Marin Yacht Club started as a Yachting annex of the Marin Golf and Country Club on 29th of September 1929. F. Somers Peterson and his wife Helen, founders of the Country Club, with its 9 hole Golf Course, had in reality, little interest in playing golf. They both were fascinated by the water and nurtured a great love for sailing. Living in a house situated on the heights above the entrance of San Rafael creek and canal into the San Francisco bay, they had watched creation of the Beale Island. They had seen how the Army Engineers, by straightening of a U turn in the course of the creek they had turned a marshy peninsula into a marshy island and seen how creation of a yacht basin and a clubcould be realized on that site.

It was the result of this flight of imagination and helping hands from similarly interested souls, which led to creation of the Yachting Annex of the Marin Golf and Country Club, as the first step. Difference of interests between the golfers and the boaters finally led to a separation of activities and as a final act the Yachting Annex was separated from Marin Golf and Country club. On March 1934, the nineteen members of the Yachting Annex drew up their own “declaration of independence” and the Yacht Club, was formally incorporated on October 25th, 1935 when the first board of directors met at F. Somers Peterson’s home and adopted the articles of corporation of Marin Yacht Club as an independent identity. Thus, this date marks the birthday of Marin Yacht Club in San Rafael California.

Through the years, the club officers and directors have held to the ideals set forth by the founding members and the Marin Yacht Club has succeeded in living up to these principles. By actively promoting youth sailing education, the Club has assisted many young people in achieving dreams of taking the helm of a sailing or motor vessel. Through this and other similar activities, the Club has become a reliable pillar of the community. It is all the members’ wish to be able to continue on this path well into the future.