History

The idea of the sailing club began in the spring of 1948 in meetings between UW Daily sports editor, John Faulkner, and Walt Hardman, an experienced sailor. In a report to the ASUW office the club’s purpose was described as to promote sailing at the UW and to sponsor an intercollegiate sailing team. When activities began in the fall of 1948 the club consisted of 40 members with 25 of them boat owners.

John Faulkner        Walt Hardman

“The Husky Sailing Club was formed in May of last year to promote sailing at the University of Washington. All interested persons are eligible for membership. The club sponsors a program of racing and recreational sailing besides sending a University team to the inter-collegiate sailing meets in this country.” -1949 Tyee Year Book

In the spring of 1949 the club’s membership drive demonstrated enough interest in sailing that the ASUW loaned the club $4,000 to purchase a teaching and racing fleet. The club sponsored a design competition and Bill Nightengail was awarded the contract build six bare hulls. The new class of boats were named “Huskies.” Club members did the finishing work on the boats to bring down the cost to a minimum.

The “ASUW” Shellhouse, also known as the UW Canoe House, was constructed in 1918. After the United States entered World War I in 1917, the University of Washington granted the government access to its campus facilities for U.S. naval training and storage. However, the building’s naval use was rather short-lived due to the end of the war that year, and the Navy gave ownership of the hangar to the University.

The building served several generations of Husky oarsmen from 1920-1949 until they moved to their newly built Conibear Shell House. In 1951 the student-run Washington Sailing Club moved into the building renamed the UW Canoe House as it also served as a campus canoe-rental concession. Boats were stored with the masts partially dropped to fit in through the large east facing doors. The secondfloor landing served as the Sailing Club’s office and south side of the building was named the Yacht Club Gear Locker. In 1976 the sailors moved into the newly built Waterfront Activities Center which featured a sail loft and boat repair shop as well as a sail locker to store blades and sails. The upstairs locker rooms had showers as well as sauna rooms for restoration after a cold day on the water.

 In 1975 the Canoe House became the first UW building listed on the National Register of Historic Places, in1974 and again in 2018, the old Shell House was designated as a landmark by Seattle’s Landmarks Preservation Board.

On February 5, 1951 the boats were dedicated and given Husky mascot names. From the Canoe House, the Huskies on dollies were winched down the ramp into the Montlake Cut. A small dock was available, but the launching site proved challenging for new students and reports of damage when landing appeared often in club minutes. The Husky mast was too tall; it needed to be partially lowered to fit through the opening cut into the hanger door. Lowering the mast became one of several skill requirements for a skipper rating on a Husky.

Steve Chadwick Jr. is honored at the Corinthian Yacht Club for winning the International championship in the I-110 class in 1954 in San Francisco Bay. Bill Buchan Jr. was the National Collegiate Dinghy Champion the same year, winning A-Division in Santa Barbara, California.

International 110’s Photo -Marblehead Studios, Blake Jackson