About Our Club
Welcome To King Harbor Yacht Club!
Membership in a yacht club is one of the best ways we know to get the most from your boat and/or your interest in yachting. This web page here is to help you get a little background and help you determine if King Harbor Yacht Club is the right club for you. Then, if being a member of one of the West Coast’s most respected, most active, and friendliest clubs appeals to you, let us know by contacting the Club Manager (310)-376-2459. We’ll take care of the rest and help to make you a welcome addition to our Club!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brief History Of King Harbor Yacht Club
First named Win’ard Yacht Club, the Club merged in 1960 with Redondo Harbor Yacht Club to become King Harbor Yacht Club. The original facility consisted of a little trailer on the beach with a few member-built boats. Due to the construction of King Harbor Marina, the members met at the Elks Lodge on the Esplanade. After many negotiations with city planners and some shrewd and cautious planning by early members, a new facility was formally dedicated in 1964. It was the dawn of a new era for members: No more using the city’s public hoists – we had our own! No more schlepping dinghies across the sand – just roll them on the dock carts down the ramps and slide them into the water!
Today, King Harbor Yacht Club is highly respected up and down the coast, not only for our yachting activities, but also for our enthusiastic participation and leadership in the yachting community activities. This enviable reputation is primarily due to a membership that is warm, friendly, active and willing to go that extra (nautical) mile on behalf of others.
If you’re that kind of person, we know you’ll be happy as a member of King Harbor Yacht Club.
For a more detailed history of the Club you can go to the Club History web page.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
King Harbor Yacht Club Facilities
A clubhouse with a Million dollar view! The King Harbor Yacht Club building is a two-deck structure with scenic views from each side upstairs. The lower deck has a professional galley and a member’s galley, a large multi-purpose room and a smaller cozier room with a fireplace, as well as dressing rooms and showers. The office adjoins the front entry hall, which is lined with trophies attesting to the boating prowess of the members. The upper deck has a cocktail lounge overlooking Santa Monica Bay and Palos Verdes and a general activity area where monthly meetings, social functions and entertainment are held. Two decks command an amazing view of the ocean and marina. An outdoor patio is used for yachting activities by the juniors and adults as well. Both the upper and lower decks house a collection of burgees gathered by members and from visitors from all over the world.
Other club facilities include guest and rigging docks, Sabot and Laser racks and dry boat storage for trailerable boats. Two jib boom cranes, each with 6,000 pound lifting capacity, provide easy access to the water for your boats. The patio next to the clubhouse offers ample space for cookouts with gas barbecue, tables and chairs.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Activities For Everyone and Yacht Racing
KHYC has a very active racing schedule. Dinghies race on Wednesday evenings throughout the summer and provide entertainment for onlookers. The Handicap Racing Fleet holds Thursday night Twilight races from April to September which are open to all sailors in the area. Weekend handicap, one design class, and multi-hull racing is held year-round. Our major offshore event is the annual Santa Barbara to King Harbor race. Sponsored by Santa Barbara and King Harbor Yacht Clubs, this event typically draws over 100 boats from throughout Southern California. Another annual event is the Regatta for Hope, a benefit regatta that provides funding to cancer research efforts at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Class championships, both area and national, have been sponsored by the club over the years. The US Sailing/Rolex Junior Sailing Championships, US Match Racing Championship, US Men’s Sailing Championship, Cal 20 National Championships, Women’s Adams Cup Championship, Alter Cup for multi-hulls (area and national events) and several Southern California Yachting Association regattas have all been held here. KHYC has our own permanent racing buoys, race committee boats and well trained race committees to hold these championship regattas.
During the summer, KHYC holds youth sailing classes for all interested youth. Boats are provided. This is a very popular course and fills up quickly with juniors who have an interest in sailing. In addition, KHYC’s junior racing team has made an impact around the junior racing circuit and provides several classes of competitors at these events. High School race teams train during the school year at KHYC, and we also sponsor Sea Scout Ship 618 for non-competitive sailing for junior high and high school students.
Want to "start small?" Our Model Yacht Fleet hosts weekly DragonFlite 95 racing.
An adult sailing class is available and taught by professionally trained instructors.
If racing or learning to sail is your interest, King Harbor Yacht Club is the club for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cruising
KHYC has an active Cruising Fleet of both powerboaters and sailors that enjoy cruising together to Catalina Island, Channel Islands, Newport Harbor, Marina Del Rey and Long Beach throughout the year. Members have also taken their boats to Mexico and from the east coast to the west coast and vice versa. In addition, the Fleet organizes flotilla charter cruises and large cruiseboat adventures to places such as the Virgin Islands and Europe.
If you are into cruising, KHYC is the place to be. For more information, contact the Cruising Fleet.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fishing
For those who fish, KHYC offers a Fishing Fleet for your enjoyment. The Fishing Fleet sponsors speakers, and fishing activities locally and throughout Baja California. In addition, they plan and coordinate fishing expeditions throughout the world. The fishing fleet is known for its fish tacos at various club functions. This fleet is for both the experienced and beginning fisherman.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Education
KHYC sponsors many educational seminars through the year covering topics such as race management, racing rules, diving and safety and we host USCG Auxiliary classes. Various speakers are invited to our general meetings to provide our members and the general public opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge of boating. We sponsor Sea Scout Ship 618 for junior high and high schoolers who want to learn boating and working together on a variety of boats.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Social
Most social events are sponsored by KHYC Fleets. Throughout the year the club holds annual events that include monthly Live Music Fridays, the Annual Commodore’s Ball, Opening Day, Christmas Party, and New Years Eve Party. Fleet sponsored parties such as St. Patrick’s Day Party, Easter Egg Hunt for kids, Halloween Costume Party, Christmas Boat Parade and other summer events round out a great social calendar for KHYC.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Membership Responsibilities
King Harbor Yacht Club is a member owned mutual benefit corporation, which operates under a set of bylaws and is governed by a set of administrative and operating policies within the Corinthian spirit of yachting. As such, members assume many of the obligations of administration and operation, including:
- Prompt payment of dues and assessments
- Service as KHYC Officer of the Day approximately once every two and a half years
- Participation in as many KHYC activities as possible, including attendance at membership meetings
- Service on one or more committees as possible. Most KHYC members find these responsibilities very rewarding.
How to Join King Harbor Yacht Club
Please contact the Club Manager (310-376-2459) during normal working hours to set up a tour of the facilities and meet members. If you find that the club is what you have been looking for, you can fill out an application and we will start the process. Upon review and approval by the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors, you’ll be asked to attend a Membership Meeting where you’ll be introduced and welcomed and receive a club burgee. This process takes about a month for final membership approval.