Sailing to the lead

With an established junior sailing program and a dedicated commitment to community charities, the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club is always aiming for the high marks ? this year the club just happened to win an award for it.

Bahia Corinthian was presented with the prestigious club of the year award from the Southern California Yachting Assn. in January.

“The membership’s pleased ? it gives us some bragging rights in the harbor as well as in Southern California,” said club commodore Rod Woods.

The buzz of winning the coveted award hasn’t slowed things down. Club members already have started compiling entry data for next year’s award.

“It’s a fun deal, we work hard at it. We’re working at it as we speak to try to get it again next year,” Woods said.

Between 30 and 40 clubs compete for the top honor, said Thom Page, director of the Southern California Yachting Assn., a sailing organization that runs regattas from Morro Bay to the Mexican border.

Although there’s a strict criteria for the award application, all the elements are things that Bahia Corinthian does anyway, competition or not, said club manager Brian Carlson.

“Not all clubs pursue this, because it’s a rigorous task,” Carlson said of the tough criteria.

Hosting regattas, regularly attending Southern California Yachting Assn. meetings and performing community service are just a few of the categories the club competes in, Carlson said.

Bahia Corinthian hosts several events for leukemia charities and has an active junior sailing program, Carlson said. The club also provides at least one scholarship each year to a child who otherwise couldn’t afford to participate.

“It is validation of the fact that we did a good job of doing those things that we should do,” club secretary Mike Dwight said of receiving the award.

The club of the year award is separated into categories depending on club size. The senior club award goes to the largest club that demonstrates the most community spirit and civic activity, Page said.

The clubs receives points for how strongly they participate in each category. In the end, the award goes to the club that best represents the ideal that the Southern California Yachting Assn. is looking for in a yacht club, Page said.

“It’s a very good feeling on our behalf, and it’s something we strive for every year,” Carlson said.

The competition is stiff, but Bahia Corinthian really goes above and beyond the requirements, Woods said.

Current members are pleased that the club received the award, a distinction that also helps attract new members, Woods said.dpt.31-water-CPhotoInfoB01PG57S20060331iwyu4rknDOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club manager Brian Carlson proudly displays the newly captured trophy, awarded in part for charitable work.