Del Rey Yacht Club Offers Elegance on the Water

Del Rey considers itself to be the premiere member-owned yacht club in Marina del Rey. It’s in a luxuriously appointed, mid-1960's facility with elegant décor. The club has more than three hundred slips, offered at below market rates to its more than 400 members.

“Unlike California Yacht Club, which is a for-profit facility, the members here are the owners,” member Barry Chass said. “With the exception of the maintenance staff and a few employees, all of the work here is done by volunteers who are members."

“We’re split 50-50 between power boaters and sailors. We’ve got members in boats all over the world who frequently check in with us on single sideband ham radios. We also have between one and two dozen live-aboards here at the club,” Chass said.

There are sweeping vistas of the marina from the club’s grand dining room, bars and lounges all of which can be booked by members for private parties. The club offers an Olympic-sized, solar-heated swimming pool with a patio and outdoor snack bar.

Del Rey has activities for fisherman and power boaters, and hosts several sailing regattas each year.

“Every other year, we sponsor a big race to Puerto Vallarta,“ Chass said.

The volunteer spirit extends among the members.

“We have a lot of very experienced sailors who are willing to share their experience and expertise, so it’s educational for the want-to-bes. The people with a lot of experience get to fill out their crews,” said member Bob Godfrey.

Del Rey also hosts a highly regarded summer youth sailing program.

“Each kid gets his own boat which he gets to name. They learn how to sail. They learn how to race,” Chass said. “They don’t have to be children of the members. They can be locals. You do not have to be a member of the club to enroll your child. We hold fundraisers and offer scholarships for kids who can’t afford the program.”

I can personally vouch for the school's activity. Several times, the students whipped their Sabots up and around the stern of my Cal 25 that was moored right across the basin from the club.

As the skipper of a Catalina 270, Chass is very proud of the youth sailing program.

“With some of the better kids, we’ll send them to Australia and Europe to compete,” he said.

The club is also actively involved in getting special needs and under privileged kids on the water to fish.

For those who enjoy Catalina Island, the club leases a facility at Cat Harbor with barbecues, restrooms, hot showers, ice, a full galley and seating for 250 and shade. Chass againg draws a contrast here with California Yacht Club, which just walked away from its lease.

“It cost us significantly more, but we’re locked in for five more years,” he said.

If you’re interested in joining, the buy-in is akin to joining a country club.

“The initiation fee is $5,000, but if you decide to leave someday, we can sell that membership for you. You’ll get $3,000 back,” said Fred Rapp, another member.

“I have been a member of three or four yacht clubs. This is the best I’ve been in. It has the right people. They have the right attitude. Here over the years, I’ve met people who have become lifelong friends,” Sterling Tallman said.

If the sketch presented here whets your appetite, call to schedule a tour.