San Francisco Yacht Club photographs, circa 1900-1960s, bulk 1920s-1930s

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Summary

Creators:
Boye Photograph Studio San Francisco Yacht Club
Abstract:
The San Francisco Yacht Club photographs, circa 1900-1960s, bulk 1920s-1930s, (SAFR 23371, P74-041L) are comprised of one photograph album of yacht club member studio portraits and several photographs of Belvedere Cove, California and the San Francisco Yacht Club. The collection has been processed to the Series level with some Items listed, and is open for use.
Extent:
98 items
Language:
In English.
Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P74-041L (SAFR 23371), San Francisco Yacht Club photographs, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Background

Scope and content:

The San Francisco Yacht Club photographs, circa 1900-1960s, bulk 1920s-1930s, (SAFR 23371, P74-041L) are comprised of one photograph album of yacht club member studio portraits and several photographs of Belvedere Cove, California and the San Francisco Yacht Club. The collection has been processed to the Series level with some Items listed, and is open for use.

Contains one photograph album with portraits of San Francisco Yacht Club members, approximately 1933, and photographs of Belvedere Cove, California, a lumber dock, FRISCO STAR (yacht) and the San Francisco Yacht Club, circa 1900-1960s. There are 98 unique photographic images (1 photograph album containing 92 black-and-white photographic prints and 6 loose black-and-white photographic prints).

Biographical / historical:

Club History: The San Francisco Yacht Club (SFYC) was established in 1869 and is the oldest yacht club on the Pacific Coast of North America. The club has been located in several locations around the San Francisco Bay: San Francisco, Sausalito, and Belvedere, where it is located today. The club currently operates a year-round harbor, a dry sail area, a full service restaurant and bar, and hosts vigorous adult and youth sailing programs.

The San Francisco Yacht Club was founded in 1869 by an enthusiastic group of men that enjoyed the newfound popularity of the San Francisco Bay: a consequence of the discovery of gold at the American River and the interest in traditional Corinthian sailing. They formed the club based on the New York Yacht Club's by-laws. The original anchorage and clubhouse were located in San Francisco at Long Bridge, near Mission Rock. From the onset, the club provided activities for both sport and social pleasure. In 1873, the club experienced some financial difficulty. The club was reorganized with new rules regarding membership and it has experienced stability since.

The Central Pacific Railroad Company owned Mission Bay and in 1870 it sold the property that the club was set upon. The club then moved to the Front Street Wharf in San Francisco. The shallow water at this location proved to be unusable overall, and the club was moved to Sausalito. The clubhouse was burned to the water in 1897, consequently destroying many trophies and club records. The clubhouse was rebuilt, and at this time still stands as a restaurant that is not affiliated with the club. Despite the setbacks from multiple relocations, by 1900 the club was known as the premier yachting facility on the West Coast.

Although the turn of the century brought a decline in the national interest for yachting, interest on the West Coast was increasing. There was a gradual trend that saw more and more small boats being sailed on the bay; the transition from centerboard construction with inboard ballast to ballasted keels occurred as more boats were brought out from the East Coast. The first small boat regatta was held by the SFYC in 1881, and the popularity of small boats only increased after this.

Early in the club's history, there was a high level of involvement from women and with youth programs. In the 1920s, club activities were not limited to racing: cruises to California locations such as Vallejo, Antioch, Napa and Sacramento; dances; clambakes; and parties at fashionable hotels were all sanctioned club events.

By 1926, the club found that high traffic and congestion at their current site was no longer manageable and Commodore Clifford Smith led the campaign to move the club to Belvedere Cove. Not all of the members agreed with this new location choice, and a more affluent group of 49 members split, leaving to form the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco. A small SFYC clubhouse was completed at Belvedere in 1934, and is part of the club's facilities today.

The 1930s, overall, were challenging for the SFYC because of the Great Depression. Social events were cut, small boats were primarily run and the larger boats were left unsailed. During this time, the Star Class, introduced by Commodore Clifford Smith in 1923, was proving to be both easy to use and cost effective to maintain. The 1940s brought the incorporation of the Richardson Yacht Club, doubling memberships. World War II proved to be difficult as members were absent and there were restrictions placed on sailing in and around the San Francisco Bay.

Racing picked up again in the 1950s, along with the role women played in the club with the formation of the Women's Auxiliary in 1953. A 190 berth harbor was completed in 1957; an overhaul of the club and berthing facilities had been in the works since 1933, but storm damage in 1952 accelerated the process, bringing many necessary updates.

By the end of the 1960s, membership was at capacity and was therefore closed at 700 members, 460 boats, and a wait list was established. This decade proved to be successful in both adult and junior class racing and in hosting club social events. The 1970s proved to be a successful decade for trace competitors: overall, from the 1970s on, the club has won regional and national championships and has had a presence in the international racing scene as well.

The 1980s brought continued improvements and emerging leadership to the club. In 1983, the Harbor Maintenance Committee was formed and in 1984 the grounds to the west of the clubhouse were purchased and renovated for organized and social events. Other committees, such as the Housing Committee and the Race Council, as well and the Women's Auxiliary, continue to provide strong leadership and facilitate the club's functions. The Board of Directors and five officers ensure leadership and overall direction for the club.

Today, the club serves an active and diverse membership body. It offers a full racing schedule with 45 on-the-water days; a robust training schedule for those members that volunteer with race activities; and hosts a speaker series that presents authors, artists, experts and sailors that is offered at no cost to members and their guests. The SFYC continues to provide facilities, formal and informal events, and programs to provide pleasure and encourage a spirit of competitive racing.

Written by M. Crawford in 2013. This history was primarily written using "125 Years of the San Francisco Yacht Club," published by the San Francisco Yacht Club in 1994.

Sources: "San Francisco Yacht Club," www.sfyc.org last modified 2013. The San Francisco Yacht Club. "125 Years of the San Francisco Yacht Club." Belvedere, California, The San Francisco Yacht Club, 1994.

Acquisition information:

SAFR-00001

GOGA-00735

On May 29, 1974, the San Francisco Yacht Club (via Dick Griffith) donated photographs, scrapbooks, papers, and printed materials to the San Francisco Maritime Library and they were accessioned as 74-041.

On April 28, 1978, six photographic prints were accessioned into the Photo Archives as P74-041L (no transfer paperwork could be found). On March 20, 1994, a photographic album of members' portraits was transferred from the library collection 74-041, to the Photograph Collection P74-041L.

Other photographs and papers were transferred from the library accession 74-041, and cataloged as P06-012 (SAFR 20934) and HDC 645 (SAFR 4834). See the collection file for more information about this.

SAFR-00001 is a blanket accession that was transferred from the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park in September 1988. GGNRA had previously acquired the collection from the San Francisco Maritime Museum when it became a unit of the National Park Service in 1977.

GOGA-00735 was transferred from the San Francisco Maritime Museum Association to the Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) in October 1984.

Processing information:

Each photographic image has been assigned an Item number, including those within the photograph album.

Description Notes: Dates refer to when the original photograph was taken. It is possible that some of the photographic prints in this collection could be copies that were made later than when the original photograph was taken.

The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter experts. While every effort was made to provide accurate information, in the event that you find any errors in this guide please contact the reference staff in order for us to evaulate and make corrections to this guide.

Please cite the title and collection number in any correspondence with our staff.

Arrangement:

Due to the small size of the collection, the photographs have been arranged in one Series: Series 1: Photograph album and photographs. The photograph album is described first; the loose photographic prints are described following that, arranged in chronological order.

Physical location:
San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Physical description:
.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: A Content Standard .

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.

Terms of access:

Some material may be copyrighted or restricted. It is the researcher's obligation to determine and satisfy copyright or other case restrictions when publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the collections.

Preferred citation:

[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item Number], P74-041L (SAFR 23371), San Francisco Yacht Club photographs, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park

Location of this collection:
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123, US
Contact:
415-561-7030
Website