Jacomo Sailing Club was founded in 1958, a year before Lake Jacomo was completed and filled. Late in 1958, the dam was completed, the gravel roads were almost done, and the anchors were down in sailboat cove. The drysail lot was planned, as well as the fishing docks at the south end, but the lake was dry. The scheduled opening was spring of 1960. The founders, a group of 12 men, met in Kelly's Bar in Westport, and planned the formation of the Jacomo Sailing Club. At that time there was no public sailing in the Kansas City area. (Most of the large public lakes that now surround this area were not even built yet.)  That winter 120 club members were signed up, the club elected officers, bought equipment, and waited. The winter and early spring were very wet in Kansas City, and the lake filled in by April. Although the park would not be fully done until 1960, the Jacomo Sailing Club. started its first season. The 1970 years were the high water mark of the club. In 1977, the club had 350 members, and averaged over 175 racing boats each Sunday.  Past Jacomo Sailing Club members have spread sailboat racing all through the Midwest, and were the founding fathers of the non-private lake clubs in the Kansas City area. In the 1970’s, sailors with cruising sailboats in the 22-23 foot range started showing up on Lake Jacomo in increasing numbers. Impromptu races began and soon people wanted to join the Jacomo Sailing Club and race on a regular basis. In 1979, the first officers were elected and the Cruiser Fleet was formed. The Cruiser Fleet became one of the fleets that raced each Sunday. After 3 or 4 years, some of the faster cruisers got tired of losing to slower boats based on their handicap numbers and the Cruisers split into two fleets. After a few years of split racing, there was a general loss of racing fever. By the mid 1980’s, the Cruisers had become more of a social organization than a competitive one. Today, the Jacomo Cruiser Fleet continues. While we don’t race around the buoys, there are always those who like to compete for bragging rights at the dock after a day of sailing. Members enjoy rafting up to spend the night or take a dip when wind isn’t favorable. The Fleet meets monthly during the sailing season and hosts an annual Christmas party. It’s a great way to meet new people who share a common interest…sailing.

Above: A scarcity of dock space, circa 1981, meant that rafting up was a necessity of life at the cove.	Above: Don't try this at home! A 1980 birthday party for former member H. Gillispie saw a total of 25 men, women and children on board his Chrysler 22.

This is a brief history as it has been explained to us.  We encourage anyone that has more knowledge of the history of sailing on Lake Jacomo to forward it to us for inclusion on this site.  We are also interested in locating any written historical records that both clubs have maintained over the last 50 years. Specific items we'd like to locate are photos from the last 50 years, and a history of membership numbers and club officers for each year.