HomeFAQs / Visiting the Club
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Frequently Asked Questions
for Visitors and Members

  • Where is the South Beach Yacht Club? What about Parking? Public Transportation?

    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. Specifically, our clubhouse is on King St (Embarcadero) between 2nd Street and Townsend, right next door to AT&T Park, home of the SF Giants.


    Map and Location
    Directions by boat.
    Driving and parking.
    Public Transportation.
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  • What is the Club's guest policy?

    To comply with California's Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) rules, all visitors to our Club must be a member-in-good-standing of a reciprocal Yacht Club, a bona fide guest of an SBYC member, or a bona fide Guest of the Club as determined by a Flag Officer or Officer of the Day. If you are a guest, your sponsoring member must be physically present at the Club in order to be served at the bar. 


    The Club allows guests in the following quantities:

    - SBYC Members: 6 guests per membership

    - SBYC Junior Members and Family Members under 21 years of age: 2 guests

    - SBYC Officers of the Day: 8 guests per OOD
    - Members of reciprocal clubs: 6 guests (limited to 2 on SF Giants home game days or special eventsunless otherwise approved by an officer)
    - Boat crews: For club-organized race events, bona fide race crew members in excess of 6 are welcome in the club. For other visits by boat involving crews in excess of 6, please contact the Vice Commodore, Port Captain, or Club Steward.

    When visiting, all guests, including members of reciprocal clubs, must sign our guest book and wear a guest badge. Members of reciprocal clubs should bring their membership card. Any individual needing guest privileges in excess of the above quantities should make arrangements in advance with the Vice Commodore.

    The Club will enforce its Bylaws, Rules and Regulations, and Operating Procedures, and it reserves the right to bar any individual from entry or to have any individual leave the club premises at the request of the Officer of the Day or any Flag Officer in accordance with these rules, including, but not limited to, our policies on capacity of the clubhouse and deck, inebriation, inappropriate or harassing conduct, and lack of proper identification or lack of approval as a guest or member of a reciprocal club.

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  • 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. South Beach Yacht Club generally recognizes clubs that are members of the Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association (PICYA) and Yachting Club of America (YCA). Please contact our Commodore or the Officer of the Day on duty in the club if you belong to a Yacht Club from outside the United States or that is not a PICYA or YCA affiliate. We will do our best to accommodate members presenting current membership cards of bona fide Yacht Clubs.

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  • What is the club's dress code?
    There isn't one. We're an informal club. Please dress neatly and respectfully of the family nature of the club. More formal attire is encouraged for certain events such as our Officer Installation. For events involving the America's Cup or major inter-club events, it's nice if your attire shows your club, team, or boat affiliation. For SBYC members attending other clubs requiring blazers or more formal attire, an SBYC blazer emblem is available for purchase.
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  • Can I reserve or rent the Club for private events?

    The Club is generally available for rent to members only for private events, however the Officers and Board of Directors reserve the right to rent a portion of the clubhouse for qualified organizations. 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 Officer of the Day. Per ABC regulations, no alcohol can be brought into the Club except under our corkage policies. All alcohol purchased in the Club must be consumed on the premises.

    For more details, please see our rental information:

    Rental Policy & Rules
    Rental Contract - Members


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  • Why can't I take the beer, wine, liquor, or cocktail I just purchased in the club down to my boat?

    To comply with California's Alcoholic Beverage Control 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 except as permitted under our corkage policy.

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  • 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. More information is available at the South Beach Harbor website.

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  • 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.

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  • Are children allowed in the Club?

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

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  • Are pets allowed in the Club?

    Bona fide service dogs are welcome in the club. No other pets are allowed inside the facility but are welcome on the deck if properly leashed. There is a water bowl available for pets on the deck.

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

    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 bulletin board or windows next to the deck entrances.

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

    The Events Committee, reporting to the Vice Commodore, plans most major parties. Many are planned annually, but a party can be planned at any time. Either way, Members are encouraged to step forward and play host. Successful parties have included St. Patrick's Day, Mardi Gras, Cinco de Mayo, Mother's Day, Life's A Beach, Fourth of July, Hot August Nights, Oktoberfest, and New Year's Eve. Family parties include egg-dying, pumpkin carving, and Santa By Boat.

    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 reimburses you for all out-of-pocket expenses, but the event needs to pay for itself. Download a worksheet that can help you plan and budget for your event.

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

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  • How do I change my address, phone, etc?

    The easiest is to do it yourself! Click the "View My Membership Info" link at the upper left corner of this page. If you need to put in a change of membership status or have any other membership-related questions, please contact the Membership Controller.

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