Q: When can I sail my sailboat/model yacht?Spreckels Lake is open to the general public.
A: Sailboats are commonly on the water afternoons from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm every day. By courtesy, radio controlled boats should keep clear of boats without radio control such as the free-sailing boats. All sailors are requested not to interfere with boats that are participating in a race regatta.
Q: Must I own a boat to race?
A: Not necessarily. It depends upon which class of yacht you wish to race with. The Club owns a number of boats which are available to members for a seasonal lease very inexpensively. These are in the freesail classes X, Classic X, M and 36R. The Club also owns one radio control ODOM Class boat which is not leased, but is available for day use with no charge. If you are interested in one of the other classes raced in the SFMYC, you will probably have to own your own boat, but sometimes a private lease with another member can be arranged. If you already own a boat which is of a different class than those active in the SFMYC, you will be out of luck, racewise. You will have to call other model yacht clubs to find one that hosts an active fleet of your boat’s class.
Q: Can I participate in club races?
A: In general, race participation is restricted to SFMYC members. There are only two races each season which are open to non-members: the M Class Invitational, and the 36R Class Invitational. Furthermore, racing is limited to boats of the same class for any given race, and not all types of boats have active fleets in the SFMYC. Thus to race, you will not only have to become a member, you will also have to have the right kind of boat. The club hosts radio control races in the following classes: Santa Barbara, Infinity 54, ODOM, Star 45, and RX. The club hosts freesail (i.e. no radio control) races in the following classes: X, Classic X, M, and 36R. See the Regatta Schedule for the season race calendar. See Yachts We Sail for more description of the classes and manner of racing. Racing is open to all members, regardless of skill level, and even if you come in last every time, you can still be assured of having fun!