The District Yacht Club (DYC) is a membership boat club with amenities that includes a clubhouse, marine railway and shop facility.  The club’s origin is steeped in Washington history. In the years before 1950, the area the District Yacht Club occupies was a non-descript boat yard called the District Boat Company; prior to that, one of the club's building had its origin as an army housing unit.  Around 1950, Ed Darnell with some great effort and drive managed to mold a group of boaters into what became the District Yacht Club.  Around 1952 the boat yard closed and District Yacht Club took over the operation of this property.  In 1955, the club established its charter and was incorporated the same year.  In July, 1962 the property was turned over by the District of Columbia government to the National Parks Service, National Capital Parks.

The District Yacht Club presently has 45 slips.   The Members of DYC enjoy land and water-based social events throughout the year. The club takes pride in working closely with the U.S. Park Service, the District Government, and environmental organizations in their goal to revitalize the Anacostia River.

The future of the club includes the proposed Anacostia Riverwalk trail which is a planned multi-use trail for bicycles and pedestrians that will extend along the east and west sides of the Anacostia River from 11th Street to the Bladensburg Waterfront Park in Bladensburg, Maryland.

The mission of the club is to maintain a non-sectarian, non-political, and non-profit association for the members; and promote fraternalism, friendship and social interaction among the boating fraternity and club members and to provide a boating facility for our members and to encourage safe boating practices on the waterways.

This is an extraction (with modifications) of the mission objectives in our Club’s constitution.

The vision of this club is to continue growing and improving our club and its surroundings while maintaining a family friendly environment and a safe boating atmosphere.