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History of the Balboa Basin Yacht Club
On a rainy afternoon in the Fall of 1989 several
shore-bound sailors were trading sea stories in Rush Hilborn's dockside garage
and the possibility of forming a yacht club surfaced. The idea of having a club
composed of those who all had their boats in the Balboa Yacht Basin wasn't new
to the marina, but having a group who were willing to put it together was the
previously missing element. There were lots of reasons for giving up the idea:
no available land on which to build, the city owned the marina, there were
already a lot of yacht clubs, it would cost too much, who'd join ...,and more.
But the idea of a club where everybody would be in the same location, and where
friendships could be maintained among people who were frequently together, was
intriguing and seemed worth a try.
The first collective meeting was held in
January, 1990 at the old Gladstone's-4-Fish restaurant. Over 40 slip holders
subscribed $20.00 each to underwrite the organization of the club and reimburse
the five original members, Bill Burke, Paul Gerst, Bill Gorham, Rush Hilborn and
Jerry Lester. The club was formed as a California not-for-profit corporation.
Officers and Directors were elected and by-laws ratified. The Balboa Basin
Yacht Club (BBYC) Burgee which flies from the marina's fore peak combines St.
George's Cross with the family crest of Vasco Nunez de Balboa.
The BBYC is essentially a social club with
activities consisting of dockside dinners and parties, local cruises to Catalina
and other ports of call. The club has some type of boating related activity on
a regular basis. In 1996 the Club acquired a small clubhouse adjacent to the
marina which is used for meetings and Club parties. Its members enjoy the
informal get-togethers, which have resulted from getting to know other boat
owners in the Basin. The BBYC also serves as both a sounding board and
spokesperson in matters which affect the welfare of those who keep their boats
in the Balboa Yacht Basin.
The BBYC is a member of the Southern California
Yachting Association (SCYA), permitting our sailors to participate in the
various races and allowing all of the members to visit the other yacht clubs
with whom we have reciprocal privileges. We are also active in boating safety and
medical emergency programs for both power and sailing vessels.
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