Aloha Lahaina Yacht Club Members, Reciprocals and Club Ohana,
I truly hope this message finds you all well. I am writing this 4 weeks to the day of the fire that has devastated our Families, Friends, Ohana, Town and Club we all love so much. I understand that many are hoping and requesting more updates but the reality is 8 of 12 of our Board Members, the majority of our staff and a large number of our Members have lost their homes and all that go with it. Safety and security are of utmost importance but rest assured things are happening to help secure the safety, future and return of the Lahaina Yacht Club, it’s Members and Employees.
With regards to the immediate future, the BoG met for the first-time last Wed 8/30 and was joined by a few members of the BoT. The goal is to work towards prioritizing 30-, 60- and 90-day plans. Also, by the end of the year, have a plan for 2024 and ultimately a 3-year plan in place by early 2024 to take us forward. The insurance process, legal actions, engineer processes and all that will come down the road while trying to secure our place in Lahaina when rebuilding begins are all on the agenda. In fact the BoT has already submitted a letter early on to the county expressing our desire to rebuild and continue to be a part of Lahaina. This will be a long road and will take a lot of coordination but we are determined to stay the course.
Our Mission Statement of promoting, supporting and teaching sailing and water sports and all things in that line is still our priority. We were on a great path over the last several years and want to jump back in when the time is right. While the key points of our Mission Statement may not be resurrected until 2024, they will be back once we get all other things in line. We are still a Yacht Club. We are still operating as a Yacht Club. Currently we happen to be a Club without a clubhouse but that is temporary. It might be quite a few years but temporary. We are conducting meetings, operating our moorings, starting an online merchandise store that should be running in about 3 weeks and working on hosting a few events before the end of the year. Ultimately, working on a temporary club house or meeting place after things settle a bit in our community is also something we are looking into.
Many have asked about our Members and Staff as far as their wellbeing. Currently our Boomvangers are doing a call campaign to check in on our Members that reside on the West Side. If you haven’t heard from them, please reach out to the Club and let us know you are OK as phone numbers on file may no longer work. You can contact LYC either by phone (808) 661-0191 or at office@lyc.us. Expect to leave a message if you call as we have only retained one employee for now, Renee our Office Manager.
There are currently two options to donate on our website www.lyc.us. One is for our amazing Employees and the other for the ultimate rebuilding fund. We are currently working on a global outreach for donations as well. It is important that we all know how much love and support we have received from our Reciprocal Yacht Clubs and other clubs around the world. So many comments similar to “when I visited the Lahaina Yacht Club, the warmth and welcoming attitude there is like no other” make me so proud every time someone writes it to us, and there are a lot all sharing similar messages.
On the continuing to operate as a club point, elections are right around the corner. We are encouraging Members who want to make a difference in the future of LYC to get involved. We need to still do all things required to maintain our status and continue our course and that includes a fully functional Board of Governors. It is a great time to get involved and share your thoughts and visions for retaining our history and also expressing thoughts on some new directions.
Love Your Club
Dave Schubert
Commodore
The Lahaina Yacht Club building may be gone, but the community most certainly is not.
by Kerri Meade Sailing Anarchy
Nestled inconspicuously in the heart of Front Street, recognizable by the burgundy wooden exterior and the signature sperm whale burgee, resided Lahaina Yacht Club. Pushing your way through the old saloon doors, you were temporarily blinded by the afternoon sunlight, forced to throw on your sunglasses and give your eyes a moment to adjust.
You would find the regulars perched at the bar in their usual spots, their stools permanently indenting the floor. Past the bar you made your way through the dining room to the railing which served as the club’s fourth wall, framing the iconic view of the ombre blue water and the island of LanaŹ»i in the distance.
Most importantly, the deck provided the ideal viewing platform to cheer and heckle the sabbat racers below. A secret hatch on the left side of the dining room floor could be lowered to access a set of stairs which led down to the small rocky beach only visible during low tide. The wooden wall panels, saturated with laughter and alcohol, preserved the stories held within these walls.