Visiting CBYCA Member Clubs
Almost all Chesapeake Bay Yacht Clubs Association (CBYCA) Member Clubs with facilities welcome visitors from other CBYCA Member Clubs. We encourage all visitors to be courteous, respectful, and abide by the hosting Club rules and management directions. Reciprocity is a privilege and may be revoked at the discretion of any club. Chesapeake Bay Yacht Clubs Association does NOT require reciprocity amongst member clubs.
If asked for proof of CBYCA membership, most Clubs keep a CBYCA roster book handy at the bar or in the office so membership may be easily verified. Also, the Membership list is on our www.CBYCA.org website, both on our “Find A Club Map” and “Member Clubs” pages under the “About Us” main menu. Some Clubs print “CBYCA Member” on their membership cards.
Whether it is one member requesting a slip or a multi-boat club outing, the courtesy amongst Clubs that offer reciprocity is for the Fleet Captain of the visiting Club to contact the Fleet Captain of the host Club as far in advance as possible to inquire about slip availability, facility requirements, and the cost. Clubs generally do not have designated visitor slips. The slips may be owned or rented by Club members first and if they happen to have empty slips those empty slips may be offered to visitors. If a boat from your Club cannot secure a slip with the others, a nearby anchorage where you can dinghy in may be an option. Fleet Captains will have that information.
Before contacting a Club your Fleet Captain should have available:
- Arrival and departure dates (most Clubs may limit you to two nights)
- Arrival and departure times (some Clubs ask that you vacate the slip by a specific time)
- Number of boats requesting slips
- Name of each boat
- Whether power or sail
- Length and draft of each boat
- Whether electricity is required (and how many amps). Some Clubs may charge for power.
If slips are available the Fleet Captain will give further instructions for your arrival; for example by what time you should arrive and who to contact upon arrival. Some Clubs will email their rules prior to your arrival.
You may or may not be assigned slip numbers in advance. You may be given the slip number with instructions to radio the dock master upon your approach. If you get your slip number in advance, it is recommended that you check the Club’s website for a dock map to locate the slip to plan your approach. You might also check Google Maps satellite view.
Visiting boats should take and use their own dock lines, power cords, and water hoses.
After arriving at the Club on the designated day each skipper should immediately check in with the dock master or Fleet Captain if they are not meeting your boat at the dock. At that time ask who and where to pay for the slip if that wasn’t discussed when you made the reservation. Some Clubs may take credit cards, while others may only take cash. Some Clubs require payment upon arrival, others before you leave.
If anything changes (cancelations, added boats, etc.) please contact the Fleet Captain as soon as possible.
If you plan to eat at the host Club’s restaurant, ask the Fleet Captain for appropriate protocols, i.e., dress code, reservations, etc. If you would like to just drive to a Club for a meal, the Club website usually has a restaurant number or at least instructions for making reservations. All Clubs are different as some have onsite paid chefs and others do not.
Some clubs may restrict where alcohol can be consumed on the premises.