Cazenovia Lake has had a long and colorful' boating history. It was known to the Indians in the 1700's as Lake Owahgewna Yellow Fish Lake or the "Lake of the Yellow Perch", and formed the dividing line between Oneida and OnoMagaaribes, who-fished and hunted its waters and shores, and even fought a battle at the foot of the lake in dugout canoes.

In 1793 John Lincklaen and Samuel Forman arrived and settled at the foot of the lake and on February 17, 1810 drew up a charter for the Town of Cazenovia. It had as one of its boundaries "Lake Canasaraga." This name continued to be shown on various State and Territorial maps for many years, eventually being replaced in the muddle 1800's by the present name.

It is doubtful that the Indians did any amount of sailing, but views of Cazenovia as early as 1821 show sailboats on the waters of "Lincklaen's Lake". In 1880, Ten Eyck Wendell brought the Yacht "Saady" to Cazenovia from New York City. She was a “sandbagger”, so-called because of the nature of her ballast and a gaff rigged sloop, some 23 or 24' feet overall' with an exceedingly wide beam. How long she had been retired to the Wendell Carriage House is unknown, however in the late 1950's she reappeared for a year or two ' under the helm of Joe Schwarzer, and has since been sold off the lake.' `

In 1885, The Cazenovia Club was built by L. W. Ledyard, and 4 sixteen foot metal hulled boats were acquired. They had a 5 foot beam and were equipped with air tanks fore and aft. They were probably constructed of tin gaff rigged and with very high gun 66•

The first known organized regatta took place on Sept. 6, 1886,' when two sloops, three cat boats, and two cat-rigged rowing boats vied for the "Preston Cup", offend by anker George R. Preston of “Ormonde” a fixed course beginning at then public pier "northward to J. R Barretts; thence southwest to Beckwith's Bay; thence southeast to the pier". The course was sailed twice for a total distance of ten miles: The winner was Louis Krumbhaar in his 18 foot cat boat "Elizabeth", in a corrected time of three hours two minutes and 30 seconds. The Preston Cup was sailed for six more times until 1899 the final winner being Henry Burden of "Cedar Cove".

No further organized sailboat racing existed until about 1926, when twelve Cape Cod Knockabouts were purchased by members of the Cazenovia Club. These were actively raced until about 1956, when the fleet disbanded, although several of the original boats are still afloat and serviceable.

Sometime in the mid 1930's, the Comets made their debut and Fleet 79 was chartered. The charter members of this organization were: Paul Forster, Jack Hill, Tony Manson, Sam Raymond and Budge Smith.

In 1933 Fairchild ‘Ferry’ Kennard a descendant of one of Cazenovia’s earliest families established a boat business in the lakefront barn complex of his ancestral estate, "Willow Bank". The complex, part of which was built by John Lincklaen in 1795 included a boat house built in the 1880's and, protected by a small L-shaped peninsula. As ‘Ferr’" Kennard's business grew to include storage as well as sales and service, it became known as the Ken Boat Company. One well-remembered aspect was the water taxi service operated with a Chris Craft runabout named "Oh My"

By 1940; both the Comet and C" ' Cod fleets had removed their base of activity to the. Ken Boat -Company. They continued their racing activities with the help and encouragement of Ferry .

World War II came and went, and by 1947, a new Fleet, comprised of four Lightnings, was chartered as Fleet 164, and began its activity on Cazenovia Lake under the guidance of the Ken Boat Company. The Charter Members were: W.H.G Murray John R. Tuttle, Harold P. Bentley and Dr Don Sanford.