Santa Barbara Yacht Club Turns 150 Years Old

By edhat staff

The Santa Barbara Yacht Club (SBYC) has turned 150 Years Old and will celebrate with an all-fleet blessing on Saturday.

The Blessing of the Fleet is a tradition that began centuries ago in the fishing communities of the Mediterranean, according to the SBYC.

Commercial and pleasure vessels are invited to receive a blessing at 11:30 a.m. Saturday by Father Larry Gosselin and Father Dan Lackie, of the Old Mission Santa Barbara.

The Fathers will be moored on a vessel on the southern end of the Stearns Wharf and participants will pass the stern of that vessel.

The SBYC was founded in 1872 and is the second oldest yacht club on the West Coast of North America. It hosts an annual Charity Regatta that has raised over $2 Million for VNA Health, a local non-profit that serves residents suffering from terminal illnesses.

The best location to view the blessing will be on the Breakwater or on Stearns Wharf. 

For event updates, go to www.sbyc.org/150th-anniversary.

Vintage Boating off of Stearns Wharf, Circa 1920

Vintage Sail Boats off of Stearns Wharf, Circa 1920

Update by edhat reader Bob

I recognized your cover photo showing the original clubhouse of the SB Yacht Club as being Edson Smith Photo Collection #1687, viewable online via the SB Public Library.  The limited information about the photo indicates it’s circa 1915, and that the pier shown is indeed Stearns Wharf, which places the location squarely at State and Cabrillo.

Here’s another view of the same subject from the West Beachside, taken 11/3/1919.