Vallejo Yacht Club - Traditions

VYC Customs, Courtesies & Traditions

A yacht club is more than a social club and it is more than a boating club. As members of a yacht club, we are associated with a three-tiered organization. Locally, we are members of the Vallejo Yacht Club, with community involvement and outreach, safety and boating instruction, cruise-outs and competitive racing. VYC is also a member of the Regional yachting association (Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association) and we are a part of that group by extension; fostering boating on the Bay, the Delta and Lake Tahoe, providing greater exposure and recognition with events such as the Opening Day on the Bay and the YRA Vallejo Race (incidentally the Vallejo Race started as a PICYA event before the YRA was born). Thirdly, as yacht club members, we are part of the Global yachting community around the world, complete with reciprocity and an inheritance of yachting’s history, traditions, customs, and courtesies.

The first yacht club appears to have been the Water Club of Cork Harbour, started in 1720. It became the Royal Cork Yacht Club in 1831. The Royal Thames Yacht Club may have been started in 1775 and received its current name in 1830. The Royal Yacht Club of England was founded 1815 at Cowes . Yachting spread to America and in 1844, the New York Yacht Club was founded. Yachting reached the West Coast in 1869 with the organization of the San Francisco Yacht Club. By 1896 there was enough yachting activity in the Bay to result in the organization of the Pacific Inter-Club Yacht Association of Northern California, and by 1900, the Vallejo Yacht Club was born. Yachting in America has been led by the New York Yacht Club with standardizing protocol and etiquette (some of which was eventually published in Chapman’s seamanship bible). The West Coast clubs adopted most of this with some tailoring for regional customs and climate. It includes uniforms.

Yachting Uniforms

There are basically three uniforms in general use today. PICYA uses all three. The oldest and most traditional is the Yachting Service Coat. It is a descendant of the British Naval Uniform of the 1830’s and is used throughout the world now as the formal yachting uniform. It is a dark navy blue (looks like black), double-breasted coat with insignia striping at the sleeve cuffs, somewhat similar to current Navy and Merchant Marine uniforms. The major difference is that the stripes and buttons are black (not gold). The top-most stripe includes a trefoil. All members of yacht clubs are entitled to wear the service uniform. Members who do not own a boat wear only the stripe with the trefoil on their sleeve. Any member who owns a boat is considered a ‘captain’ and wears one stripe below the trefoil. Appointed officers are also ‘captains’ (referred to as port captain, fleet captain, secretary captain, and treasurer captain, etc.) and wear the one stripe below the trefoil, but also a gold emblem of office inside the top loop of the trefoil. The rear commodore wears two stripes below the trefoil and a gold star in the top loop of the trefoil. The vice-commodore wears three stripes below the trefoil and wears a gold star in each of the two lower loops, while the commodore wears four stripes below the trefoil and a gold star in each of the three loops. Past commodores wear the four stripes below the trefoil and a silver star in each of the loops. Hence the number of stars and stripes is established to be used on other uniforms.

The less formal and more popular ‘winter’ uniform is the navy blue (really blue this time) single-breasted blazer with brass buttons and the yacht club’s crest worn over the breast pocket. It is worn with a white shirt, club tie and gray slacks. Most of the world’s yacht clubs use this standard, and Vallejo does too. Metallic insignia of office is normally worn on the blazer above the crest patch or on the shirt collar. PICYA (and VYC) does both. All VYC club members should own and wear this uniform at appropriate dinners.

Most clubs also have a ‘summer’ uniform, known as ‘whites’. It consists of a short-sleeve white shirt with flapped-pockets on each breast and epaulettes for shoulder boards; white pants with white web belt and white shoes and socks. The name-plate is worn above the right pocket flap. Insignia of office is worn on the shoulder-boards or on the shirt collar. PICYA (and VYC) does both. Some clubs have custom club shoulder-boards that all members wear, and the officers then wear the metallic insignia on their collars. PICYA (and VYC) uses the dark navy (black) soft shoulder-boards with appropriate number of stripes and the metallic emblem of office on the shirt collar. While this may appear redundant to clubs in other parts of the world, it does allow for distinction between the various appointed officers. Some other parts of the world do not use stripes on the shoulder-boards but the stars or emblems instead, thus collar insignia would appear redundant. All yacht club members attending a PICYA meeting during the summer are expected to wear ‘whites’ whether they are flag officers of their club or not.

All three uniforms include the yachting cap (when outside). It is the Naval Officer’s cap with the standard ‘yacht club’ insignia on the front. Traditionally, non-boat owners would wear a single vertical anchor, while the boat-owners (captains) wore the crossed foul anchors. The yacht club’s burgee is worn in the center circle. Officers wear insignia of office around the anchors. Appointed officers and the rear commodore wear the appropriate emblem at the top of the crossed anchors. The vice commodore wears a star on either side, while the commodore and past commodore wear gold (or silver respectively) stars at the top and each side. PICYA (and VYC) use a gold chip strap (worn above the visor) for officers, while non-officers were black braid. PICYA requires the cloth top to be black in the winter and white in the summer. The rest of the world is using the black cover less and less.

VYC bylaws require all flag officers to wear the uniform of the day at appropriate functions. The previous edition of our bylaws also required all members to wear the yachting cap; however that requirement has since been removed. There is no current requirement for all members to own and wear the appropriate uniform. Custom and courtesy should compel all our members to wear the winter uniform during the Change-of-Watch and the Awards Banquet. Since the flag officers are required wear the uniform of the day to the General Membership Meetings and are seated along with the secretary, it looks better if the secretary also wear the uniform of the day. Some special events, such as the YRA Vallejo race, are also appropriate for appointed officers to be in uniform.

The bottom line is that all flag officers must own and wear the appropriate ‘summer’ or ‘winter’ uniform at appropriate events. Appointed officers should also wear the appropriate ‘summer’ or ‘winter’ uniform as necessary. All club members should own and wear at least the ‘winter’ uniform when appropriate. There are a few occasions when the formal Service coat should be worn (such as memorial services). They cost a few bucks, and it is not required that anyone wear one since the opportunity for wear is rare.

Office: (707) 643-1254

Fax: (707) 643-1365

Clubhouse/Bar: (707) 643-1369

485 Mare Island Way, Vallejo, CA 94590