Commodore Christina Tarantola and her husband, Scott Meyer, joined CYC in 2013.
Christina had done some sailing while living in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I., and raced regularly on the Chesapeake Bay while living in Hampton, Virginia. After moving to Santa Monica in 1996, sailing got forgotten for a while.
Eventually she found the UCLA Marina Aquatic Center, where then-instructor and now-CYC member (and husband of ViceCommodore Sue Service) John Nelson pointed her in the direction of the Women’s Sailing Association of Santa Monica Bay. She served as Commodore of WSA-SMB in 2011, and raced regularly under its burgee in Long Beach YC’s Linda Elias Memorial Women’s One-Design Challenge and in Women on the Water regattas.
S/C Kellie Fennessy brought her into the Association of Santa Monica Bay Yacht Clubs as Secretary, and she served asCommodore of ASMBYC in 2015.
Christina and Scott both raced regularly on teams based at CYC, but had no idea how much the Club has to offer until they became members. They enjoy spending time with friends at the Club and attending special events and Commodore’s Cruises. Scott plays with the golf group, and Christina is a regular race committee volunteer and longtime proofreader for the Club’s Breeze magazine.
Highlights during her time at CYC include serving as Cal Race Week co-chair and Commodores Ball co-chair in 2017. In 2018 she served as Sail Committee Chair. She has raced on the CYC women’s team in Long Beach Race Week and in the Linda Elias Challenge. More recently she served as Measurement and Race Committee Volunteer Coordinator for the 2021 J/70 World Championship.
She received the Marilyn Butefish Award in 2012 for service to WSA-SMB, the inaugural ASMBYC Commodore’s Choice award in 2018, and was named ASMBYC Sportsman of the Year in 2021.
California Yacht Clubhouse burns down in fire..
On Dec 11, 2023, the clubhouse of the California Yacht Club burnt down. Firefighters worked overnight Monday to extinguish a blaze that erupted at a historic yacht club in Marina del Rey. The Los Angeles County Fire Department received a call around 11:30 p.m. Monday for a structure fire at the California Yacht Club in the 4400 block of Admiralty Way, said Fred Fielding, a Fire Department spokesperson. Crews arrived to find heavy smoke and fire engulfing the two-story building. The injured male firefighters were taken to the hospital with moderate injuries. They have since been released.
About California Yacht Club
Mission:
To connect people with the Pacific Ocean.
Core Values:
We believe in the power of community and the importance of bringing people together to share a common passion and the joy that it creates.
We believe in Corinthian competition, which values the pursuit of excellence and fair play above all else.
We believe in the spirit of adventure and the value of pushing ourselves to explore new horizons.
We believe in the importance of continuous education and the need to constantly seek out new knowledge and skills.
We believe in the importance of care for the ocean and the responsibility we have to protect and preserve this vital resource.
About:
The California Yacht Club is located in beautiful Marina del Rey, which is the largest manmade small craft harbor in the Western Hemisphere. CYC is one of several clubs in the marina but is one of only two clubs that offers full services to its members. The current club facility was built in 1967 having relocated from its temporary facility elsewhere in the marina. The California Yacht Club was founded in 1922 in Wilmington Harbor near San Pedro. When Marina del Rey was constructed in the early 1960’s, CYC relocated.
Today the club serves its very active and diverse membership needs by providing club programs, events and facilities that have earned the respect as being one of the leading Yacht Clubs in the country. In addition to the striking views offered from its clubhouse, the club has one of the finest boat anchorages in the marina. Only club members are allowed to rent slips at the club. Members can enjoy the use of the club’s spa and heated pool, enjoy a game of paddle tennis or relax in the Member’s Lounge. The clubhouse and offices are open Wednesday through Sunday although the docks and grounds are accessible at any time. Members can enjoy the many dining services offered in addition to the many formal and informal social events that the club is known for hosting. The heart and soul of any yacht club is its boating activities. CYC members are well known for their cruising, sailing, powerboating and rowing accomplishments.