Dr. William Carter started the Austin Sailing Club in 1951. Commodore Bob Embleton had the club incorporated in 1953. Back then, meetings were usually held at members' homes. For a while, club meetings were held at the Austin Public Library. Dues were $10 a year.

Boat building was a common bond among the ASC members, since almost all the boats were home built with wood. Dr. Carter designed the T-28 and T-24. The "T" standing for Texas and the number, of course, referring to the boat length. Bill Carter's T -28, Heuristic, was the scratch boat. There were also two T-24's, a Comet, a Snipe, an International 14, and several double enders. Sails were made of cotton and lines were linen. Pat Kimbrough remembers the first attempt with a synthetic sail. Orion, which did not quite make the grade, was so brittle it cracked when folded. Dacron did not appear on the scene until around 1956.