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About Sailfish Clubof florida

John D. Crimmins Founded the Sailfish Club of Florida on Februray 28, 1914.

History of The Club

The Sailfish Club of Florida began in the early 1900’s and is the story of the rise of a great club from a dream that came to a small group of men.

That dream became reality and the Sailfish Club of Florida was organized on the 28th day of February, 1914 in Palm Beach, Florida with its first President, John D. Crimmins (see photo). It is the oldest continuously operating private club in the town of Palm Beach.

Club meetings and gatherings were maintained at the Breakers Casino in Palm Beach until January 1932. At that time, the Members, wanting more privacy and their own docks, built a beautiful clubhouse and dock on the property where the Club sits today, in a most choice location along Lake Worth in the north end of Palm Beach. The Club has survived two World Wars and other national emergencies including the great Depression of the 1930's which saw the demise of many clubs nationwide as a result of financial hardship.

“The Sailfish Club of Florida was founded in 1914 to join like-minded people with common interests in fishing and boating and enjoyment of one another’s company.”
Amy ShAUGHNESSY - AUTHOr 
Sailfish Club of Florida: Celebrating 100 Years
Club Growth

At its new location, the Sailfish Club continued to grow and become one of the premier fishing and boating clubs in Florida and the only such club in the town of Palm Beach.

Over time, additional adjacent property was purchased. As the years passed, the membership grew and the boats got larger. New docks were built in the 60's and 70's. The Club was expanded and completely rebuilt during the 1980's except the swimming pool and cabanas which were rebuilt in the early 90's.

After the damage from Hurricane Frances and Jeanne in 2004 and Hurricane Wilma in 2005, the Club’s docks have been replaced and are now fully operational. The docks are once again a beautiful feature of the Club where our Members can enjoy dock fishing and other amenities. In 2007 the Club embarked on a new pool project, waterproofing the pool deck and resurfacing the pool itself. The main bar renovation project opened to Members in November 2009 to much acclaim. The intention was to retain the traditional feel of the old bar, along with much of the Club’s history and to bring this most important area of the Club into the style of other areas recently renovated.

renovations

In both 2015 and in 2019, the Club went through extensive renovations.

In 2015, the Club expanded the fitness center and created a new snack bar (now called "The Galley"). The Anchor Room Bar received a new layout, including a new service window allowing access to the pool deck. Also added was a retaining wall to the docks and a covered deck off the Main Bar. 

In 2019, the Club went through another extensive renovation that included a new state-of-the-art kitchen, service elevator, and upgrades to the pool deck. Added on the pool deck was a covered walkway with updated tiled surface area, a fixed pergola with rain sensors and shades, upgraded restrooms, enlarged cabanas, a covered patio, and a private sundeck. 

The Club has been fortunate over the years to have had dedicated men and women to serve on the Board of Governors and a management and staff that are sensitive and alert to the needs of its Members.

While the Sailfish Club's attractions include swimming, sailing, fishing and boating, it also has a history as a closely knit family club with a well-earned reputation for the quality of its cuisine served in a relaxed atmosphere. The Club serves its Members on a year round basis. The Sailfish Club is truly a Club for all seasons.

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