In June 1886, local boating enthusiasts founded the San Diego Yacht Club. SDYC’s first home was in Ballast Point in 1891 in Point Loma.
In 1905, SDYC merged with the Corinthian Yacht Club. In 1910, SDYC purchased Silver Gate, an old Coronado ferry, and towed it to the foot of Hawthorn Street. The club built a pier to Silver Gate, and installed facilities around it, moving on from the original clubhouse on D Street.
In 1914, Silver Gate moved across the bay near the Coronado ferry dock. Silver Gate was sold in 1919 and the club was without a clubhouse for a few years until a new clubhouse was built on Coronado in 1923.
A second "site" was opened in 1924 in Point Loma, as the water was deeper compared to Glorietta Bay in Coronado where the clubhouse was located. The second site was open and operating for people to anchor boats, but the clubhouse itself wasn't moved to Point Loma until 1934.
The clubhouse was then moved from Coronado to Point Loma on January 14, 1934. The clubhouse building was placed on two barges, towed across the channel, and maneuvered into position on pilings during high tide. The move in 1934 was to a different part of Point Loma than where the landing was in 1924.
In 1962, the clubhouse was moved to the back of the club's ground and used as temporary quarters while a new structure was built during 1963. The structure from the 1960's is still in use today, though it has been remodeled a few times.
Racing
San Diego Yacht Club won the America's Cup in 1987, 1988, and 1992, hosting the event in 1988, 1992, and 1995. In 1987 and 1988, Dennis Conner won the America's Cup on behalf of SDYC. The competition was won a third time by SDYC in 1992, by Bill Koch on the yacht America.
In addition to America’s Cup, ten SDYC members have won the Star World Championships. San Diego Yacht Club has also had 13 members sail for their country in the Olympics earning 10 Olympic medals between them.
Regattas
The San Diego Yacht Club's signature regatta is the San Diego Yachting Cup, founded in 1972 by Gerry Driscoll. In some years that regatta also includes the United States Ton Cup Championship, a qualifying event for the IOR World Championship.[1]
San Diego Yacht Club was the home of the America's Cup from 1988 to 1995 and hosted three America's Cup races during that time.
San Diego Yacht Club was the original home of the Sir Thomas Lipton Cup, one of the pre-eminent events in Southern California racing, which is held in the ocean off San Diego every year.[2]
