Westlake Yacht Club in the News

Conejo Valley Life, Aug 6, 2004 Westlake Yacht Club Expands Fleet, Charity Fund-Raiser, and Membership "After working the helm during the Westlake Cup Regatta, I'm hooked again in a sailor's rebirth! It's gonna add at least 10 to my golden years", said Staff Commodore Vic Pollard after skippering one of the Club's new Catalina-18 sailboats. Vic helped found the Westlake Yacht Club 35 years ago in 1969, and was its Commodore in 1989. An avid sailor who taught his three sons to sail on Westlake Lake, Vic says that now that he's over 90, he's too old to sail the smaller Sabots and Lasers. But, with the Club's new Catalina-18's, Vic is back on the lake having a great time and winning races! Located on the shore of Westlake Lake on Lindero Canyon Road in Westlake Village, Westlake Yacht Club enjoys beautiful lake and mountain views - an ideal place to spend the day cruising past ducks and herons, and spend the evening dancing under the skys of a California sunset. The dramatic clubhouse offers a third-story lake view from the "Tower" where the Race Committee supervises regattas above an expansive meeting room, dance floor and a relaxing deck overlooking the boat docks. The Club has over 180 members under the leadership of Commodore Roger Weisman, Vice Commodore Michael Singer, and Rear Commodore Randy DeMaio. Westlake Lake was created in 1968 with the construction of a dam and excavation of the lake bed. The dam and the lake are privately owned, and access is strictly limited and controlled. There are long waiting lists for dock space. However, Westlake Yacht Club members have immediate access to the lake using Club boats. The Club has recently decided to increase its membership limit. For anyone eager to get out on the lake, but who has been put off by long waiting lists and the expense of private boat ownership, this is an extraordinary opportunity. You don't have to own a boat to belong to the Westlake Yacht Club. Anyone is eligible to apply for membership. The new fleet of nearly 40 boats boasts four 18-footers, which are the largest permitted on the lake. One of the new boats is a deluxe ElectraCraft 180CS electric party boat with a capacity of 8+. Members can enjoy this elegant craft while entertaining their guests on a serene lake cruise. As all cleaning and maintenance is taken care of for them, when the cruise is over, members simply walk off the boat and into the clubhouse to greet dear friends. The other new boats include three Catalina-18 sailboats with space for five. The Catalina-18's have comfortable cabins and their winged keels provide excellent stablitity. The spinnakers and roller-reefing genoa jibs make sailing easy and exciting. All of these boats are available for members' use at a fraction of the cost of individual boat ownership. The Westlake Yacht Club fleet also includes a variety of smaller boats which are ideal for young sailors, whether novice or expert. Summer sailing classes for juniors are now beginning and some slots are still available. Juniors aged 8 to 18 are welcomed whether or not their parents are Club members. The Westlake Yacht Club sponsors 18 regattas per year and has a proud sailing tradition, particularly for its excellent junior sailing program. Two former Club members, who learned to sail here, grew up to become world-class sailors and win an Olympic Gold Medal. Our sailors have won over 100 National Championships, and Westlake Yacht Club will be the proud host of the National Championships for the U.S. Sabot class. This elite event will be held on the lake on August 28 and 29. Come see 150 of America's best young sailors compete for the national title! With the expanded fleet, there is no better place to enjoy boating than at the Westlake Yacht Club. While not out on the lake, members enjoy our dinner dances, theme parties, barbeques and luaus, Super Bowl and Casino Nights, our famous New Year's Eve Gala, and Friday Happy Hour. To learn more about membership or our summer junior program call 818 700-5257. The Club will also greatly expand its 11th annual Sail-a-Thon charity fund-raiser. The event will be from 8:00am to 9:00pm on August 7, and will benefit: Casa Pacifica Child Crisis Center for abused children; the Triunfo YMCA, which supports day care, summer camp, and numerous other children's programs; and the Santa Monica Bay Sailing Foundation, which received the David Poe Service Award for its outreach programs for disadvantaged youth. There will be carnival booths for the young and young at heart, a vintage car show, bingo, live music, food, and an auction of valuable goods and services. And all the while, boats will be sailing up and down the lake, earning donations with every lap. Everyone is invited to come, enjoy the spectacle, have a good time, find some great bargains, and support local kids. Last year over $30,000 was raised, and this year's Sail-a-Thon chairperson, Bev Ingram, is dedicated to doing even better this year. The event will be held at 32123 Lindero Canyon Road and admission is free. -- Robert Piccioni, Rear Commodore