Membership

Note: If you are a current member looking for the 2024 Renewal Forms, from the home page:

go to Library-Coop Documents-Forms or:https://lmyc.ca/coop_documents/lmyc-2024-membership-renewal-form/

You don't need to own a boat or even know how to sail in order to become a member of one of the Lower Mainland’s best kept secrets – the Lower Mainland Yacht Co-op (LMYC). All you need is an interest in sailing.

You can learn to be a skipper on one of our six boats; join the fun on long weekend cruises; or simply sail around Semiahmoo Bay, Howe Sound and English Bay, or Pender Harbour with other members or your guests. Once you achieve Cruise Skipper status you may book out a boat for a multi-day cruise. All this for an affordable price!

The Lower Mainland Yacht Cooperative (LMYC) consists of 75 "Full" members. We have six sailboats moored at Blaine Marina, Point Roberts Marina, Sewell's Marina in Horseshoe Bay and during the summer, in Pender Harbour (for Sunshine Coast) and at Lund (for Desolation Sound). Aside from a membership fee, members are required to contribute a minimum of 20 hours of their time to club tasks - a minimum of 10 of those hours must be spent on maintenance of the fleet.

The most important aspect of the cooperative is the maintenance of the boats. All boats are kept in good condition as a result of regular maintenance. Annual maintenance and upgrades are done early each Spring during annual haul-out. Co-op members do most of this work while professional trades are hired as needed. Scheduled monthly maintenance days are normally on the Saturday morning following the General Meeting of each month. Each boat has its own assigned maintenance crew and leaders. These are excellent opportunities to learn the workings of the boats while getting to know your fellow sailors.

Boats are booked on a first come, first served basis, each member being allocated 320 berth-hours of sailing during the "high season" months of mid-June, July and August to mid-September. This allows for a week of sailing during this peak period if accompanied by non-member guests/crew. During the balance of the year, a member's booking hours are unlimited.

As a full member, you can join in the fun on the long weekend "Club Cruises" to gorgeous destinations in the Gulf Islands and US San Juan Islands. Your nominal fee for the weekend includes most provisions and expenses. Saturday morning you leave for a beautiful 3-day trip to some of BC's or Washington’s most beautiful spots.

The fact that we usually have a waiting list for full membership points to the value and popularity of our club. Often all of those wishing full membership are able to transfer from social member status to full in the year following their application.

To join the Lower Mainland Yacht Cooperative, please find the Membership Application (expression of interest) on this page further below, complete the required information and our Membership Officer will contact you.

Once the application to full membership is accepted, the initiation fee of $500 plus the annual fee of $1100 [total amount = $1600] is payable prior to Nov. 1st. [If there are open spots after then, of course one may join]. There are no refunds on memberships. Also, we do not offer prorated dues nor monthly payments.

Those on our waiting list pay $27.50 per year. They are referred to as "Social Members" and are entitled to attend all member meetings and social functions. Associate members (full members who step aside for now) take precedence over social members, pay $55 per year, and are also welcome at all member meetings and social functions.

For more information, please contact us, and our Membership Officer will be happy to answer questions and guide you through the process. If you are ready to apply, please fill in the application form (expression of interest) below.