The Club was formed in January 1875 when ten gentlemen of Dorset met at the Kings Arms in Dorchester. On April 19th 1875, the Club was awarded an Admiralty Warrant and so could prefix its title with the word Royal and its members were entitled to fly the Blue Ensign. There were 258 original members, mostly resident in Dorset, who between them owned 114 yachts aggregating 13,034 tons - more than a third of the total British Registered tonnage of the time.
The Prince of Wales was Commodore from1897 to 1902. King George V became Patron and greatly beloved of the membership with whom he sailed competitively for many years in Britannia and wore the Royal Dorset burgee. On his death Britannia was scuttled south of St Catherines; her burgee and racing flag were presented to the Club by H.M. King Edward VIII and Queen Mary. They are proudly displayed in the Club to this day. In 1952 the Duke of Edinburgh became Patron and remains so to this day.
The original RDYC Clubhouse on the esplanade dates from the eighteenth century and was at one time the Royal Library of King George III, Weymouth’s most distinguished patron and populariser of sea bathing. In 1975 the Club took the decision to sell it and purchase the present Clubhouse on Custom House Quay, in the heart of bustling Weymouth Harbour; a fitting location for a great Yacht Club. |
