The Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club is inaugurated on 16th April at a meeting of “boating gentlemen.”

• Entry fee set at two guineas, with a one guinea annual subscription.
• Col. George Wilson of Beccles elected as the first Commodore.
• First sailing fixtures held at Cantley (June), Wroxham (July) and Oulton Broad (August) – dates that largely remain to this day.
• The original Club burgee: a white flag with the red cross of St. George.

Decision made to build a Clubhouse at Lowestoft, with land leased from the Great Eastern Railway.

• The original Clubhouse is completed in 1886, but quickly proves too small.

• Late 1880s–1890s – Architect George Skipper of Norwich designs the distinctive butterfly or ‘X’ plan building.

• Edward VII grants the Royal Warrant, backdated to 1898, and donates a signed photograph that still hangs in the Dining Room.

Naval architect Linton Hope designs the Broads One Design Yacht (“Brown Boat”) for Broads and coastal sailing.

• This design becomes a long-standing fixture in Club racing and remains in use today.

At the Club’s Centenary, Commodore Michael Johnson proudly notes that the only two gold medals won by Great Britain in yachting over the previous 50 years were both by RN&SYC members.

A grant is secured to build a new marina, which becomes a permanent feature of the Club.

• The Club is recognised as an RYA/Volvo Centre of Excellence for sail training in partnership with Waveney & Oulton Broad Yacht Club.

Nearly £500,000 in Heritage Lottery funding is secured with the help of Waveney District Council to renovate the iconic listed Clubhouse.

The Club celebrates its 150th anniversary with a reception and supper at the Maids Head Hotel in Norwich, commemorating the inaugural meeting held there in 1859.

• Celebrations conclude with an official visit from HRH The Princess Royal.

The Club continues to thrive, maintaining its strong roots in both coastal and Broads sailing. With over 150 years of heritage, the Royal Norfolk & Suffolk Yacht Club honours tradition while embracing modern developments.