OUR STORY
The Oldest Boat Club on Lake Erie
HISTORY
Our Story
The Lorain Harbor Boat Club was founded in 1928 by a small group of local sailors who wanted a place to keep their boats and race together on Lake Erie. They chose a sheltered basin off the Black River at the foot of Alabama Avenue — a location that remains the club's home nearly a century later.
Through the Depression, World War II, and the transformation of Lorain's industrial waterfront, LHBC endured. The club persisted not because of wealth or political connections, but because its members consistently showed up — to work on the docks, to sail, to race, and to keep the traditions of the sport alive in their community.
In the postwar decades, the club grew alongside Lorain's steel and shipbuilding boom. Wednesday-night racing became a fixture on the lake, attracting sailors from across the region. The I-LYA — the Inter-Lake Yachting Association, which organizes racing across all five Great Lakes — recognized LHBC as one of its founding members.
The marina has been rebuilt and upgraded multiple times over the decades. Today's 56-slip floating dock system replaced older fixed piers and provides the modern, full-service marina the club operates today.
TODAY
The Harbor Today
Today, LHBC is a 501(c)(7) sport and social club with members ranging from retired long-haul cruisers to first-time sailors still earning their sea legs. The club is entirely member-owned and volunteer-run — there is no paid staff, and the board of directors is elected annually from the membership.
The basin at 108 Alabama Avenue provides 56 floating slips with shore power and water, plus a dry-storage lot for smaller vessels. Members have access to club-owned sailboats for the Learn to Sail program. The clubhouse facilities include restrooms, showers, and gathering spaces for pre- and post-race socializing.
Racing continues on Wednesday evenings through the sailing season, with PHRF-LE handicap scoring managed through the I-LYA. One-off events — including the Distance Race around Lorain's breakwall, a regatta in partnership with nearby clubs, and an end-of-season celebration — punctuate the calendar.
The Lorain Boating Education Foundation — a separate 501(c)(3) that partners with LHBC — runs US Sailing-accredited Adult Basic Keelboat courses each summer. The foundation's mission is to make sailing accessible to the residents of Lorain County, and it offers scholarships for those who need financial assistance.
LHBC is affiliated with US Sailing and maintains a BoatUS group membership that gives LHBC members discounts on BoatUS memberships. The club is also a longtime member of the Inter-Lake Yachting Association.
GALLERY
Through the Years
Historic photos courtesy of the LHBC archives. Have a photo to share? Email WebMaster@LorainHBC.org.