Yacht-Club Mainz e.V.

History

In February 1959, among others Kurt Strempel, Phillip Schüssler, Josef Wörner, Franz Leo Moritz, Hans Joachim Moritz, Hans Mackauer, Otto Gutzeit, Franz Eichhorn, Lothar Keller and Franz Eberle founded the Mainz Water-Ski Club (WSCM); Kurt Strempel took the chair, later succeeded by Karl-Heinz Paulus. On 22 July 1965 the Yacht Club Mainz was formed from the WSCM under Karl-Heinz Paulus (founding meeting at the Kaisertor), partly to stop the winter harbour from being filled in; Ludwig Schuler successfully fought for its preservation in 1966. Since 1967 the YCM has been based in the winter harbour; in 1966/67 a pontoon facility (guest pontoon) was purchased from the MRG. By the late 1960s the club gained non-profit status, joined the DMYV in 1974, entered the German Motor Yacht Association with 109 members in 1975 and the Rhineland-Palatinate sports federation in 1980. From the mid-1970s into the 1980s the club ran in-house courses for inland and coastal boat licences and radio certificates; some 500 people passed under Artur Schäfer and Dr Willem Tiebel. Youth work was led by youth officer Andreas Eberle and Dr Willem Tiebel; in 1983 a tender licence competition was introduced, and in 1984 Frank Herdt won the DMYV German youth cup. Pontoon 3 was added in 1979, later pontoons 4 and 5; in 1982 a pontoon facility including a small clubhouse was bought for DM 47,000. In 1980 the club erected a new steel flag mast on the mole head. After Commodore Ludwig Schuler died in 1982, Artur Schäfer was elected first chairman in 1983; membership then stood at 265. Club cruises and rally events to Worms, Heidelberg, Schierstein, Cochem and Dausenau brought trophies such as the Green Ribbon of the Moselle. The club celebrated its 20th anniversary in 1985 and its 25th in 1990, when it had 284 members. Chronicle part 1 (1965–1990) was compiled by Commodore Siggi Jente from eyewitness accounts and club records.