History

Last updated: January 16, 2001 @ 11:23 CST

Before 1967, all sailboats were built one-at-a-time, until each one was finished. Then a California college student by the name of Roger MacGregor wrote a thesis on an industry that had not yet been automated -- sailboats.

After graduation, MacGregor went to work for a marine builder of sailboats. He designed the first Venture 21 in his garage, and soon after, began making the V-21 on an assembly line, creating the first mass-produced sailboats. He also designed the V-17, and offered it as a kit.

Gus Gusler bought the first V-17 kit in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, and put it together in his garage. When his project was finally completed, Gus spent every weekend on the lake for more than a year. The popularity of the Venture sailboats began growing rapidly.

In late summer of 1968, Gus and other Venture owners spent many nights going over rules and bylaws, trying to organize a club for Venture sailboat owners. In December, 1968, the Venture Fleet of Dallas held it's first charter organizational meeting with eight members present. The Club only operated for a few months before falling apart. It was reorganized by Gus in July, 1969, and became the Venture Sailing Club of Dallas. The club has operated continuously ever since, with 1986 marking the beginning of the club's new name -- the Venture/MacGregor Yacht Club -- after Roger MacGregor changed the name of his company and future yachts to MacGregor Yachts.

In 1987, Roger MacGregor introduced a new type of sailboat, known as the MacGregor 26. The molds for the very popular MacGregor 25 were destroyed (what a shame). The MacGregor 26 was unique at the time, in that the heavy swing keel was eliminated and replaced with a large water ballast tank in the bottom of the boat. A retractable centerboard gave it stability. Gus Gusler was once again the first V/MYC member to get his hands on one, and the 26 Fleet has been growing steadily ever since. In 1991, MacGregor introduced yet another boat using the water ballast system, a 19-foot Motor-Sailor. The owner of the first M-19 in the Dallas area took delivery early in 1992.

Long before the 1995 America's Cup made all-women crews popular, the V/MYC has had a very active core of women sailors and skippers. In 1994, Kathy Peele who had been racing in local races with an all-women crew for some time was elected as the V/MYC's first female Commodore to lead the club throughout 1995. The club continues to grow as new Venture and MacGregor owners, both male and female, join in on the variety of activities offered by the Venture/MacGregor Yacht Club.

Roger MacGregor's latest entry in water-ballast sailboats, introduced in 1995, is the MacGregor 26X. This popular motor-sailor has full standing headroom in the cabin, a wheel at the helm, and can motor up to 25 knots with a 50 hp outboard motor by releasing the water ballast while underway. Many of these new breed of sailboats already belong to members of V/MYC.

Stay tuned as the rich history of the Venture/MacGregor Yacht Club and the innovative MacGregor Yachts unfold.

Past Commodores
Sportsman of The Year Awards
Fred Towne Memorial Trophy
Return to Venture/MacGregor Yacht Club