SBYC FAQ

Welcome to SBYC's FAQ. Whether you're already a member, someone thinking of joining or just want to visit, you should be able to find answers to your most pressing questions. If you don't see what you're looking for, please drop us a note & we'll get back to you.

Where is South Beach Yacht Club located?
What are the Club hours?
Where should I park?
Can I get there by public transit?
How do I change my address, phone, etc?
What is the Club's guest policy?
Do we have reciprocity with other Yacht Clubs?
What is a hosted party & how do I do one?
Can I reserve or rent the Club for private events?
Why can't I take my beer/drink down to my boat?
How do I reserve a slip for the weekend?
How do I make arrangements for a cruise-in?
Are children allowed in the Club?
Do you have a Junior Sailing Program?
Are pets allowed in the Club?
How can I sign up to crew on someone's boat?
How do I join & how much does it cost?
I want to get involved, how can I help?
What's an OOD and how do I get to be one?
How do I use the Club email distribution list?
I can't find what I'm looking for; whom may I ask?

Where is South Beach Yacht Club located?

Our facilities are near Pier 40 on the Embarcadero which is not, contrary to common sense, near Pier 39. Even numbered piers are south of the Ferry Building (Pier 1) and odd numbered piers are north. Actually, we're at King St (Embarcadero) and Townsend, right next door to SBC Park, home of the Giants.

Click here for directions if you're coming by land.

Click here for directions if you're coming by water.

What are the Club hours?

Summer
Opening Day* thru Labor Day
Friday	1800	2200
Saturday	1200	2200
Sunday	1400	2000

Winter
Labor Day thru Opening Day*
Friday	1800	2200
Saturday	1400	2000
Sunday	1400	1800

* — Opening Day is traditionally the last Sunday in April.

Where should I park?

Please note that all parking at South Beach Harbor is controlled by the Harbor Master, not the Yacht Club. Only the Harbor Master can issue parking passes or permits.

As a visitor, you can park on the apron in front of Pier 40 for up to two hours. If your visit will be longer than two hours, you will need to get a visitor pass from the Harbor Master. There is also limited street parking available on Townsend and Brannan.

There are two reserved parking areas, one behind the Harbor Master's office and the other in the Pier 40 shed. If you're visiting someone in the marina, tenants can get a parking pass for you from the Harbor Master which allows you to park in either one of these two reserved parking areas. Please be aware that the Pier 40 shed closes at 11:00 pm and the lot behind the Harbormasters office is gated and not accessible without a key card. Your host can give you instructions on entering the lot.

Parking can be very limited during Giants games, SBYC races and other events. Please plan accordingly.

Can I get there by public transit?

That's actually one of the best ways to get to us! We're close to BART, CalTrain and the Ferry and there are two Muni rail stops within 2 blocks of the Club.

Public Transit directions to South Beach.

Pan & zoom map of the San Francsco Muni system.

How do I change my address, phone, etc?

If you need to put in a change of address, phone, membership status or whatever, please contact the Membership Controller.

What is the Club's guest policy?

In order to comply with California's Alcohol Beverage Control (ABC) rules, all visitors to our Club must be a member-in-good-standing of a reciprocal Yacht Club or bona fide guests of an SBYC member. If you are a guest, your sponsoring member must be physically present at the Club in order to be served at the bar. When visiting, all guests must sign our guest book and wear a guest badge.

Club members who intend to invite more than 8 guests to the club at the same time should make arrangements in advance with the Vice Commodore. Visiting members of reciprocal yacht clubs with a group of 10 or more are also requested to contact the Vice Commodore in advance of your visit.

If you're visiting and would like information on becoming a member, the OOD is always happy to help out.

Do we have reciprocity with other Yacht Clubs?

Reciprocity is a written agreement between Yacht Clubs that states that visiting members of the signatory Clubs will be provided the same rights and privledges as their own members. This is necessary, per ABC rules, in order to serve alcohol to members of visiting Yacht Clubs. Most Bay Area Yacht Clubs have a reciprocity agreement in place.

What is a hosted party & how do I do one?

The Vice Commodore plans and hosts most major parties but there are a number of dates every year where members are encouraged to step forward and play host. These include: St Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, Life's A Beach, Hot August Nights and Oktoberfest to name but a few.

The host is responsible for planning the event, setting up and/or decorating the Club, food, entertainment and straightening up afterwards. If you, or a caterer, use the galley, all food needs to be put or thrown away & the pots/pans scraped. We'll call the cleaning service for the major stuff.

The Club will reimburse you for all out-of-pocket expenses but the event needs to pay for itself. Please click here to download a worksheet that can help you plan and budget for your event.

All events must be approved and scheduled through the Vice Commodore.

Can I reserve or rent the Club for private events?

Currently the Club is available for rent to members only for private events. Please be aware that Club members will still have access to the Club during your event. You can contact the Vice Commodore for complete details and, under most circumstances, you will have to schedule an additional OOD.

Per ABC regulations, no alcohol can be brought into the Club and all alcohol purchased in the Club must be consumed on the premises.

Why can't I take my beer/drink down to my boat?

Once again, in order to comply with ABC regulations, all alcohol purchased at the Club must be consumed on the premises. You cannot purchase alcohol to take off-premises, opened or not.

In addition, you cannot bring any alcohol into the club.

How do I reserve a slip for the weekend?

All slips must be arranged through the Harbor Master. Both guest/transient berthing and organized group (cruise-in) reservations are available.

How do I make arrangements for a cruise-in?

If you're planning a cruise-in for your Yacht Club or other organization and would like to come to the Club for dinner or have a barbecue on the deck, please contact our Port Captain to make arrangements. We have also prepared a set of guidelines to help make organizing your visit a breeze.

Are children allowed in the Club?

Children are welcome in the Club when in the company of an adult.

Do you have a Junior Sailing program?

Absolutely! We offer a compresensive sailing program for youths aged 8 to 16. Please click here for details.

Are pets allowed in the Club?

Aid and companion dogs are welcome. No other pets are allowed inside the facility but are more than welcome on the deck if properly leashed. We will be glad to provide water bowls & the occasional treat upon request.

How can I sign up to crew on someone's boat?

One way is to show up with your gear before a race, ask around & put your name on the board. You can also ask any of the Race Committee on the Club's deck before the race, or see if there's a note on the whiteboard beside the bar.

You can also post a note on our Club Bulletin Board.

How do I join & how much does it cost?

We currently offer individual, family and partner memberships as well as associate (between boats) and racing. A membership application and current dues information is available on our About Us page. If you have membership questions that aren't addressed in the FAQ or elswhere on the site, please contact our Membership Controller.

I want to get involved, how can I help?

We are a completely volunteer-run organization. While our volunteerism keeps our dues down and the food and drink prices reasonable, volunteerism's main benefit is to promote a close relationship among the members. As a member you don't have to volunteer for anything, but those who do volunteer invariably feel paid back many times over for their efforts.

We are always looking for members to get involved with Event Planning, Membership, the Web Site, WaveLength, Junior Sailing, and OOD duty among others. Please visit our Volunteer Opportunity Page for current postings. You can also contact any of our Board members & let them that you'd like to help out.

What's an OOD and how do I get to be one?

What does the Officer Of the Day actually do? It's sort of like owning a small company for a day. You have all the responsibility for an ongoing business plus you have to take care of all the little detail jobs — because there's no one else to do them. It's important to remember that, as on a ship, the OOD has all the responsibility for operations on his or her watch. You are filling an important role, and, without you our Club could not continue to operate. Your fellow members know this and they genuinely appreciate your contribution.

One of the prime benefits of serving as an OOD is that you're able to open the Club outside of regular hours. To do so you must understand and adhere to the established guidelines.

If you'd like to find out how to become one of these valued few, please check the OOD information page.

How do I use the Club email distribution list?

The email distribution list, southbeachyc@southbeachyc.org, is there for Club members to use for Club business. Club business is anything that would be of interest to a wide range of the membership and helps fulfill our Mission statement

For crew/skipper requirements, for sale or item wanted notices and/or general comments, please post a note on our Club Bulletin Board. These types of items are not appropriate for general email distribution and could result in your removal from the list.

Please contact the responsible Flag Officer for guidelines and use instructions. For anything “on the water”, i.e., cruise-outs, flotillas, etc, please contact the Rear Commodore. For anything “land based”, i.e., events, presentations, etc, please contact the Vice Commodore.

I can't find what I'm looking for; whom may I ask?

Contact information for all of our Club Officers and Directors are on the Contact Us page and any one of them would be happy to answer your general questions. For “on the water” information, i.e., racing, cruise-outs, etc, please contact our Rear Commodore. For anything “land based”, i.e., events, meetings, etc, please contact our Vice Commodore.