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. The club offered dry land boat storage as well as slip for members.
Fire crews attempted to control the blaze of the recent fire while 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. 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 “The destruction is unbelievable. It’s clear that the fire was burning intensely on the second floor,” said a member the day after the tragic fire. “There’s nothing left.”
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 new clubhouse was dedicated on June 10, 1967.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
