Welcome to Shawnee Yacht Club
Since 1941, SYC has promoted sailing on Lake Shawnee for the recreational benefit of the local community. In addition to the opportunity to sail on beautiful Lake Shawnee, the club provides: free sailing lessons for those new to the sport, sailboats for members to use, a fenced boatyard with a boat ramp, several docks (provided by Parks and Rec), a storage shed for equipment, sailing activities, racing, and social gatherings.
Five-Year Master Plan
12 Apr 2025
SYC has presented Parks and Recreation with a Five-Year Master Plan for improving our sailing facilities. The plan aims to increase sailing activity on Lake Shawnee and get SYC back on a more sustainable footing. We are currently negotiating with P+R staff for their support in moving forward with individual items in the plan. SYC's costs for some of these improvements will be substantial. Please consider making a contribution to help us with these facility improvements.
One of Our Own in The Top 100
02 Mar 2025
Former Commodore and current SYC Resident Agent Eric Kjorlie was featured in the 2nd quarter 2023 Top 100 Lawyers publication.
SYC Annual Business Meeting
28 Jan 2025
The SYC annual business meeting was held February 2nd at 2:00pm over Zoom. Following are some highlights:
- Due to sparse attendance at this meeting, we decided to delay nominating and electing the 2025 Board of Governors. Instead, that will take place at a breakfast meeting for all club members at the clubhouse on Saturday, May 3rd. The Spring Work Party will follow that meeting.
- Sailing lessons will be the same as last year, monthly sessions of 4 lessons each on Wednesday evenings scheduled through Parks & Rec. There will be sessions in June, July and August, but not in September.
- There will be 3 socials over the sailing season: The Spring Breakfast on May 3rd, 4th of July, and a fall social on September 7th.
- We will be working with Parks & Rec to improve the dock at the launch ramp to make it longer and move it to deeper water and closer to the launch ramp.
- With the boatyard nearing capacity, we will be doing some reorganization of parking spots and possibly moving some boats to better utilize the space.
For SYC members only:
Topeka, Forbes Field
70°F - A Few Clouds
Coming Events
- 5/3, Spring Social, Breakfast, Elections, 8:00am, SYC
- 5/3, Spring Work Day, 10:00am, SYC
- 6/1, First Sun Racing & Group Sailing, 2:00pm-5:30pm, SYC
- 6/4, First Wed Lessons & Group Sailing, 5:30 pm-Sunset, SYC
SYC on Facebook
Mark's Racing Blog
2019 Orlando Webb Regatta
I arrived at Lake Lotawana Missouri Saturday about 8:00. Just enough time to launch the boat before the 9:00 shippers meeting. Met with some old friends and made some new ones. Thirty one boats were registered. Skippers hailed form New York, Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Kansas and Missouri. A few of the locals are regulars on the midwinter circuit so there was a pretty good field of competitors.
Saturday's wind was from the West which isn't ideal on this L shaped lake with the E/W arm being the short one. Velocity ranged from my being in the middle of the boat to on the rail with the traveler eased a couple inches. Puffs coming down the lake but sometimes out of the coves. Keep looking for the dark water.
The left end of the line was favored as well as the left side of the course. Broke off the start line on port just below my sailmaker Bill. Fun fun. His presence makes me really concentrate on going fast just because he built my sail. We battled it out and somehow I prevailed. Second race was pretty much a duplicate of the first, then we broke for lunch of boxed Subway meals.
The first afternoon race was to be a short one as there was a possibility of thunderstorms popping up and the RC was going to try for two races. I went into the top mark about third but had to tack against a big starboard shift/puff and tacked back within three boat lengths the mark. After I cleared the mob I paid the penalty under great encouragement from Bob Jr. (Hint, the boat doesn't spin very well with the boards up.) Recovering in the short race wasn't to be so I finished eighth. Sure enough, a massive looking thunderhead popped up so we called it a day. Results after the first day found Bill leading me by two points with JP, Spencer, and Danny a few more points back.
Sitting around after the days activities MaryAnn passed around what I thought was a jar of peanuts the way everybody was downing them. It was ibuprofen.
Sunday dawned with a lighter wind, forecast to be from the North and possibly shifting Eastward. We were now racing on the longer arm of the lake but only using half of it so we could get in two short races. Bill and I were one/two going into the top mark until Spencer (local ace) came out of nowhere to round first. He did the same thing again on the second lap. But somehow I won with Bill second. He is still one point ahead. Just before the start a quick but short blast came in from the East, then went back to the North. The stronger wind was from the left, so that is where I went. Mistake, as the wind oscillated East for the first leg putting me in a big hole with Bill sitting on top of the fleet. I fought back up to finish fifth but Bill won the regatta with no races worse than third. Mr consistency.
More people should go to this regatta. The competition is always great. For $80 I received the registration, a BBQ dinner, two lunches, two brunches, and really nice polo shirt. Lotawna also provides free housing on the lake with club members. Gary, the regatta chair, had a wonderful crew of, I'm guessing, more than thirty. Accolades to the great PRO crew. (An experienced and competent crew led by Lisa. All very cute but protected by a rather large bouncer driving the RC boat.) Launch committee. Lunch committee. Spectator committee. "Refreshment" committee. Trophy committee. Scoring committee. Thanks to all. What a wonderful regatta that once again lived up to its reputation.
Mark. MC 1772