The Winthrop Yacht Club is the oldest yacht club in Winthrop. It was founded in 1884 by eight men living and summering in Winthrop. From this humble beginning the WYC has grown to a club with over 700 members.

The present clubhouse was built in 1904 after the original one was destroyed by fire. It forms the central focus for all club activities. The view of Boston Harbor is spectacular, and is a great place to watch the sun set on a warm summer evening.  There is a lounge with a full service bar and grill with an adjoining porch that overlooks the harbor. There are function rooms, gear lockers and recreational facilities available for members' use.

The WYC was originally founded as a sailing and racing club.  After the Second World War with the advent of cheap gasoline, powerboats began to be seen. Now the club consists of a variety of boats of all types. There is an ongoing, friendly rivalry between the "stink potters" (powerboats) and the "rag baggers"  (sailboats)!

In 1979 the Youth Sailing Program was started. The program has professional instructors and provides a wide variety of learning and racing activities. The kids in the program have won many awards over the years, which are proudly displayed in the clubhouse. The fleet consists of 10 foot Turnabouts, which are both club and privately owned. The summer season concludes with a Family Day which features races crewed by a parent/child team.