In February, 4,000 private club executives converged in Anaheim, California, for the annual World Conference hosted by the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA). For those in attendance, it was an opportunity to learn and connect, to hear about emerging trends, to explore new tools, and to reignite a passion for member service.

The first day of the conference was dedicated to a Yacht Club Symposium that was limited to 50 yacht club professionals. The group gathered at Balboa Yacht Club to discuss the unique opportunities and challenges facing yacht clubs today. From there, the yacht club managers joined the broader group for four more days of programming.

ICOYC was there, too, and we are reporting back with our Top Takeaways for Private Clubs in 2026.

Culture, not amenities, will generate resilience.
It’s easy for Boards to focus on major renovations and the latest programs and amenities, but the clubs that will remain relevant for decades to come are those that fortify their community. We are entering a disruptive time in human history, and more than ever, people are looking for a place to belong. When a club prioritizes belonging, it builds a membership base that can withstand change.

Position your staff as local celebrities.
Other places in town may have equally good food, service, views or programming, but no one else has your staff! Their personalities, talents, and even their quirks, are a powerful differentiator for your club.

From a management standpoint, lean into that by committing to be an employer of choice.

From a marketing standpoint, let your staff tell your story. Post Instagram videos of the chef cooking. Ask your Junior Sailing Director to make a reel for the Facebook group. Get your Race Director to write a piece for the club magazine.

Brand your staff and make them into household names without diminishing their professionalism, roles and expertise.

Stop stressing about the parking.
Autonomous vehicles are here to stay, and their prevalence is only going to grow—especially in cities. Parking is a contentious issue at many yacht clubs, particularly where waterfront constraints limit expansion, and plenty of well-intentioned dollars and hours get poured into finding solutions.

Give it a few years and watch how driverless taxis will reduce your members’ need, or desire, to park at the club.

Lifetime and Unlimited Memberships are a thing of the past.
Between 50 and 60 years ago, many clubs introduced concepts like Life Memberships (after a certain tenure, you stop paying dues), unlimited family memberships extending privileges across generations, or “buy-back” arrangements where members who stayed 30 years could resign and recoup sometimes-sizeable initiation fees.

Those models are coming to bear, and the economic realities are painful. Membership structures with these features have proven to be financially unstable, and nearly all have been—or are in the process of being—sunset.

The bottom line: your membership mix needs to serve the club’s financial health.

Your club should reflect your city.
If food halls and casual coffee shops are outpacing formal restaurants in the neighborhoods surrounding your club, update your offerings to match by opening a casual dining area or a coffee bar. If non-alcoholic beverages are having a moment, add them to your menu. Biking on the rise? Make sure you have secure racks and easy drop-offs for city bike shares. Retain your core club culture, but stay aware of, and responsive to, the culture around you.

Beware of over-reliance on financial metrics.
Bar chits and event reservations only tell part of the story: who was there and how much they consumed. If you rely solely on cost of goods, expenses and budget trends, you risk missing the story behind the numbers.

Instead of offering free drinks as an incentive to drive attendance, ask: why are certain events selling out while others don’t? Instead of penalizing late registrations, ask: why are teams signing up later for regattas? Instead of fixating on marina capacity, ask: what is the average age of a boat owner?

Replace annual surveys with regular conversations.
Clubs love to make critical decisions based on a single, labor-intensive survey—the results of which are inevitably skewed toward the demographic with time and inclination to complete them. Instead, work on building a culture of ongoing feedback.

Check in with members casually and regularly about their experience. Talk to your staff often to learn what they’re hearing around the club. Use the built-in survey tools in your website or app to send brief, automatic follow-ups after regattas and events.

These small, timely anecdotes will give you far more actionable insight than waiting once a year to react to a sprawling survey.

Market less, connect more.
The average person gets 120 emails/day. How can you create a club email that delights rather than gets deleted?

By connecting. Tell stories, share photos, spotlight members and staff (remember, they’re your local legends!) Invite members to contribute and celebrate when they do—they are what make your club unique. Aim for something closer to a 70/30 balance between storytelling and event promotion, rather than the other way around.

Interested in gaining more insights like this? Be sure to join us at an upcoming ICOYC Event!