On an appropriately stormy evening on 17 June 2000, just after our Patron, President of the Republic of Singapore (1993-99), Mr Ong Teng Cheong, officially declared the RSYC's new Clubhouse and Marina open, the National Heritage Board Plaque was unveiled, commemorating and acknowledging the RSYC's pedigree as Singapore's oldest Club.
The plaque, which is now taken back by National Heritage Board, reads:
RSYC traces its origins to 1826 with William Montgomerie as President. In the 1800s, the Singapore Yacht Club's Commodore, W.H. Read promoted sailing regattas in Singapore. In 1920, the Club opened its Tanjong Pagar Clubhouse. It became the Royal Singapore Yacht Club in 1922 under the patronage of the Prince of Wales. Other royal patrons included King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.
In 1967, it was renamed the Republic of Singapore Yacht Club under the patronage of the first President of Singapore, Yusof bin Ishak. The fifth President of Singapore, Ong Teng Cheong became Patron in 1997. Since 1923, RSYC has hosted the prestigious Lipton Cup. During the Japanese Occupation, the RSYC yachts were used by British personnel to escape. The RSYC celebrated its 174th anniversary in the year 2000, at 52 West Coast Ferry Road.
We were given a second plaque by National Heritage Board in 2016, which is now located at the front entrance of the Club, reads:
This Club was founded in 1826 as the Singapore Yacht Club. It organised rowing races for its members as well as locals. To improve Singapore's navigational safety, the club also charted sea routes and sponsored competitions to produce better commercial craft. It was renamed "Royal Singapore Yacht Club" in 1922 when the Prince of Wales became its patron and assumed its current name in 1967, under the patronage of Singapore's first President, Mr Yusof bin Ishak. In 1966, the club moved from Trafalgar Street to Sungei Pandan and in 1999, to this site. It continues to conduct yachting and sailing activities, among other recreational activities.