How to Join the Tahoe Yacht Club

August 10, 2021 by trudilee

History of the Tahoe Yacht Club

In 1925, Lake Tahoe was a haven for the elite, who built stunning mansions along the north and west shores of the lake. Each home was exquisitely crafted with native stone, regal architecture, and many featured stained glass windows.

In the early days of Lake Tahoe, the roads were not yet paved. The area became a destination for those adventurous or wealthy enough to make the challenging journey to its shores. The fresh mountain air, white sand beaches and crystal clear waters was the reward for those who came to Lake Tahoe.

Tahoe Yacht Club Founders

Many of the founders were members of the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco. The first Commodore of the Tahoe Yacht Club was Edwin Letts Oliver. Their original facility was actually located on the grounds of the spectacular Ehrman Estate, which is Sugar Pine State Park today.

By creating what became the Tahoe Yacht Club, they promoted sociability, power boating, and aquatic activities in the spirit of good sportsmanship on Lake Tahoe. This elite group would establish the vision for Lake Tahoe’s development over the early 20^th century. 

These visionaries included Stanley Dollar, Henry Kaiser and Sydney Ehrman. Today, their mansions stand as architectural masterpieces to Lake Tahoe’s elegant past.

As these San Francisco families gathered at Lake Tahoe to enjoy holiday boating, the ‘wooden boat’ became a status symbol. Boats made by Chris Craft, Garwood and Century featured burnished mahogany hulls with glistening chrome.

Tahoe Yacht Club Activities

As their casual boating contests grew in popularity and attracted spectators, they added several regattas and water ski carnivals with a reigning Queen. Junior Outboard Regattas and sailing regattas came soonafter.

In 1972, they launched the Concours d'Elegance or Lake Tahoe’s wooden boat show as a yearly event. The Concours d’Elegance has remained an August highlight in Carnelian Bay for serious boat enthusiasts.

Today, club members can enjoy special dinners like the Gin Fizz Summer Season Opener and Blessing of the Fleet in May. This year-round Club offers a wide range of social and outdoor activities. Membership is available to full-time Lake Tahoe residents, or members who spend part-time at Lake Tahoe.

During the spring and summer, the Club offers sailing and power boating programs. Members can enjoy golf, tennis and bocce ball events, with access to kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, and a fleet of Pico, Sunfish and Laser sailboats.

The Tahoe Yacht Club Penguins meet to ski at local ski areas, and enjoy an active social schedule of bridge games, wine tastings, and dinners. Special events include the Kentucky Derby, Super Bowl Sunday, New Year’s Party and the very popular monthly First Friday parties, with excellent hosted hors d’oeuvres.

The Club still holds the vision of bringing boating enthusiasts together to make new friends, and to share an active outdoor lifestyle.

About Membership

Application requires that you have a sponsor and seconder who will help in your application process. If you do not have these referrals, the General Manager can help you with this portion of the application.

The applicant’s name, city of residence and sponsor/seconder names will be posted and emailed to members. At the next scheduled meeting of the Board of Directors, all applications are considered.

Applicant, sponsor and seconder are all notified of Board action and approval and fees are submitted with your application.

Membership Fees

Click Here to Download Membership Application

If you are new to the Lake Tahoe area, joining the Tahoe Yacht Club can help you become more involved in the community. Membership can also open doors to a highly sociable lifestyle of outdoor activities that can only be found at Lake Tahoe.

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