The collection has been organized into the following categories: Annual Directories (1937-1938, 1959-2002), Board of Directors/Annual Meeting Minutes (1947-1998), Constitution and Bylaws (1903-1990), Correspondence (1940-1999.), Financial Records (1947-1999), Historical Sketches (1973-1978, undated), Membership (1974-2001), News Clippings (1906-2001), Newsletters (1965-2002), Special Events (1928-2001); and Photographs. These materials document the clubs activities including races, lakefront park development, and promotion of the sport of yachting.
The Annual Directories are arranged chronologically and contain limited information about club members as well as schedules of club events.
The Board of Directors/Annual meeting minutes document the meetings of the club Board of Directors as well as the club's Race Committee. Topics in the minutes include boat storage, marina development, membership, races, and elections of officers. The minutes are arranged chronologically.
The Constitution and Bylaws include the Articles of Incorporation and the Bylaws of the club including some amendments and revisions.
The Correspondence is broken down into six categories that are arranged alphabetically. The first category, Boat storage, contains correspondence (1953-1992) documenting the club's boat storage and launching facilities. The bulk of the correspondence is concerned with finding suitable boat storage at lakefront parks on Lake Mendota including Conklin Park, James Madison Park, and Burrows Park. The Marina correspondence (1940-1974) documents the club's campaign for the city to construct a public marina on Lake Mendota. The remaining correspondence regards property searches for club headquarters, the race committee, Lake Mendota safety patrol, and the donation of the club's records to the State Historical Society.
The Financial Records include a transcribed list of the club's original 1907 stock holders, monthly reports (1989-1991), quarterly budget summaries (1992), budget and insurance statements (1947-1992), and tax records (1976-1988).
The Historical Sketches are undated except for three sketches written in 1973, 1974, and 1978. The sketches cover the club's earliest origins in 1870, its formal organization in 1903, and its incorporation in 1935. One of the sketches was written as a narration to be performed at the club's 75th Anniversary.
The Membership materials include applications for membership (1986, 1991), general member information (1974-1990), membership statistics (1975, 1989-1991), information about the Hoofer Sailing Club (1990-1992), and a copy of the 1974 club book that details club rules and racing procedures.
The News Clippings include a photocopied scrapbook containing clippings about club members and events from 1935-1936 and loose clippings describing regattas and club races from 1906 to 2001. These clippings have been photocopied and arranged chronologically.
The Newsletters include The Bilge Board produced by the club from 1965 to 2002, documenting boat storage and membership issues and races.
The Special Events files document club banquets and parties, race statistics listed by member, regattas, club trophy races, and the sailing school (1953, 1960-1966, 1993-1995), which later became the Madison Youth Sailing Foundation (MYSF).
The Photographs document races participated in by club members as well as other club activities.
