Santa Barbara Yacht Club Turns 150 Years Old
SBYC’s first clubhouse 1922-1926. The first clubhouse was originally the home and office of John P. Stearns while he was building the Wharf. (courtesy photo)
The fifth yacht club on its current location ,1950-1966 (courtesy photo)
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.
9 Comments
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Apr 08, 2022 03:25 PMCool old photos. Amazing to see the hillsides of the Riviera basically empty.
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Apr 03, 2022 07:58 PMThe heading for the photos should have been reversed. The top one is a 20's wooden motor boat, likely a Chris-Craft.
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Apr 03, 2022 10:40 AMI believe the photo of the original YC clubhouse is flopped. A cupola of the Potter Hotel is clearly visible. This would then make the location of the building to be either at the end of Bath St. /Castillo St.
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Apr 03, 2022 12:51 PMThe original location was at Sterns Wharf as shown. The Yacht Club website explains this photo and offers a lot of interesting history of the waterfront.
https://www.sbyc.org/club-history
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Apr 03, 2022 12:05 AMBack in the day that place was a hoot! I remember sailing Wet Wednesdays, stiff drinks from the bar and Chef Russel’s great food. I miss those days.
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Apr 02, 2022 11:59 AMAlways love the old pics / history posts.
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Apr 02, 2022 09:49 AMLook what has happened to SB since then.
See any houses on the foothills?
Bet water was not an issue then.
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Apr 08, 2022 02:25 PMSure looks like the location is correct. What's curious to me is how narrow the pier appears to be in the initial photo. Possibly 4-5 "shoulders wide". Not very wide at all for a pier/wharf that was initially built for commercial purposes. Its width seems more like the pier that was further west near Bath/Castillo St. I need to check out the library pics some more! Thank you!
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Apr 03, 2022 09:04 AMActually, water was a big problem for Santa Barbara since the beginning. The most severe drought ever recorded in our region occurred in the 1860s. After years of above average rainfall and even flooding, a years long drought set in which wiped out a huge portion of the cattle in the region and resulted in the large Spanish era ranchos being split up and sold off. This 19th century drought fundamentally changed the course of history in California. Here is a great write up on the history of water resources in the region from the beginning through to the 1990s.
https://www.usbr.gov/projects/pdf.php?id=91