Hidden Harbor Yacht Club

Established in 1976 Hidden Harbor Yacht Club offers exceptional boating experiences throughout the Pacific Northwest. Our members are a diverse group brought together by their mutual enjoyment of boating. We are actively engaged in both Cruising and Social activities in and around Greater Puget Sound.In 1946 Marco and John Franco opened Hidden Harbor Restaurant (previously called the Marina Grill) and it was Seattle’s first legal bar. It was located at the Marina Mart on Westlake Avenue. In the years after World War II, Mr. Franco was a leading restaurant operator in Seattle and played a key role in the drive to legalize the sale of liquor by the drink. In 1949 legalized sale by the drink was approved statewide. This legalization created the financial framework for the growth of fine dining in Washington. Mr. Franco is also credited with initiating the custom of “SailGating.” In the 1950s, he began taking customers by boat from his restaurant’s dock to a landing by Husky Stadium for football games, cruising back after the games and serving liquid refreshments while underway.During the early 70’s, a group of boaters met regularly at Franco’s, John Franco, Rod Proctor, Bill Doucher, and Jack Hyde were a few of the original founders of the HHYC Club. Story has it that during the beginnings of creating a Boating club, monies collected for the club. The group was unsure of how to spend the funds and what should be done with them, so primarily the funds went towards supporting Cocktail Hour. Thus, HHYC was known as “The Drinking Club with a Boating Problem.”