Navy Yacht Club San Diego serves the military community by offering a gateway to greater enjoyment of San Diego's natural maritime resources.
The club supports sailing and boating programs offered by the San Diego MWR by providing patrons the community and camaraderie that is the hallmark of yachting organizations, and by providing opportunities for continued sailing mastery and boating competence.
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The club is a member of the San Diego Association of Yacht Clubs, San Diego Cruiser Association, the Southern California Yachting Association, and the United States Sailing Association. The club is a branch chapter of the International Order of Blue Gavel(IOBG).
ABOUT US
CLUB HISTORY
In 1964, two naval officers, Joe Quicker and Al Tarantino began formulating the idea of a Navy Sailing Club in San Diego, to serve the military community and foster seamanship and esprit-de-corps within the Sailors and Officers that joined its membership.
Over the course of its first two years of existance the San Diego Naval Sailing Club, as it was originally known, worked toward establishing a beachhead, which was located at the most northwestern edge of Naval Amphibious Base Coronado in early February 1967. The club facility consisted of a pontoon causeway pier, a temporary building, open-air tables, and BBQ facilities.
The club's original fleet consisted of 7 Lido 14's, 3 Capri's, 2 Enterprise 13' dinghies, and 4 Flying Dutchman 20' racing class sailboats. The fleet mix was picked to offer something for sailors of all skill levels. The Lidos were ideal for casual family sailing, while the avid racers could sail the Flying Dutchman. Sailing classes were held in Glorietta Bay.
Later in 1967, a new location was negotiated with the Navy, and so began the club's long history at Fiddler's Cove. There were soon several buildings at the site, including the original club and marina office building, the snack bar, and storage. In the 1970's several other buildings were constructed including a multi-purpose room with classrooms, and a "sail-hut" for crews to check out larger jibs and spinnakers for racing.
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Over the following years, Fiddler's Cove developed with the installation of docks for private boats, two electric launch and recovery hoists that were used for the club's fleet of dinghy racers, and a marine railroad and haul out and repair facility. These facilities remained until the mid 1990s when the current marina buildings were constructed.
Budget constraints precluded building a space large enough to support both the marina and the yacht club facilities within the new structure, so the club executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Navy to establish the Navy Yacht Club facility at its current location in 1999. Club volunteers, throughout 1999 and 2000, improved the existing yacht club site, ran underground utilities and watering lines, and prepared the area. Every paver on our club patio was laid by volunteer hands.
The initial club building on the site was the storage connex behind the clubhouse. Later, in mid-2000, the current clubhouse was installed and the deck was built. A highlight of the project was the raising and setting of the club's flagpole, which was salvaged from the marina rebuild. The entire project to bring the club's current location to life was entirely funded by the membership through donations to the Capital Fund.
Membership in Navy Yacht Club San Diego is restricted to Active Duty, Reserve, Retired, members of Allied Armed Forces and Active civilian DOD personnel. In addition, as the result of recent changes to MWR eligibility, Purple Heart recipients, 100% Disabled Veterans and VA H623A form Recipients (veterans with any service-connected disability) are eligible for club membership.
Due to the club's location onboard a military facility, club membership is limited to the classes above, and we will ask you affirm you belong to one of these at submission of your application.
