jeff weiss california yacht club

Published on December 19th, 2023 | by Editor

We lost the clubhouse, not the club

Published on December 19th, 2023 by Editor -->

Following the massive structure fire endured by the prominent California Yacht Club in Los Angeles on December 11, the membership and yachting community is asking what’s next. Here’s an update:

California Yacht Club’s Town Hall meeting on December 17 opened with remarks centered on sympathy and resilience, shared with the more than 200 members in attendance at the Marina del Rey Hotel and many others joining online. Though this meeting took place just six days after a fire that demolished much of CYC’s clubhouse, co-owner Jeff Weiss summed it up quite succinctly when he shared, “It’s been a week, to say the least.”

From there, the pivot toward highlighting the strength of the community and commitment to scheduled Club programing came quickly. Commodore Christina Tarantola was direct – “It may not look exactly like it used to, but we are going to sally forth and have a good time.”

A key part of this optimism is that facilities, other than the clubhouse, are relatively unscathed, meaning regatta, junior programs, paddle tennis and pickleball, and many other operations can continue as planned for 2024.

After these opening remarks, SVP of Operations John Myers gave what details the Club has for where their focus will be going forward, with these three key areas topping their long to-do lists: (1) safety, (2) the member experience, and (3) the next 100 years at the Club. Co-owner Colin Shepherd reminded attendees, “We’ve lost the clubhouse, but we haven’t lost the Club,” and that a focus on moving forward together is a top priority.

There are many details that have yet to be confirmed regarding the last week or so at the Club, but Myers was able to share that the fire was likely electrical, and they are still awaiting the results of the fire department investigation. These are still early days in the recovery process, and though some of the next steps are going to take time to complete, he was clear in saying, “I want to assure you 100% – we will rebuild.”

This meeting had originally been scheduled to discuss the upcoming lease renewal and related enhancement projects, though we expect to see significant changes to those efforts given the fire on December 11. Weiss and Shepherd reaffirmed their commitment to getting a significant lease extension in place and discussed their ongoing efforts with LA County staff to begin that process.

The fire has certainly complicated what the path forward looks like today, but it may ultimately be an opportunity to accelerate the lease renewal as well as deliver upgrades to the Club and its membership.

Vice Commodore Sue Service addressed the gathered members with a proverb – “‘From the hottest fire comes the strongest steel’ and I’m not talking about the building right now.”

Though there are certainly challenges ahead for the Club, each speaker at the Town Hall also highlighted the incredible support received from members, other yacht clubs, and members of the community. To paraphrase Shepherd, we will rebuild, and we will do it arm-in-arm with the yachting community.

Tags: California Yacht Club , CYC fire , tragedy

Related Posts

Eight Bells: Liam O’Keefe →

Preserving the memories and moments →

Charged with death of US couple →

No Clubhouse, No Problem →

© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .

• Privacy Statement
• Advertise With Us

Get Your Sailing News Fix!

Your download by email.

• Your Name...
• Your Email... *
• Name This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Club + Resort Business

California Yacht Club Faces Uncertain Future

By C&RB Staff | April 21, 2022

The 100-year-old organization located in Marina del Ray was sold late last year as part of a $1.7 billion deal which included self-storage firm LAACO and the downtown Los Angeles Athletic Club. Los Angeles mayoral candidate Rick Caruso’s development group is in talks with Los Angeles County officials to secure the Yacht Club’s lease, which is set to expire July 31.

The California Yacht Club is facing an uncertain future, Scuttlebutt Sailing News reported.

The club, which operates from Marina del Ray about six miles north of Los Angeles International Airport, is a prominent racing host. The organization held the 2021 J/70 World Championship and 2022 ILCA Midwinters and will soon be welcoming the 2022 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded and Doublehanded Championship, Scuttlebutt Sailing News reported.

The California Yacht Club is a for-profit business, and was owned by the Hathaway family for at least four generations, Scuttlebutt Sailing News reported.

The club was sold in late 2021 as part of a $1.7 billion deal which included self-storage firm LAACO and the downtown Los Angeles Athletic Club, Scuttlebutt Sailing News reported. While the downtown club has since been sold, the yacht club is getting shopped as well, and among the shoppers is billionaire Los Angeles developer and mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.

The yacht club’s lease, which carried a minimum annual rent last year of nearly $1.1 million, is set to expire July 31, potentially unmooring it from the property where it operates if it cannot obtain an extension, Scuttlebutt Sailing News reported. Caruso’s development organization has been in talks with Los Angeles County officials to secure the soon-to-expire lease, and since he already holds parcels on either side of the club, the corner of the harbor could be the site of another one of his mega-projects.

While the developer, whose net worth is estimated at $4.3 billion by Forbes, isn’t revealing his intentions, he does do boating with his 100 million 65m yacht Invictus, Scuttlebutt Sailing News reported.

The California Yacht Club was founded in 1922 and moved to its present site in 1967.

Tell Us What You Think! Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Related Articles Read More >

Club + Resort Talks Chats with John Woodeshick, SVP and General Manager of The Hills Country Club

Opening Nears for Par-3 Tribute Golf Course

Minnesota Club Completes Major Transformation With New Pickleball Courts

Golf Course Sales Elicit Differing Responses

Search club + resort business.

• Course+Grounds
• Design+Renovation
• Food+Beverage
• 2023 Top Ranked Clubhouses
• 2023 Top Ranked Pro Shops
• 2023 Top Ranked Patios
• 2023 Racquet Facilities
• 2023 Aquatics & Pools
• 2023 Fitness & Wellness Centers
• 2023 Culinary Experience
• 2023 Club + Resort Business Leaders in the Club Industry
• 2022 C+RB Leaders in the Club Industry Winners
• Culinary Playbook
• Kitchen Equipment and Design Playbook
• Maintenance Employees Playbook
• Technology Playbook
• Digital Issues
• Sponsored Content
• The Road Ahead/The Road Back
• Unboxing Videos

Back to Team

Los Angeles, CA

Mr. Weiss is President of Hunt Capital Partners. Mr. Weiss has specialized in affordable housing for over 25 years with a focus on raising equity and structuring project partnership agreements with multiple layers of debt. He is responsible for all tax credit syndication activities of the company and is a member of the Credit Committee and executive management. From 1996 to 2003, Mr. Weiss served as a guest lecturer at the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy for the Dollinger Master of Real Estate Development Program where he instructed graduate students in real estate finance, feasibility analysis, and affordable housing.  Mr. Weiss received a Bachelor of Science in Real Estate Finance from San Diego State University, a Master of Real Estate Development from the University of Southern California, and a Juris Doctor from Southwestern University School of Law. Mr. Weiss is admitted to practice law in the State of California.

Previous: Dan Kagey, CPA

Next: dana mayo.

• Chinese (Simplified)

Case Study: Los Angeles County Yacht Clubs

By The Bay Foundation, Clean Water Action, Clean Water Fund, California State Parks, California Coastal Commission

LOOKING BACK

• Copy Link URL Copied!

Young Chang

Let it first be said that we’re talking about the Bahia Corinthian

Yacht Club. Not the Balboa Bay Club, not the Balboa Yacht Club, and

definitely not the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

Get this wrong and you’re in for some pain, former commodores of the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club joke. With the history that they have in

mind, and the efforts to find a unique name as well as own their own

property, it’s no wonder they’re proud of their identity.

Known at this time of year as the party place on the eve of the

Newport to Ensenada Race, the Bahia Corinthian boasts a history few

non-boaters know.

Founded in 1958 by 10 yachtsmen, the first version of the group was

called the Bahia Yacht Club and leased a room from the Balboa Bay Club.

But one of the first things members did was change its name -- they added

“Corinthians” to the title so as not to share an acronym with the Balboa

Yacht Club.

“Corinthians” means an amateur, nonprofessional yachtsman, said Lorin

Weiss, the original vice commodore for the club. “Bahia” means bay and

was also the name of the boat belonging to the group’s very first

commodore, Don Bussey.

In 1968, the club joined with the Orange Coast Yacht Club, of which

Weiss was a founding member. They chose to go by the name “Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club” because of the recognition commodore Pat Dougan

had brought to the club when he purchased the 12-meter Columbia, a boat

that had won the America’s Cup a decade earlier.

“Pat Dougan became famous in yachting circles,” said Brian Carter,

also a founding member who joined the club in 1964. “With Dougan’s

stature, we were able to negotiate for the purchase of the old

Richardson’s Yacht Anchorage.”

This was a big deal for the club.

“In the ‘60s, the primary interest of most yacht club members here was

to race, and to race you had to belong to a yacht club that was a member

of the Southern California Yachting Organization, and to do that you had

to be a dues-paying member of a yacht club,” Carter explained.

Which is why many clubs of that day were formed merely on

“letterhead.”

But the Bahia Corinthian did not at that time buy the anchorage on

which it still sits today. Instead, they leased the property --

including land and marina -- from the Irvine Co. until 1993, when they

finally purchased it.

“We grew and prospered through trials and tribulations and that sort

of thing,” Weiss said. “We built the present clubhouse and moved in in

1971. We’re one of the few yacht clubs on the West Coast that owns its

own yacht club, land and marina.”

* Do you know of a person, place or event that deserves a historical

Look Back? Let us know. Contact Young Chang by fax at (949) 646-4170;

e-mail at [email protected]; or mail her at c/o Daily Pilot, 330 W.

Bay St., Costa Mesa, CA 92627.

All the latest on Orange County from Orange County.

Get our free TimesOC newsletter.

You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Daily Pilot.

More on this Subject

Tensions mount as holdout equestrians corral legal aid in fight with O.C. Fair board

June 28, 2024

Around Town: Tickets on sale now for O.C. Fair, which runs July 19 through Aug. 18

Parades, festivals, events in coastal O.C. for Fourth of July holiday without the fireworks

Man arrested in hit-and-run crash in Laguna Beach that injured 7; another suspect still at large

• CLASSIFIEDS
• NEWSLETTERS
• SUBMIT NEWS

• Latest videos, from 2021

CALIFORNIA YACHT CLUB

Founded originally in 1922 by yachtsmen including Charles Hathaway and Frank Garbutt, the California Yacht Club's first clubhouse was built in Wilmington, CA in Los Angeles' inner harbor (berths nos. 192 & 193), just opposite Terminal Island. Close by were the yards of renowned yacht builders Wilmington Boat Works and Fellows & Stewart (second location). In the club's inaugural year, member yachtsmen formed the first Star class fleet on the Pacific coast. Involved in all aspect of the sport, the club has encouraged a variety of pleasure boating, first in Los Angeles Harbor, and now in Santa Monica Bay.

Over the years CYC has been the club for numerous prominent yachtsmen including Merritt Adamson, Pierpont Davis, Roy E. Disney, J. Paul Getty, Samuel K. Rindge, William Stewart, James Kilroy and navigator extraodinaire, Ben Mitchell. Movie mogul Cecil B. DeMille once served as a trustee of the club and donated a gold cup for powerboat racing. Comedy film producers Al Christie and Hal Roach were both deeply involved in club activities in the twenties and thirties.

Power boating has always been a part of the club's mission along with sailing and rowing. The first CYC powerboat regatta was run in 1922 and the winner was none less than the famous Gar Wood in his Harmsworth Trophy winner Miss America. CYC's Catalina Challenge race for powerboats has been run annually since 1922.

A fire on Thanksgiving Day, 1930 severely damaged the original clubhouse although the heroic efforts of some members saved all of the trophies.

In 1932, several CYC members figured prominently in the sailing events at the Los Angeles Olympic Games. Owen Churchill, inventor of the SwimFin, won the gold medal in the Eight-Metre Class with Angelita.

Unfortunately, the club was forced to relinquish its key location in the East Basin to the Coast Guard for the war effort in 1941. A dormant period followed.

With the development of the long-awaited Marina Del Rey in the early 1960s, the club reformed in '63 and elected Fritz Overton, Commodore in 1923, as head of the "new" club. In 1966, they opened the modern clubhouse and marina facility that is their home today. The radial design of the building allows sweeping panoramic views of the marina.

The California Yacht Club is owned by the Hathaway family, owners of the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The annual "Great Catalina to Marina del Rey Rowing and Paddling Event" pays tribute to Charles Hathaway's row in 1976 from Catalina Island to the club on his 50th birthday.

The unique combination of private ownership and annually elected flag officers has worked well to establish California Yacht Club as one of the outstanding clubs in the nation.

We've detected unusual activity from your computer network

To continue, please click the box below to let us know you're not a robot.

Why did this happen?

Please make sure your browser supports JavaScript and cookies and that you are not blocking them from loading. For more information you can review our Terms of Service and Cookie Policy .

For inquiries related to this message please contact our support team and provide the reference ID below.

• Weekly Newsletter

California's Boating & Fishing News

Two Southern California yacht clubs recognized on Top 50 list

Platinum Clubs organization names Newport Harbor YC and San Diego YC to worldwide compilation.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA—Newport Harbor and San Diego yacht clubs both earned a spot on the Top 50 Platinum Yacht Clubs for 2020-2021, it was recently announced. The worldwide list is compiled by Platinum Clubs of the World.

Placing on the list means a yacht club is presented with the title of “Five Star Clubs of Excellence.”

San Diego YC was founded in 1886 and has recently hosted sailing events such as Women’s Winter Invitational, Yachting Cup, the CA500, the SoCal 300, Dutch Shoe Marathon, International Masters Regatta and Lipton Cup.

Newport Harbor YC first opened its doors in 1916 and hosts the Newport to Cabo Race every two years, among other regattas.

Other yacht clubs making the Top 50 list included: Annapolis Yacht Club, Beach Point Club, Chicago Yacht Club, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Nassau Yacht Club (Bahamas), Raffles Marina (Singapore), Real Club Nautico de Vigo (Spain), Royal Bombay Yacht Club (India), Royal Cork Yacht Club (Ireland), The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (Australia), Société des Régates du Havre (France), Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Santo Amaro (Brazil).

Two Southern California yacht clubs earned an Honorable Mention, scoring within three points of the Top 50 list: Balboa Yacht Club (Newport Beach) and California Yacht Club (Marina del Rey).

Fifty yacht clubs are selected based upon points awarded by a selected panel. A yacht club must score at least 8 points to qualify for the Top 50 list. Scoring is awarded as follows: 100 points for a top three club, 80 points for a ranking between four and 10, 60 points for 11 to 25 ranking, 40 points for 26-60 ranking, 20 points for 51-75 ranking and 10 points for 76-100 ranking.

Voting was conducted by 116 panelists from all around the world; panelists hailed from the United States, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, The Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Arab Emirates. Panelists vote every two years (odd years). Finalists are selected based upon submitted recommendations from panelists and applications from yacht clubs from around the world. A final ballot is eventually created and sent out to panelists. There is a 30-day voting period, with the election conducted electronically (via a third party).

“Points are awarded by the position and ranking that the panelist assigns to each club. The total number of points is calculated and divided by the total number of panelists who have visited a club to determine the final points score,” a Platinum Clubs of the World statement about the voting process said.

The Club Leaders Forum Advisory Board of the Platinum Clubs of the World compiled the Top 50 list. Platinum Clubs of America have been recognizing top yacht clubs for more than 20 years.

Share This:

• ← Santa Barbara overhauls waterfront parking rules for annual permits
• DBW Guest Editorial: Three Solutions to Recycle Hazardous Fishing Line →

Comments Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Your Thoughts are Appreciated

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Perpetual Trophies

Below are the active Perpetual Trophies of the Sausalito Yacht Club. These trophies exhibit the tone and philosophy of a club and add continuity through a club's history.

JAWS Commemorative Race

Begun in 2013, it is an annual sail and powered boat race in commemoration of the races run off the clubhouse deck in the '60s and '70s. In those days the membership could enjoy and participate in both the start and finish of the races.

The divisions are Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, and Powered boat Predicted Log. The sailboat races are pursuit races, so called because the slowest boats start first and are “pursued” by the faster ones. This race is intended to be a fun event, bringing together the full range of our membership to witness and even engage in cheering on a favorite from the comfort of the club's lounge and dining room. The race is open to everyone and free for SYC members.

The Perpetual Trophy was donated by life member Charles “Bud” Livingstone who got the jaws from his family's summer resort in New Hampshire where the jaws were on display from 1930 until 1983. Its provenance is a little mysterious in that one story claims the 10-foot blue shark was wrestled into a boat in Cuba by the donor and his fishing buddies; another version was that it was purchased at auction by Bud's father to add to the Livingstone Lodge antiques and curio collection. The race is typically held mid March.

The JAWS Trophy

Midwinter Series

The Winter Trophy

The WINTER TROPHY for the races commonly known as the Midwinters was created by the SYC in 1981. Recognition is given to the winners of each division in the Series. These races are held once a month November through March. The winter sailing conditions are typically lighter air coming from the land than summer conditions and often involve more extreme tides.

Rear Commodore's Race

Rear Commodore's Trophy (The Mora Trophy)

Presented by then Rear Commodore Frank Z. Mora in 1979. The Rear Commodore's Trophy was originally awarded to the winner of a special “race-cruise regatta” from the Sausalito area to Vallejo, usually held during the July 4th weekend. In 2022 this race was changed to a Pursuit-race format within the central bay.

Sunset Series

The Sunset Series consists of two series of races in the central bay, on alternate Tuesday nights during the Spring and Summer seasons. At the completion of the second series, the results of both series are combined and several perpetual trophies are awarded.

Blum, Gear & Oliver Trophies

Blum Trophy

Presented in l98l in memory of SYC member, Ben Blum, The Blum Trophy is awarded to the best placed SYC member in Division A for the combined Sunset Series.

Gear Trophy

The Gear Trophy is awarded to the to the best placed SYC member in Division C for the combined Sunset Series. Presented in 1984 by SYC Senior Member, Miggs Gear.

Oliver Trophy

Presented in 1986 by Rear Commodore Gilbert Oliver and Bonnie Oliver. The Oliver Trophy is awarded to the best placed SYC member of Division D for the combined Sunset Series.

Lischeske Trophy

Twin Island Regatta

The twin island (chef's special) & decker trophies.

The Twin Island Trophy (Chef's Special)

The Twin Island Regatta was conceived in 1979 as a race around the two islands, Angel and Alcatraz, in either direction. The race was to be held on the day before opening day, usually the last weekend in April. Then-chef Fernand Loing, had the Twin Island Trophy created to have the best finishing SYC member engraved on it. This resulted in the sometimes used nickname “The Chefs Special”.

Today the Race has two divisions, spinnaker and non-spinnaker. It starts from a Race Committee boat in the Knox area off Angel Island, then a port rounding of a buoy by Yellow Bluff after which the skippers choose to round the two islands clockwise or counterclockwise, back to a starboard rounding of the Yellow Bluff buoy, and a finish off the club race deck.

In 2003 Rod Decker, a SYC member and racer, proposed adding a trophy to the Twin Island Regatta by creating a series adding two more races, one in the summer and one in the fall. He presented the Decker trophy to the club for the best overall SYC member finishers of the three races to be engraved on it.

The Decker Trophy

75th Anniversary John Williams Youth Award Trophy

This trophy was deeded to the club by Staff Commodore John Williams in 2017 on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Sausalito Yacht Club. It will be awarded to the winning youth (under 18 years of age on the day of the race) in each division of the Twin Island Series with the best series record of scored races.

Women Skippers Regatta

In this race, all boats are to be helmed throughout the race by a woman; No man's hand shall touch the helm.  

Women Skippers Regatta Trophy

Originally called the Lady Skipper's Trophy, the Women Skippers Regatta Trophy was presented by the SYC Auxiliary in 1980 to the winning skipper in each division, regardless of yacht-club affiliation.

An additional trophy, the Womens Skippers Race Trophy, was added in 2002 to be awarded to the first place SYC boat in each division.

SYC Womens Skippers Race Trophy

All Women Crew Trophy

This trophy is awarded to the winning all-female crew in the Women Skippers Regatta. Designed by Gail Ward, it was donated by the SYC Auxiliary in September 2006 in order to encourage all-woman teams to participate.

Trophies for Distinguished Service

Commodore's trophy.

Presented in 1984 by Commodore Craig Brown. The Commodore's Trophy is awarded annually for distiguished service on the Board of Directors and for outstanding involvement in racing activity.

Enzensperger Trophy

Presented in 1981 by founding members, Jim Enzensperger and family. The Enzensperger award is for distinguished service to the SYC.

Peggy Plumley Trophy

Presented in 2003 by a founding member of the Sausalito Yacht Club. The Peggy Plumley Trophy is to be awarded to an individual associated with SYC's Youth Sailing Program for rendering distinguished service.

Shirley Bates Trophy

The Shirley Bates Perpetual Trophy was gifted to the Sausalito Yacht Club by Commodore Mary Richardson in November of 2008. This trophy was created in recognition of the significant contribution to Bay Area sailing made by SYC member Shirley Bates.  A member of SYC since 1957, Shirley has sailed and raced with vigor and tenacity in San Francisco Bay events, always maintaining the highest level of sportsmanship.  As the first recipient of this Trophy, Shirley Bates has set a standard for future recipients.  The Trophy will be awarded not more than once per year to an SYC member who is recognized by the Race Committee as having made a significant contribution to San Francisco Bay sailing. This includes contributions in all aspects of sailing, racing, cruising, junior sail training and other sailing related activities.  The Trophy will be kept on display at the Sausalito Yacht Club. Each recipient’s name will be engraved on the plaque of the Trophy. A token of the Trophy (keeper) will be award to each recipient at the Annual Race Banquet or the SYC Annual Membership meeting.-

• Yachts for Sale
• Exclusive Listings
• Join The Team

Jeff Silver

Phone: 714-448-6272

Email: [email protected]

Yacht Advisor

Jeff is a native Californian from Huntington Harbor where his family started boating at the early age of 6 years old, sailing his Sabot and Lido14.

As a teenager, Jeff bought himself a P-Cat Catamaran and proceeded to become the first 3-time National Champion. Over the years, Jeff has participated in many yacht races including 6 Trans-Pacific Yacht Races and countless Mexico races. In 2003, Jeff became the Commodore for Huntington Harbor Yacht Club and was on the PHRF area C Board of Directors. Jeff currently races Catalina 37’s and cruises the HH waterways on his Duffy.

Jeff’s many years of experience in the marine and service industries make him the right broker to help find the special powerboat or sailboat you’ve been looking for.

Boats for Sale

• Cabin Count 0
• Sleep Count 0
• Head Count 0
• Express Cruiser
• Cabins 0 Sleeps 0 Heads 0

35' Carroll

• Model 26M206xSD20
• Engine Qty 1
• Cabin Count 1
• Sleep Count 4
• Head Count 1
• Racing Sailboat
• Cabins 1 Sleeps 4 Heads 1
• 1 Yanmar 26M206xSD20

30' Bayliner

• Island Time

28' Chris-Craft

• Engine Qty 2
• 2 Volvo Penta

28' Ablemarle

• Sleep Count 2
• Saltwater Fishing
• Cabins 1 Sleeps 2 Heads 1
• 2 Yanmar 4HL
• Bill Collector

Follow This Yacht

Notify me when this boat has a price or status change., unfollow this yacht.

• Member Area
• Tournament Information
• Club Resources
• Rules Education

Current Events

Contact info.

© 2024 Northern California Golf Association

• Terms of Service Terms
• Accessibility
• Copyright © 2022 BlueGolf © 2022 BlueGolf

Create New List