The Fairfield Harbour Yacht Club was formed to promote cruising and racing, the science of seamanship, safety on the waterways, and fellowship among its members.

Bob Doran, George Schnupp, Dick Nehring and Joe Szmyd organized the first meeting, held on March 8, 1984. The burgee design decided upon was a white field with a blue sunburst containing a white anchor and some waves, all bordered in blue.

The Charter Members of the FHYC were Laura and Tom Babington, Dave and Nancy Bechtold, Jo and Pat Colburn, Bob and Lois Crandall, Bill and Ginny Crow, Charles and Ruth Dettor, Jerry and Ruth Ditolla, Bud and Liz Dixon, Bob and Carol Doran, Norma and Tom Drenan, Bob and Shirley Ford, Alice and Jim Frank, Al and Frank Hagan, Frank and Joyce Hall, Bob and Mabel Hankerson, Bob and Priscilla Hawkins, Billie and John Holecek, Glenna and Rex Inman, Alta and Frank Krieger, Bob and Marge Johansen, Art Lancaster, Dick and Jinie Nehring, Dee and Pat Patteson, Edith and Hank Pattison, Elsie and Jim Pollock, Barbara and Jim Redmond, Bob and Katharine Reid, John and Mable Rochon, Evelyn and George Schnupp,  Dot and Les Smith, Claire and Lee Snyder, Bob and Gretchen Snyder, Helen and Joe Szmyd, Dirk and Tini Van Zyverden, John and Lois Walsh, and Jake and Sally Wheeler.

In April, the first issue of the Semaphore came out under the editorship of Barbara Redmond.  She was also editor of the yearbook, which was first published in 1985.  Membership was taken out in the North Carolina Yacht Racing Association (NCYRA) in 1985, and a new club Performance Handicap System (CPHS) was begun in 1990.

Early activities included support of the reclassification of Northwest Creek and Upper Broad and Goose Creeks to impose higher standards of point source water treatment discharge on future waste treatment plants, clearing of debris from Northwest Creek and the inner harbor, and tracking Spring Creek with depth sounders with the results depicted on an outline map drawn from an aerial photo.

An adventurous cruise to Manteo by six boats in July 1984, to participate in the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first colony, initiated the Club’s cruising experience and established the tradition of an annual Ocracoke cruise.  Other cruises to nearby points of interest were soon added to the agenda, and expeditions to Harker’s Island for fishermen and “rambles” to Swansboro for small boaters became popular events.  Frequent raftups were greatly enjoyed by the participants.

The newly formed Club continued the tradition of offering an outing on the water and shore side luncheon to their non-boating neighbors, an event now known as the “Annual Boat Bash" and sponsored jointly by FHYC and the POA.  The first annual Commodore’s Ball was held at the Shoreline Country Club in 1992, at which time the original gavel was presented to the first Commodore, Dick Nehring.

In 1992, FHYC received a VHF license from the Federal Communications Commission with the call letters WRV 338.  The Club purchased a VHF radio, which was installed in the Security gatehouse for emergency use. Also in that year, office space was secured in the Country Club and a computer was installed. With the advent of storing Yacht Club records on the personal computers of several of the Club members, the office was vacated in 2001.

The first Oar Race was held in 1984 with six boats participating.   Conceived by John Walsh, it was called the “Oriental Oar Race” because it ran from Fairfield Harbour to Oriental as a “feeder race” on the day before the Michelob Cup race, which started at Oriental.  The race was renamed “Oar Race” in 1988 when the course of the Michelob Race was changed.  A perpetual trophy, “The Dunkirk Oar,” was awarded to the overall winner.  The original oar was presented to John in 1971 in Brightlingsea, England, where his boat was built.  The owner of a local hotel held a going away party for him and invited people who had assisted in the evacuation of Dunkirk.  Oars had been used along with sails during the evacuation.  Some of these oars survived and were displayed on the walls of the restaurant of the hotel.  The owner took an oar, which had been used on board the yacht CLARA in the evacuation and presented it to John.  Initially used as a perpetual trophy, the original oar has since been retired and is displayed in the lobby of the Country Club.  Smaller replicas are now awarded to race winners.  In memory of John Walsh, the club has renamed the race the “John Walsh Memorial Oar Race.

The Commissioning Day Ceremony and Regatta, begun in 1985, mark the beginning of the boating season.  Past races scheduled have included a Predicted Log Event, a Wind’s Day Series, a Novice and Start Race, a Frostbite Series (dinghies), a Spring Series, a Golden Leaf Fall Series, a Petticoat Regatta, a Summertime Cup Race, a Sundowner Dinghy Race, a Dinghy/Sunfish Series (Interclub), and a Golf Regatta. The year 2001 saw the beginning of the Cruisers Regatta series.

Club members have performed many services to the community, including constructing and installing the flag pole at the Country Club dock (1984); replacing launching ramps; installing day markers in the channel leading into Northwest Creek, Spring Creek and the entrances to the marina and the boat basin; installing a flashing light at the entrance to Northwest Creek; completing a dinghy dock at the Shoreline Country Club marina; helping with removal of stumps and debris from Spring Creek; providing committee boats for the Neuse River Yacht Racing Association;  and sponsoring yachting films.  FHYC donated funds to the POA in 1990 to be used for chairs in the new Community Center.  Starting in 1993, the Club cooperated with TV channel 12 and McDonald’s Restaurant in an annual Christmas Food Drive for the needy, collecting several thousand pounds of food each year. Since 2001, the Club has donated the food to RCS (Religious Community Services). Since 1993,at their annual Holiday party, members have supported the Salvation Army Angel Tree program by donating truckloads of gifts to local, needy children.

In 1999 the Club helped the POA with the charting and dredging of Spring Creek and participated in the dedication of the new Neuse River Bridge. The annual Blessing of the Fleet, which includes member’s boats and those of other local clubs, usually follows a week after Commissioning Day. In 2001, the two activities were combined. Over the years, the Club’s calendar has been filled with social events, both on land and water. Particularly notable are the yearly Commodore’s Ball, luncheon and dinner socials and the annual Christmas flotilla in the harbor and Holiday Party.

During 2004, the FHYC celebrated the 20^th anniversary of its founding with several activities to help commemorate this milestone. Sadly, Dick Nehring, our first Commodore, passed away during the year.

Safety on the water has always been a top priority of FHYC starting with the installation of Marker #1 at the entrance to NW Creek. The Education Committee has been instrumental in conducting classes with hands-on experiences such as man-overboard drills, communications skills with VHF marine radios and the proper use of GPS equipment. They also conduct classes in chart reading, navigation, knots, docking, rafting up, and fire safety demonstrations which include proper use of flares. Recent purchases include a portable automatic external defibrillator unit (AED), kept at the main gate, and available for cruises and regattas. The Club also arranged with BOAT/US for life jackets which can be borrowed by members at Northwest Creek Marina.