History of the Bay View Boat Club (incorporated 1963)
"So, one evening, the boys were whooping it up in a tavern near Hunter's Point and the salty old sailor tending the bar was carefully scanning the joint. An opinion was formed, an idea spoken - to be juggled from mind to mind; To emerge in the form of a nebulous thought needing naught but space and time. It snowballed along from hand to hand, leaving impressions - taking form, growing and swelling with a cumulous thought - in the space of never, a club was born. In the tavern, a charter was placed on the wall to gather in members; "Come one, come all! The more the merrier!" came the joyful cry and the call was answered from far and wide."
This is the first entry in the Official Bay View Boat Club (“BVBC”) Log, which cites April 17th, 1961 as the date of the club's first meeting.,
The BVBC has contributed significantly to the history and identity of Hunter’s Point, Mission Rock and the entirety of San Francisco’s waterfront community. Our history is intertwined with that of the Allemand Brothers, a Hunter's Point boatyard once located on India Basin. In the late 1930's, a man named Joe Boesl, who repaired rowboats and had a tavern in the Hunter's Point area, approached John Allemand and his friend Woody and asked them to design and build a place for his boat repair business. The structure was raised on a site just adjacent to the tavern. A second story was built over the repair shop in order to provide Boesl with on-site living quarters.
In 1946 John and Rene ('Flip') Allemand established Allemand Brothers Boatyard, using the tavern for their offices. The socializing that ensued among customers, friends and local boaters evolved into the birth of a boat club, originally the Hunter's Point Boat Club. As the years passed, the concept for what is now the Bay View Boat Club emerged. Informal meetings began to be held in the boat repair shop, or the Allemand Brothers office/lunch bar when the weather turned cold, as they had heat, something the Boesl establishment lacked.
When Joe Boesl died in 1957, the properties came under the ownership of Hoagy Holmes, who became the first club Commodore. In 1962, Mr. Holmes gave or sold the house to the Bay View Boat Club.
In the mid-sixties, the land where the two buildings stood was sold. The Allemand Brothers' office and lunch bar was moved 75 yards north. It seems that everyone thought the club's building was too good to abandon. Spearheaded by Claire Nabonne and at the urging of the then Commodore, Dave Del Carlo, when a new site was found, on the south bank of the public ramp off Pier 54, Nabonne and Robert Jevarian wrote to H.J. Thieman of the San Francisco Port Authority, “to make an official application” to use the property formerly leased to the Shear Pin Club, a company that had “desolved” [sic]. The BVBC took on the Shear Pin Club members in exchange for their “equipment.” (see attached undated letter)
Back at India Basin, the Trost Brothers Moving Co. provided a barge for the grand sum of $3,400 (see attached) and a work party loaded the building onto a series of rollers and guided the structure down the hill during high tide to the waiting barge in the bay. With the help of the tugboat, G.B. Marshall, the building was towed to the present site of the Bay View Boat Club, and the membership followed.
There have been many improvements to the basic structure since then. Not surprisingly, one of the first additions was a large, efficient fireplace. Boesl's living quarters still survive on a smaller scale in the form of the office and race deck, although the rest of his space has been eliminated to accommodate a sky light in the main club area.
Articles of Incorporation were filed with the Secretary of State in 1963 (see attached).
The BVBC liquor license was issued in June of 1964 making it the 21st oldest continuously operated license in San Francisco (see attached).
It is now 41 Commodores and fifty-four years later, but the spirit of the original club survives.
Criteria 2. Contribution to the history and identity of the neighborhood, commitment and outreach to the community we serve
The Bay View has a long-standing tradition of diversity and hospitality in the Bay Area community, as we somehow manage to blend good works with boating, good food and entertainment.
We want to give back to our community. Non-Profit Hosted Parties/Events for other organizations are common at the Bay View Boat Club. At no cost to participants, the Bay View Boat Club hosts 20-30 events per year for organizations such as the San Francisco Firefighters, Mission Creek Harbor Association, San Francisco Sunday Streets, Neighborhood Open House events, Embarcadero Rowing Club, Van Guard Fleet, San Francisco Motorcycle Club, Memorial Events, Bluewater Children’s Sailing, San Francisco Bay Waterfront Clean-up, San Francisco Trolley Dancers and Toys for Tots. Every year the Club hosts 40 boats from Bay Area Disabled Sailors (“BADS”) and 100 low income kids from the Bayview, who would otherwise have no opportunity to experience the Bay, sail out in the annual “Rock the Boat” event. In addition, we provide no-cost meeting space for local book clubs and US Coast Guard sailing and racing seminars.
The Boating Education Program (BEP) is the combination of the Youth Boating Program (YBP) and Women on the Water (WOW). The program was started in May 2015 by an overwhelming interest of prospective boaters and supportive volunteers of the Bay View Boat Club and Mariposa Hunters Point Yacht Club. The program has grown and recently received the coveted PICYA Nimitz Trophy. In 2017, the Club put on five 4 day youth classes and three 4 day women's sessions, a total of 32 days of classroom and on-the-water training.
The Youth Boating Program (YBP) started with the acquisition of 6 JY Trainer boats by a core of dedicated volunteers who conduct organizational meetings most Thursdays. We are continuing this program in 2018 and are having "First-Sunday Open Sail" sessions each month for our BEP participants to continue learning boating skills. The lessons take place inside the cove between Pier 50 and Pier 54 where the water is protected and calm. This area of the port is roughly 15 acres in size, and is well protected from the conditions of the San Francisco bay. Close monitoring, instruction and guidance are provided on the water by Instructors riding on safety boats. The kids are constantly close at hand, and are encouraged to not sail if they feel uneasy about it. The motto is "if in doubt, don't go out". This saying is stressed over and over again during the preliminary, on-shore "chalk talks" where we discuss safety and seamanship. The classes emphasize safety conscious FUN sailing, considering weather, tides, traffic, etc. at all times. Besides learning general seamanship, like knots and equipment care, the children learn boat nomenclature, rigging, boat handling, proper upwind sailing, tacking, downwind sailing, jibing, boat handling, teamwork and sportsmanship.
The Women on the Water (WOW) Program is taking an expanded direction to include more interests and opportunities for women. The program will be more like a club for women who are interested in a variety of water activities including small boat sailing, paddle boarding and kayaking lessons where interest is shown.
In short, our quaint little Club provides a vast array of boating options to San Francisco that will be lost to the community, especially kids and other non-profits, if the Club were to be displaced by the enormous amount of growth our neighborhood is experiencing.
Criteria 3. Physical features and commitment to traditions that define the BVBC
Located almost exactly equidistant between AT&T park and the new Warriors stadium, and adjacent to the City’s only public boat ramp, the Club’s unmistakable bright yellow/blue-trimmed façade and it’s meticulously maintained gardens are a stand-out along the waterfront. Palm trees sway in the breeze and nautical flags flap in the wind.
We are located in an area of San Francisco that is experiencing incredible and rapid change due to new construction projects, including UCSF Medical Center at Mission Rock and the Warrior’s stadium. Our parking concerns have become dire. The small lot adjacent to the Club, complete with long slots for boat trailers, traditionally used only by mariners and members of the BVBC and the Mariposa Yacht Club, is now increasingly being taken over by Giants fans, office and construction workers often resulting in parking completely unavailable for members. Because we have lost our lot, the Club is forced to plan all of its monthly meetings and events around the 115 events scheduled at AT&T Park. We are dismayed and concerned that another 200 events scheduled at the Warriors stadium will make our event scheduling impossible. We believe that maritime and boat parking is imperative to the survival of small boat recreation on the Bay and that, with this legacy recognition, the City will demonstrate its commitment to waterfront activities.
Completed in Sept. 2004, the 400 foot long, aquatic theme mosaic of a ceramic tile mural celebrates the Bay View Boat Club’s commitment to the stewardship of the San Francisco Bay shoreline and maritime activities.
Traditions.
Legacy status will enable us to offer our distinctive personality to the mix that is the Bay Area boating community for many years to come. Our distinctive personality is most notably encaptured by our name - note the glaring omission of the word “yacht.” With few exceptions (and depending on your definition) we do not own yachts. We are average, working-class boaters who love the water and our rental and membership fees reflect that commitment to average folk.
We are completely volunteer run and after 50 years the original volunteer spirit survives. We are a non-profit, membership-run club with no paid staff. Our 300 member volunteer team keeps the club secured, maintained, and open to members and guests every day of the year, opening at 5PM during the week and 3PM on weekends, opening earlier many days, and staying open until all member and guest functions end each and every day, 365 days a year. With thirteen elected volunteer members of the BVBC Board of Directors overseeing club functions, the daily use of our family-friendly club averages 50-80 members and guests per day, with occupancy of 85 people.
Our members have consistently proven to be competitive in the Bay Area racing arena, due in part to an attitude that has been referred to as "industrial strength boating."
One of the most signature traditions of our club is the annual Plastic Classic Regatta. This event, which just celebrated its 30th Anniversary year in 2014 where we hosted over 70 racing entries from clubs across the San Francisco Bay and beyond, has become a legendary event in Bay Area boating. The regatta is open to fiberglass boats of designs at least 25 years old, and has the distinction of having had Carol Doda, a plastic classic in her own right, present the trophies at its inaugural event. You can read about this event every year in Bay and Delta Magazine, Latitude 38 Magazine and local newspapers.
The Bay View Boat Club Cruising Fleet participates in monthly cruise-out events to Bay Area clubs and we invite other clubs to sail in and anchor out in front of our club to join boating events and share sea stories. Members of 70-100 reciprocal clubs join our sailing seminars, Sunday brunches and racing events yearly, sharing a love of boating, conservation and seamanship with fellow boaters. BVBC boaters also join in PICYA, RBOC and US Sailing events.
Regularly-Scheduled Races. Reciprocal clubs and guests are invited to join us in other as well. There is Monday Night Madness in the spring, a MidWinter Racing series, a Round-the-Rock and Commodores Cup race, and Champion of Champions. We also challenge our neighboring Mariposa-Hunters Point Yacht Club to a “Creative Craft Race” where boats are built on the spot and raced between the two clubs.
Building the next generation of boaters, the Bay View Boat Club Wharf Rats program features a program of challenging boating-related learning activities for members’ children and children of guests. There are weekly activities at the club for children to learn about water safety, conservation and seamanship, boating trips are organized through the BVBC Cruising Fleet to take children bird watching and sailing.
Ongoing Events.
Every Tuesday night, there is Jazz from 7:00-11:00. There is Member Night every Friday from 5:00-8:00 where members can have a Friday Night Snack while talking and planning club activities. Every fourth Friday is a rhythm and blues group at the club. First Sunday Brunch every month draws 70-85 members and guests, and Second Thursday Music Showcase gives hot new upcoming band a chance to play and showcase their offerings. Volunteers plan club parties for New Years, Mardi Gras, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Winter and other holidays. Members may also sponsor outside organizations for parties at the club and we average 30-50 of these parties each year. The Bay View Boat Club Fishing Fleet organizes an annual Salmon Derby and other fishing trips, scheduled according to weather and how the fish are running. These events are all open to club members and their guests.