Mission Bay Yacht Club has a rich history — the early sailboats had to be flat bottomed to maneuver in the shallow water of the Bay. The Flapper, a 12 foot catboat, was the first class to race. A variety of boats, including some from San Diego Yacht Club, formed a handicap fleet and raced when the tide permitted. By 1931 the Skimmer was the hot boat in this area.

Each Opening Day we relive some of our early history as the commodore sails “Scanties,” the club’s first Flapper class boat, given to the club by our first commodore, Tom Scripps. It was donated to the Club around 1968, and the Board decided that the Commodore should sail it each year in the Asher Pier Race. It has since been rebuilt, and is still sailed. Originally, it was just one of the boats in the Handicap Fleet. Subsequently, a special class for the Opening Day race was established, which the Commodore always wins.

It was a humble beginning on Crown Point, but it was Tom, Leo Carroll, the first handicapper, and a few others whose ideas for handicap and one-design racing grew into the highly refined programs and facilities we all enjoy today. Their foresight and enthusiasm have helped to produce world and national championship sailors in many classes.

Mission Bay Yacht Club has a strong tradition of Corinthian sailboat racing. This is encouraged by Club sponsored regattas throughout the year. You will find national champions and novices alike competing in our regattas. Mission Bay Yacht Club’s ideal location makes it a favorite venue for national and world championship sailing regattas. Recently, the US Sailing Association named MBYC the “One-Design Yacht Club of the Year.”