s storied Main Line, and communities in New Jersey adjacent to Philadelphia.  Today a diverse membership draws from New York, northern New Jersey as well as Philadelphia and its suburbs.