Yacht Club Profile: Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club

By Airwaves writer Emma White

Founded in 1932, to “organize, promote, and sponsor yachting and yacht racing in and about the waters of Southern California,” Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club (CBYC) is located on Palos Verdes Peninsula, overlooking the Los Angeles Harbor. Immediately offshore is “Hurricane Gulch.” In the summer, the Gulch has winds ranging from 16 to 22 knots, earning CBYC the reputation of the area’s yacht club with the most wind velocity. However, winter brings different wind conditions—often “light and lumpy”, accompanied by thunderstorms.

Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club members sail Mercury’s, Farr 40’s, PHRF handicap, Cal20’s, Optimists, FJ’s, and 420’s, and the club is home to one of the largest Cal20 fleets. In recent seasons, CBYC hosted the Cal 20 Nationals and the Mercury nationals and this summer the Cal25 nationals, along with many other national events for adults.

Although most racing is in the harbor, CBYC emphasizes offshore sailing and an active cruising club. As one of California’s closest clubs to Catalina Island, CBYC hosts the annual “Around Catalina” race, this event is co-hosted with Dana Point Yacht Club, and between the two club’s efforts, many different boats compete. CBYC is very proud of the recent growth of the cruising club, which now amounts to about 40 boats. During the upcoming year, 2014, the club plans to hold 26 regattas and16 cruises.

Club members are also proud of its youth sailing program, and junior members comprise about one third of the club’s membership (with 110 junior members). Recently, CBYC hosted Optimist North Americans, Optimist Nationals, and regional level youth regattas. The yacht club supports 3 high school teams, a middle school, race team, and summer sailing program. The high school sailing teams are equipped with 11 collegiate FJ’s and meet 2 times a week for three hour practice sessions. Boats sailed in the Race Team are Opti’s, CFJ, C420, and Lasers. Sailors in this program meet once a week and occasionally on the weekend for three hour practices. The summer sailing program is available to youth sailors of age 8 through 18 and offers multiple classes for the enrolled sailors. CBYC will support 30 youth events for 2014.

CBYC’s perpetual trophies recognize a broad range of achievements—from merit to the best ribs and chili prepared by members. The Merit trophy is awarded to the member of the club whom has been observed doing the most good for the community. Another, the Ebisu trophy acknowledges the winner of match racing for Cal20’s. Currently, the club proudly defends the Walt Elliott Challenge Trophy, which is a challenge trophy among neighboring yacht clubs. The Club has also won the Senior Club of the year Trophy on many occasions. The Milk Can Trophy is granted to the top female sailor of the yacht club. Finally, the Chile and Rib trophies are handed out to the best chili and ribs made by members of the yacht club.

Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club prides itself on the diversity of the club. Composed of mostly local members, the yacht club also has members from as far away as New York and the Caribbean. The membership values the full range of boating, from cruising, youth racing, power boating, and some members join the club simply for the social atmosphere. CBYC is a diverse and dedicated community joined together by the love of the water. 

Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club http://www.cbyc.org