The earliest exploration by the first European settlers of Australia included a series of journeys to the further reaches of Sydney Harbour. The Lane Cove River was visited in February 1788 by Lt. John Hunter and Lt. Bradley.

The entrance to the Lane Cove River was very appropriately named Humbug Reach and still is. Anyone who has sailed in the river can appreciate that the name is perfect for the shifty unpredictable winds encountered. Humbug Reach was obviously named by someone who knew a bit about sailing. So sailing on the Lane Cove River is almost certainly over 200 years old.

Lane Cove has been the home of 12ft skiff racing since 1918

The Club takes as its origin a program for the Lane Cove Sailing Club for the 1896/97 season. In that year the club conducted races for yachts, boats over 15 feet and boats under 15 feet. A copy of the first program now hangs in the Clubhouse.

The name Lane Cove Sailing Club closely associated the Club from its very beginnings with the Municipality of Lane Cove which was created in 1895. Throughout its history the Club has developed and fostered close relationships with the wider local community.

The early boats raced at the Club were a mixed fleet of waterman's skiffs, fishing boats, rowing boats, yachts and dinghies fitted with sails, in fact any small boats that would sail. The season consisted of a number of regatta days spread across the summer.

In 1915 a restricted sail area 12ft Skiff was introduced at the Cremorne Sailing Club and three years later the Lane Cove Club took 12ft Skiffs as its main racing class. Upon the demise of the Cremorne Club at the end of the Great War, Lane Cove became the home of 12ft skiff racing in Australia. Today 12ft skiffs remain the Club's senior class.

Lane Cove 12ft Sailing Skiff Club's first clubhouse was built in 1936.

The Club's first clubhouse was a single story timber building that was completed in 1936 and extended in 1940 and again in the early 1960s. The current clubhouse was opened in 1974.

In the late 1940s the Club recognised the need to provide training opportunities for younger sailors and introduced racing for the VJ class in 1946.

Progressively other classes were introduced:
VJs:  1946 to 1971
Moths:  1955 to 1975
Gwen 12s:  1957 to 1971
Sabots:  1961 to today
Flying Elevens:  1967 to today
Lasers:  1974 to today
Cherubs:  1979 to today