Founded in 1898, The Ohio River Launch Club (ORLC) is one of the oldest Yacht Clubs in the Country and is the oldest continuous privately owned and operated club on the Ohio River. In its early days, ORLC was home to various regattas including one in 1908 as described in Power Boating Magazine and Motor Boat Magazine.
According to the article in Power Boating Magazine, “It [ORLC] came into existence naturally on account of the growing popularity of the gasoline launch along the great inland waterway whose name it bears. On the stretches of the river above the city where its quarters are located, the opportunities for pleasure boating are surprisingly good.“1 An excerpt from Power Boat News, Feb. 17, 1906, “Boat Clubs on the Ohio River”, pp. 901-904, reads:
The next energetic power boat center is Cincinnati, at which city there are probably two hundred launches of various kinds. So great has become the interest of this sport that the river is fairly alive with water craft during the pleasant days of Summer. Three large boat clubs are in a most prosperous condition, not to mention a number of smaller ones.
. . . So rapid was the increase in the number of launches that a few years ago some of the most enthusiastic launch owners got together and decided to organize a club for power boats only. In due time a modest boat house was constructed; an anchorage was secured on the Ohio side of the river and thus was the beginning of the Ohio River Launch Club. So successful has this club been that the small boat has given way to a large commodious houseboat about the size of the Cincinnati Gymnasium Boat Club. Particular attention is given to the proper care of power boats. Work-benches and tools are provided, and supplies are carried for the conveniences of the members.
Today, ORLC is home of boating enthusiasts much like their earlier counterparts. In place of earlier regattas, the club participates in many events such as the renowned Tall Stacks Festival as well as numerous club sponsored trips.
A brief written history by Carlo Weber and Bob Webster is as follows:
A Brief History of The Ohio River Launch Club
The Oldest Continuously Operated Harbor on the River
by Carlo Weber(ORLC member 3/19/51 to 9/20/93), excerpted by Robert Webster Commodore 1997-98
(Introduction in ORLC Scrapbook) When William Z. Burkhart was Commodore in 1957, he suggested that a history of the Ohio River Launch Club should be developed and kept in the form of a scrapbook. I have not as yet been able to find out why he at that time gave that assignment to me. The secretary books of the early years were lost. Much of the information now contained in this book had to be “dug out” by contacts with old members and by reviewing available records.
Thanks must be given to the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio at the University of Cincinnati Library Building for their cooperation in finding information for me. This book in its original condition is being turned over to the Club in 1962. It is the intent of William Z. Burkhart for this book to be kept by the secretary, and at the end of each year the names of new members added, the officers listed and the “high points” of the year be added. (This scrapbook disappeared shortly after 1962.)
The boat club was started in 1898 at the foot of Vance Street (OR mile 467.6) It was at that location for only one year. Because of strong currents at Vance Street, it was moved to the foot of Worth Street…OR mile 466.3 just over a mile upstream.
The Launch club was incorporated on July 17, 1903 as the Ohio River Launch Club. The first club boat was bought by assessments. This original club boat was a one story boat and was built at Carnes Lumber Mill.
Two or three years later the members built a second story on the club boat. The second deck was used by the ladies,for afternoon card games.Ice in the winter of 1904-05 forced the club boat over to the Dayton bar. But there was no damage. Ice in 1908 caused the Cincinnati Gym club boat to sink. The Ohio River Launch Club boat was on top of 16 feet of ice, but did not sink. In 1918 ice in the river did carry the Ohio River Launch Club down river and the boat sank.
Another club boat was obtained in 1918. It was bought in West Virginia and brought down river by one of the members, Edward Brookbank. The boat was known as the Floating Palace. All of its prior uses are not known, but it is said that it was used as a gambling boat, a party boat, used to sell pottery, and used to take scrap iron up river. It was built around 1903. The timbers were sawn at Smith Branch, Greenup, Kentucky. The boat was built by Wm. Swans and Clem Beatty Lumber Co.In 1920 the City of Cincinnati bought the property at Worth Street for Turkey Ridge playground. The club then bought the land at the foot of Strader St (one short block down river), our present location.
Early moorage rates were about $3.00 per month for a 40 foot boat, or $18.00 for a six month season!In May 1949 the moorage rates were doubled – from .01 per foot per day to .02 per foot per day.In December 1951 the moorage rate was changed to .035 per foot for the first 10 feet, then .02 per foot per day – based on a 180 day season.
In the mid 1920’s the club sponsored an AAU swimming event which was an annual swim in August from Coney Island to the Roebling Suspension Bridge. This event gained national attention, and even notice from Herbert Hoover.For about 20 years in the 30’s and 40’s the club “modernized” its name from “Ohio River Launch Club” to “Ohio River Yacht Club”. In November of 1951 we had to go back to the original name on our 1903 incorporation papers or give up our tax free status as a “life saving” organization.
A “Replacement Fund” to purchase new floats, etc., was developed in 1953. It was then set at 17% of club monies taken in. In the spring of 1955 an assessment of $50.00 was made on all boat owners (holding moorage contracts) to support the club. It was needed to cover expenses for the year.In February of 1956 it was decided to take out a $7000 hull insurance policy on the head boat; with it was overall coverage including fire.
In 1956 an assessment of $47.25 was made on all boat owners to cover club expenses. None of that money was paid to the “Replacement Fund”.In 1957 the name of the “Replacement Fund” was changed to the “Depreciation Fund”. The contribution rate was changed from 17% to 23% and the moorage rates increased 10%.
In January, 1961, because of large ice flows in the river, the club boat was moved behind ice breakers in downtown Cincinnati (near Serpentine Wall). But on February 2, 1961 that club boat sank behind the ice breakers. A passing tow boat had pushed ice through the hull on the river side. For the 1961 season we had no club boat. We were “loaned” a large steel open river barge which was used as a head boat to hold the fleet.
With $7000 insurance coverage plus a $400 note from each moorage contract holder, and with the Depreciation Fund, we financed a new club boat in 1961. This is the one we have now. The club contracted with Tucker Marine to construct a rectangular steel hull. This was hull only, and it was floated to this location in early spring of 1962. The hull included steel deck front and back. The superstructure, from deck up was ALL constructed by club members. The work was supervised by Allen Paul (then a member). He had construction know-how, being a part of Paul Homes who are still building fine homes in the Cincinnati area.
Plumbing, wiring, heating, etc. was all done by members. The only item NOT done by members was the application of the roofing in April of 1962. The interior was completed in time for the 1962 boating season.In 1964 the river (at the harbor) was raised 12 to 13 feet by the completion of the present series of locks and dams. This gave the club enough depth to add a second row of floats between the main fleet and the shore, requiring a longer stage. It was planned for a fleet of runabouts. It started just two floats long.
For the 1969 Season the club had five new floats built, each 48 feet long. This then also required a spud float to head this runabout fleet and it would also be a junction for a new very long stage to the head boat. This enabled us to use this fleet for houseboats and cruisers also.In November of 1982 the club replaced all the floats on the outside fleet. The new floats were only a few years old and were bought from the then operators of the New Richmond Harbor who were in financial trouble and were about to lose them. A deal was made with the old and new operators of the New Richmond Harbor. We bought their floats and they took our old steel floats as part of the deal. Eight years later, in 1990 we were completely rebuilding these “new” docks which took three winters.
In the spring of 1983 the entire the entire interior of our head boat was renovated, greatly improving it. This was done under the supervision of an architect member.In the fall of 1985 the club boat was taken out of the water at Tucker Marine. The entire hull was checked. Support members, braces and steel hull plates were added or replaced as required. At that time we also added a pointed bow section, and support steel and framing to make the riverside deck much wider. After the club boat was back to its home (spring of 1986) the members put wood decking on the new deck area. An awning now covers this entire riverside area.
In 1987 and 1988 the club was confronted with a manditory project involving a holding tank for all the water used on the club boat. It was in full operation by 1989.In 1990 a series of equipment was designed and built to make access to the harbor safer and easier in high water. In 1990 through 1993 all the floats on the outside fleet were rebuilt. In 1994 the parking lot was expanded to hold over 60 cars, and in 1996 and early 1997 the club move the outer dock to the inner position and replaced the outer fleet with new steel box floats 12’wide by 40′ long. This change makes the harbor better (stronger, and more stable) and more usable than ever before.
Many people who are known in this area on the River and in Cincinnati have been associated with the Ohio River Launch Club over the years. R.K. LeBlond of LeBlond Machine Tool, Cap Beaty, Frank Katz, the Stegemeyer family, the Graeter family, Robert Dunville,president of WLW, West Shell, Joe Van Loonen, Carlise, and Finch of Carlise & Finch and Michael Comisar to mention a few. The individual who has the longest membership with ORLC is Mr.Alex Naish of Al Naish Moving and Storage has been a member for 48 years.
Now, as we enter our 100th year, the club is both much the same, and greatly different than it was in 1898. It is much the same, in that it is still on the same bend in the mighty Ohio River. The members still come from all walks of life to enjoy boating, the river and each other. We are the same in that we have always been a working club. We do most of our own work which contributes to the quality and usefulness of our facilities without driving the cost up Many many unselfish hours have been provided to the club by many of its members both in the manner of working with City officials, designing, building, supplying and repairing. Fifty captains and few crew can create some marvelous things! We still get together frequently for parties and other social activities. Many of our members are and have been associated with the Cincinnati Power Squadron. We enjoy being out on the river so that we can be involved and see what is going on. A quick review of our old minutes show that most of the problems of yesterday and today are the same…with the boats, the harbor, the people and the river as we continuously strive to have a better harbor and a better club.
Many other things have changed. There are now 1200 feet of dock and over 50 boats from 15 feet to 65 feet in length, and there are over 50 members, while in 1898 there were 6 or 8 members and 40 feet of dock and several small boats. The River his been raised twice during this time by new locks and dams. While the river has changed as a result of the dams, and all the debris people put in it, it is still the same river, with the same wild beauty and times of great peace and times of great fury.It should be mentioned here that through many many floods including the great flood of 1937, the club minutes do not reflect anything about any of them. There are at least two reason for this to happen. The first is that the club is designed and prepared for high water since we know it will occur, and the second is that the members keep the harbor under control when these events occur.
There is only one Ohio River Launch Club, and very few if any inland river harbors that have operated continuously for 100 years. There are none that we know of. In addition we have, and will continue to have one of the best harbors on the Ohio River. The members of the Ohio River Launch Club are proud of our past and prepared to enjoy celebrating our centennial year on the Ohio, and our future.
1From “Race Day on the Ohio”, Power Boating, October, 1908, pp.503-506 2From http://www.lesliefield.com/other_history/boat_clubs_on_the_ohio_river_.htm, Hydroplane History Website; Power Boat News, Feb. 17, 1906, “Boat Clubs on the Ohio River”, pp. 901-904