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‘Nothing left’: After California Yacht Club fire, residents mourn loss of a beloved spot

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In an instant, an overnight seaside blaze engulfed decades’ worth of boating trophies, historical artifacts and cherished memorabilia at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey on Monday.

Fire crews attempted to control the blaze as heavy smoke and flames consumed the two-story building. By the time they had subdued the fire two hours later, only the skeletal remnants of the clubhouse were left standing.

John Myers, senior vice president of the club, said the blaze had been reported by an employee working late in the clubhouse Monday night. The fire spared the remainder of the facilities on the ground, including the docks and the yachts moored there. But the clubhouse, and particularly its second floor, was all but wiped out.

“We are working closely with the Los Angeles County Fire Department in their investigation of the cause of the incident and will share those findings when they become available to us,” Myers said.

Members are left mourning, comparing the loss to the death of a loved one.

Jennifer Dakoske Koslu awoke in Rancho Mirage at 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, before the sun had risen, to find her phone inundated with text messages from club members.

The first message she read simply stated, “The CYC is gone.”

“As soon as I opened my phone, it went to a link on the Citizen app and saw a video of the club burning. I was shocked,” Dakoske Koslu said.

For the last 24 years, Dakoske Koslu and her family have been dedicated members of the CYC, whose clubhouse is a few miles away from their home in Playa del Rey. She said it is where her children have grown up, familiarizing themselves with every inch.

“I remember taking my son there on the Fourth of July when he was just 3 weeks old. It was the first place we went with him as a newborn,” Dakoske Koslu said.

She and her husband biked to the club in the aftermath of the fire, greeted by the charred remains of the building on Wednesday afternoon.

“The destruction is unbelievable. It’s clear that the fire was burning intensely on the second floor,” Dakoske Koslu said. “There’s nothing left.”

The second floor once housed a collection of the club’s prestigious racing trophies, kept on display for members and visitors. The fire melted all but a single salvageable California Cup. Most notably, the priceless King of Spain Trophy, acquired in 1929 from King Alfonso XIII, was lost.

Additionally, the club lost cherished photographs of every past commodore, a significant position within a yacht club. Members said they didn’t know if anyone had digitized the images of the commodores or of the club’s founders.

“We would tell yachting stories at the bar around lots of memorabilia, and the yachting artifacts behind the bar are all gone now,” Tom Materna said. “The yacht club provided us a facility for the off-the-water celebrations after hard-fought competition on the water.”

The CYC dates to the early 1920s, started by boat owners from the Los Angeles Athletic Club and other yacht clubs. The Board of Harbor Commissioners approved the first clubhouse in 1922, designed by famed architect Edwin Bergstrom, co-designer of the Pentagon.

In 1965, the yacht club submitted a proposal for an all-encompassing $1-million, two-story, 10,000-square-foot clubhouse on four acres off Admiralty Way. Members envisioned a state-of-the-art facility with 170 boat slips, a guest dock, a small boat hoist and a dry land storage facility for boats. The clubhouse that resulted was dedicated on June 10, 1967.

Then-Commodore William A. DeGroot Jr. told The Times that the triangular parcel of land on which the clubhouse still sits is a “perfectly logical place for a club facility, and a commanding view down the main channel of the marina.”

Though the building has historical significance to its members, it does not have a historic designation, according to Linda Dishman, president of the Los Angeles Conservancy.

“We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and so grateful for the outpouring of support from the community and our members,” Myers said. “CYC has been a beacon for the nautical community for the past 101 years.”

Materna, 68, first found out about the fire through Facebook as friends posted videos and photos of the damage Tuesday morning. Then he began receiving calls and text messages from friends.

“Everybody woke up in the morning and realized we’d lost a significant part of the sailing community,” Materna said.

His connection to the club dates back nearly 52 years, to when he was just 16 years old. After spending 30 years sailing professionally with Hobie Cats, mainly racing catamarans — a watercraft with two parallel hulls of equal size — he recently served as a crew member on other club members’ racing yachts.

The CYC is pivotal in the boat racing community, organizing and hosting events such as the Optimist National Championship and Junior Olympic trials, Materna said. He fondly remembers the hundreds of people from across the globe converging on the marina for similar events.

The main topic among members now is what’s next for the club. Dakoske Koslu noted that the club’s ownership changed over the last few years, and many are unsure and concerned about the club’s continuation after the fire.

The club relocated to the marina in 1967, leasing the land it sits on from the county.

“I don’t think the county has really valued the contributions of the California Yacht Club as an important part of the Marina. They value Trader Joe’s because it’s more money for them,” Dakoske Koslu said.

Dakoske Koslu said she’s seen numerous small marine-oriented businesses displaced from the marina, making way for more commercialized developments such as Trader Joe’s and Recreational Equipment Inc.

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Anthony De Leon is a 2023-24 reporting fellow at the Los Angeles Times. Born in Fresno to a Chicano family, he pursued his higher education in his hometown, earning an associate‘s degree in journalism from Fresno City College and then completing a bachelor’s in media, communications and journalism at Fresno State. He went on to complete his master’s in media innovation at the University of Nevada, Reno.

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Two Southern California yacht clubs recognized on Top 50 list

Platinum Clubs organization names Newport Harbor YC and San Diego YC to worldwide compilation.

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA—Newport Harbor and San Diego yacht clubs both earned a spot on the Top 50 Platinum Yacht Clubs for 2020-2021, it was recently announced. The worldwide list is compiled by Platinum Clubs of the World.

Placing on the list means a yacht club is presented with the title of “Five Star Clubs of Excellence.”

San Diego YC was founded in 1886 and has recently hosted sailing events such as Women’s Winter Invitational, Yachting Cup, the CA500, the SoCal 300, Dutch Shoe Marathon, International Masters Regatta and Lipton Cup.

Newport Harbor YC first opened its doors in 1916 and hosts the Newport to Cabo Race every two years, among other regattas.

Other yacht clubs making the Top 50 list included: Annapolis Yacht Club, Beach Point Club, Chicago Yacht Club, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Nassau Yacht Club (Bahamas), Raffles Marina (Singapore), Real Club Nautico de Vigo (Spain), Royal Bombay Yacht Club (India), Royal Cork Yacht Club (Ireland), The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (Australia), Société des Régates du Havre (France), Yacht Club de Monaco and Yacht Club Santo Amaro (Brazil).

Two Southern California yacht clubs earned an Honorable Mention, scoring within three points of the Top 50 list: Balboa Yacht Club (Newport Beach) and California Yacht Club (Marina del Rey).

Fifty yacht clubs are selected based upon points awarded by a selected panel. A yacht club must score at least 8 points to qualify for the Top 50 list. Scoring is awarded as follows: 100 points for a top three club, 80 points for a ranking between four and 10, 60 points for 11 to 25 ranking, 40 points for 26-60 ranking, 20 points for 51-75 ranking and 10 points for 76-100 ranking.

Voting was conducted by 116 panelists from all around the world; panelists hailed from the United States, Australia, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Japan, The Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and United Arab Emirates. Panelists vote every two years (odd years). Finalists are selected based upon submitted recommendations from panelists and applications from yacht clubs from around the world. A final ballot is eventually created and sent out to panelists. There is a 30-day voting period, with the election conducted electronically (via a third party).

“Points are awarded by the position and ranking that the panelist assigns to each club. The total number of points is calculated and divided by the total number of panelists who have visited a club to determine the final points score,” a Platinum Clubs of the World statement about the voting process said.

The Club Leaders Forum Advisory Board of the Platinum Clubs of the World compiled the Top 50 list. Platinum Clubs of America have been recognizing top yacht clubs for more than 20 years.

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Horrifying photos show LA's iconic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey DESTROYED in blaze as two firefighters are injured battling the inferno

• The California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey was engulfed in flames 
• Los Angeles County Fire Department were called to the scene Monday night and managed to extinguish the blaze early Tuesday morning 
• The cause of the fire is under investigation, and two fire fighters suffered mild injuries battling the blaze

By Emma Richter For Dailymail.Com

Published: 19:41 EDT, 12 December 2023 | Updated: 01:08 EDT, 13 December 2023

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The Los Angeles Fire Department said the fire was first reported around 11.30pm Monday at the Yacht Club on Admiralty Way.

When crews arrived at the scene, thick smoke and flames engulfed the two-story building that was founded in 1922 and built in 1967. 

'My dad built this place in the early 60s and it has been our home for many years...such a tragedy to see it burn down,' Steve Hathaway, the former owner of  California Yacht Club, told CBS Los Angeles.  

Pictures show the aftermath of the blaze at the California Yacht Club that was filled with thick smoke and flames Monday night 

The blaze was extinguished just before 1.30am Tuesday, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

The two male firefighters who were hurt suffered mild injuries while they battled the flames. They were taken to a local hospital, Los Angeles County Fire Department PIO Fred Fielding said. No other injuries were reported.

Pictures revealed the now charred perimeter of the clubhouse, which according to the California Yacht Club, was where the fire damaged. 

The many boats surrounding the club were intact, and the roof of the clubhouse also appeared to be untouched by the flames. 

Only the clubhouse was effected by the inferno as none of the boats docked in the water around it were  damaged 

The California Yacht Club was founded in 1922 and built in 1967

The two firefighters who were injured while battling the flames were taken to a nearby hospital

The famed club has been known to frequently host national and international regattas- water races like rowing and sailing. 

It relocated to Marina del Rey after it was founded near San Pedro in Wilmington Harbor in 1922. 

The coastal community, located four miles north of Los Angeles, is made of 807 acres, 'of which half is underwater,' according to  the Marina Del Rey Tourism Board . 

The famed club has been known to frequently host national and international regattas - water races involving rowing and sailboats

It remains unclear what sparked the blaze but  an Instagram post by the club said: 'we will work together on what's next' 

Marina del Rey translates to 'Harbor of the King' in Spanish and is popularly visited by sail boats, powerboats, along with rented and owned charters. 

Fishers also come to the water in hopes of catching yellowfin tune, perch, barracuda, rockfish, cod, mackerel and sea bass.   

'Thank you to all of the first responders and our thoughts are with the two firefighters injured. Our community is strong and we will work together on what’s next,' the California Yacht Club said in an Instagram post.

Share or comment on this article: Horrifying photos show LA's iconic California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey DESTROYED in blaze as two firefighters are injured battling the inferno

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Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd

Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group

Published on April 20th, 2022 | by Editor

Unclear future for California Yacht Club

Published on April 20th, 2022 by Editor -->

As North America’s largest man-made small-craft harbor, Marina del Rey sits roughly six miles north of Los Angeles International Airport, offering a desirable coastal community with waterfront views, aquatic sports, and award-winning restaurants.

The harbor is also home to several yachting hubs, with California Yacht Club as the prominent racing host.

The club held the 2021 J/70 World Championship and 2022 ILCA Midwinters and will soon be welcoming the 2022 U.S. Junior Women’s Singlehanded and Doublehanded Championship. Each summer it hosts the harbor’s Wednesday keelboat series.

But unique in the scope of clubs, California Yacht Club is a for-profit business, and after the Hathaway family provided at least four generations of stable ownership, this cornerstone of yachting is a rocking boat.

The club was sold in late 2021 as part of a $1.7 billion deal which included self-storage firm LAACO and the downtown Los Angeles Athletic Club. While the downtown club has since been sold, the yacht club is getting shopped as well, and among the shoppers is billionaire Los Angeles developer and mayoral candidate Rick Caruso.

The yacht club’s lease, which carried a minimum annual rent last year of nearly $1.1 million, is set to expire July 31, potentially unmooring it from the property where it operates if it cannot obtain an extension.

Caruso’s development organization has been in talks with Los Angeles County officials to secure the soon-to-expire lease, and as he already holds parcels on either side of the club, the highly coveted corner of the harbor could be the site of another one of his mega-projects.

While the developer, whose net worth is estimated at $4.3 billion by Forbes, isn’t revealing his intentions, he does do boating with his 100 million 65m yacht Invictus.

The California Yacht Club was founded in 1922 and moved to its present site in 1967, offering one of the finest boat anchorages along with elite services for junior and adult membership.

Tags: California Yacht Club

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