1940
- Lawrence Donavan was the first Commodore.The San Diego
Speedboat Club was formed on March 4th 1940 by a group
of men bonded together by their interest in Boating
and Skiing.
1941
- Walter Wesh At the conclusion of this
year the Club reported a balance of $39.39 in the Clubs
treasury.
1942 -
Horton Ealy kept the club together during the years
1942 thru 1945.
1946 -
Bud Jennings got the club thriving. Out of this growth
came the first opening day and a new pier donated to
the club by the City Harbor Department and dedicated
by Mayor Harley Knox.
1947 -
Al Luallin and the Speedboat Club had the honor of hosting
the first National Water Ski Meet held in San Diego
Bay. The event drew several hundred spectators.
1948 -
Hap Hollidays year as Commodore had the Club becoming
very active in water and boating sports in cities other
than San Diego. The newspapers gave the Club a column
in the paper called "Speedboat Spray" to let
the City know how active we were.
1949 -
Charles Hart had one of the clubs most important years,
The Womens Auxiliary was born. When Commodore Charles
Heart reported the balance in the treasury of $1,025.00
compared to the $39.39 in 1941, there was no doubt about
the importance of the women.
1950 -
John Cook signed a lease with the Harbor Department
for 350 feet of frontage on San Diego Bay. Water Rights
extending from the Aeronautical Science Building to
the Navy Sonar School, 600 feet from the shoreline.
1951 -
Bill Burner. This year a 15 by 30 foot building was
moved onto the site on May 30th with financing and very
hard work by the members and the Womens Auxiliary. The
New Clubhousewas dedicated with ribbon cutting ceremonies
by the Harbor Department on December 22th. This year
the City asked the Club to hold its annual Ski Meet
during the celebration on Harbor Days.
1952 -
Dick Walker. Many new activities were introduced into
the Clubs schedule: Entering the Boats and Skiers in
most of the Parades in San Diego, Mothers Day, Fathers
Day, Dinner Hay rides, Fashion shows,Dances and Breakfasts.
The President of the American Water Ski Association
announced to Commodore Dick Walker that San Diego had
been selected for the 1953 National Championships.
1953 -
Harry Sherwood. This year the Mortgage was paid in full,
the Club won the Sweepstakes Award in the Coronado Forth
of July Parade, and we became a Charter Member of the
Pacific Coast Speedboat and Water Ski Association, with
one of our members as President.
1954 -
Leonard Roberts started the year with the Penguin Club.
We had 55 skiers on New Year’s day. This has continued
every year since with as many 200 San Diego Skiers joining
club members. In March the TIDE TEENS were born, sponsored
by the Womens Auxiliary. The children of the members
became a big part of the Ski shows, Parades and other
Club activities. An addition to the Club building doubled
its capacity and was dedicated: Hence another Mortgage.
1955 -
Gil Strauss opened the year with the Penguin Club. In
April the Submarine Flotilla and the Club agreed to
have the Navy install floats and maintain them in return
for their use as landing facilities. Harbor Days opening
had Dick Walker and Dave Heller water ski 79 miles to
Newport Beach with an invitation from San Diego Mayor
Dail to the Mayor of Newport Beach to attend the Harbor
Days celebration.
1956 -
Earl Collins rode in a flower decked speedboat atop
the San Diego entry in the Rose Parade in Pasadena on
New Years Day. The Womens Auxiliary financed a complete
remodeling of the galley. This year Coast Guard Auxiliary
Flotilla 18 was made up of Speedboat Club members. We
obtained our first telephone and the first AWSA Sanctioned
California State Championship was held in San Diego
Bay. Dick Walker and Walt Zimmerman skied non-stop from
Catalina to San Diego behind a Kettenburg Speed Boat
to publicise Harbor Days. Paul Kettenburg driving and
Bob Heckel observing.
1957 -
Paul Strombeck was notified that the Clubs bid for the
1957 AWSA National Ski Tournament wassuccessful. Every
Club member, every member of the Womens Auxiliary and
the Tide Teens turned to. Under the chairmanship of
Harry Sherwood the Womens Auxiliary started out by purchasing
new furniture and the advance preparations paid off.
The September U.S. National Ski Championship was a huge
success. Another room was added to the clubhouse.
1958 –
Vein Lennox Lewis Gillespie. The members were shocked
and saddened when Commodore Vein Lennox passed away
at the club just 29 days after being installed. Lewis
Gillespie assumed the office and hosted the Western
Regional Ski Meet. In September our member Larry Penacho
brought the U.S. Trick Ski Championship home from the
Nationals. Dressing rooms and a shower on the dock were
added.
1959 -
Walt Zimmerman had a very busy year. The Club house
received a complete new coat of paint, the Womens Auxiliary
bought 10 additional bar stools, the Western Regional
Ski Tournament was again held here and the Junior Trick
and the Junior Slalom was brought back to the Club from
New Hampshire by Larry Penacho and Fred Pendlebury.
The Womens Auxiliary purchased a new duplicator machine
for the Scuttlebutt and once again the mortgage was
paid off.
1960
- Bill Campbell as Commodore this was a year of firsts
as far as Club history goes. Bill as Commodore and Marge
as President of the Womens Auxiliary. Many wives had
been President of the Auxiliary but this was a first.
The TIDE TEENS were divided into two groups due to the
wide range of ages. A Senior and a Junior group each
with separate officers and Director. Sports Illustrated
Magazine sponsored the year of the Water Fantasy, an
extravaganza for San Diego. Plans were made to paint
the outside of the building, add a new roof, black top
the yard and put in a lawn in the patio area. A lawn
sprinkling system was installed. The Womens Auxiliary
bought $800.00 worth of drapes. Rumors were becoming
actualities, Harbor Island was going to be formed and
the entrance to it would be exactly where our Club stood.
We were going to lose our lease.
1961 -
Bob Heckel and his staff attended endless meetings in
regard to the future of our Club. The dredge moved in
and the island kept creeping toward our door. The docks
were removed by the Navy. No ramp and no water at the
Club. We were offered a chance to stay on the island
and become a Yacht Club or find another place to move.
Then came the plan to raise money to move to a new location.
The members wanted to relocate the building and remain
a SKI, Boat and FUN Club. In the meantime we participated
in all city events including the Coronado Fourth of
July Parade with a Ski show in Glorietta Bay.
1962 -
Ben Hill and his wife Margaret were the second pair
to share the responsibilities of both the Speedboat
Club and the Womens Auxiliary. Opening Day was held
and all festivities went aheadeven with no water. The
members worked harder although a few abandoned ship.
We were into a big membership drive. We met with the
city council, the Mission Bay Park Commission and theSouth
Bay, then with a merger in mind we went after Mission
Bay.
1963 -
Howard Fischer and other members met with the right
people at the right time, just as the preceding Commodores
had done. New By-Laws were set up and the Club name
changed to San Diego Boat & Ski Club. This was presented
to the Mission Bay Ski Club to examine. In the meantime
a bond sale was started and efforts were made to hold
as many events as possible to help raise money to move
to a new site. In March the Mission Bay Ski Club voted
to merge with the San Diego Boat & Ski Club, subject
to attaining a satisfactory lease on Mission Bay. By
June 80 bonds had been sold and 80 new members had been
added to our membership. In August a rough draft was
received from the Park and Recreation Dept for an option
on a lease. In October the lease was signed after many
meetings and tons of paper work plus hours of leg work
by the Club moving committee. All activities such as
Ski shows, Ski meets, Dances, Potlucks, etc went on
as best as they could.
1964 -
Herb Billings. In December the City Council gave an
informal approval on the lease and placed it on a future
docket for formal approval. On December 19th the City
Council voted unanimously for the lease. After three
years our Goal was reached. Under direction of Commodore
Herb Billings the two clubs became one. Howard Fisher
and Hugh Rae signed the merger agreement. We then became
the "SAN DIEGO MISSION BAY BOAT & SKI CLUB".
1965 -
Hugh Rae. The old Club building was moved to the new
site and the real work began. Work parties every weekend
with the Womens Auxiliary preparing the lunches for
the workers. May 1st was set as our dead line for opening
day. The buildings were spliced together, an overhanging
roof added, a carport and patio, ceilings lowered, new
windows and doors. The front doors were donated by the
TIDE TEENS, and a new P. A. system was installed. All
work was time donated by Club members, friends of the
members and friends of the co-workers. Future plans
were made for landscaping, a play yard, swimming pool,
a ramp on Rose Creek, all in due time. Then on May 1st
a group of tired men and women gathered to celebrate
the Grand Opening Day. Mayor Curren cut the ribbon to
start festivities on May 2nd and the flag raising ceremonies
was held by the TIDE TEENS. The Commodore gave the Invocation
and officially opened the San Diego Mission Bay Boat
& Ski Club for the Boating and Skiing season. All
the traditional activities were resumed in order to
raise funds so we could cover expenses. With new Mission
Bay rules and new requirements for the building work
parties still had along way to go. The Womens Auxiliary
again added $500.00 worth of folding chairs to the Club.
1966 -
Tom Goephert as Commodore we continued our work to bring
the Club up as a real part of Mission Bay. Rose Creek
was not much good until it could be dredged, we needed
a ramp, lots of work updating and improving the building.
With Tom’s guidance we made it thru 1966.
1967 -
Knobby Mandoif did as every other Commodore had done.
He got Ski shows, places for Ski practice, a new Ski
Jump, the parking lot paved and continued social events
despite a fall off of members because of no water or
ramp. The beautiful club house was not enough.
1968 -
Chet Sheridans year was another one of frustration.
The play yard was finished and many hours were spent
on the By-Laws to set the Club up for family membership
rather than strictly a male member Club as it had been
for 29 years. Then things began to change. The dredge
showed up, and with that and the new By-Laws the Club
was in high gear again.
1969 -
Don Deck had things going great. That year the new ramp
was in, we had water, new membership went up and the
Womens Auxiliary went inactive for the new By-Laws made
them regular family members.
1970 -
Ray Lopeman accomplished many long awaited projects.
The Boat Docks were installed, the south Forty planted
with grass, walkways installed, the bar refurbished
and membership drives. The first women installed were
Sandy Dorch as Secretary and Vera Rae on the Board.
Hayne Canfield had another successful tournament year
and old pro Skip Carpenter had a great Ski Race. One
highlight for the year was the Christmas party put on
by Sandy LoPresto for the retarded children. He received
respect from the City for all our work.
1971 -
Ray Lopeman gave it another go as Commodore and had
an outstanding year. New fences, carpet in the bar,
drapes, new tables and chairs. The only down was our
bid for the hydros and that failed. Under Pat Kelly
a worlds record was set in San Diego Bay when B &
Ks- 65 foot "Speed Twin" pulled 58 Skiers,
at one time, from a deep water start in San Diego Bay.
1972 -
Jerry Hansen had a very busy year. The dock was extended,
we hosted the Police Olympic Water Ski Tournament, the
parking lot was repaved and striped, new sprinkler system
installed and horse shoe tournaments began and Phil
Adams designed a new ski course. Lots of new members
signed on. The Board recommended a change in the By-Laws
for debenture holders with a choice of three options.
1973 -
Pat Kelly as Commodore had a fine sound system installed
and the Club was painted inside and out. A club sponsored
Ski race was held with 400 people enjoying the steak
fry following. Blind Ski classes were held, Bud Glad
did a great job with a membership drive, a boat show
was held and the building fund grew.
1974
- Wes Yourth directed many improvements to the Club.
New electrical service, boat yard blacktopped, new windows
for cross ventilation, new landscaping tool and machines.
A new lease was negotiated and the By-Laws were updated.
1975 -
Joe Campbell had to bounce the Club back from a financial
crunch. Several outstanding projects were completed,
Light poles in the boat yard, offices extended and a
new heating system. Another outstanding year.
1976 -
Carl Byers worked very hard to get a new lease. And
like every other Commodore and his Staff they spent
many a long hour on Club business.
1977 -
Jim McKeon was a good Commodore. During his year, among
many other problems, he was told by the City we might
have to move again.
1978 - Bob Heckel said the reason Ray Lopeman was Commodore
two years in a row was for him to get it right. Hell
this is Bobs second time around so let’s see if
he gets it right this time.
1979 -
Carl Byers again. This is Carl. second time around too
so maybe he will get it right this time so we won’t
have to re-elect him again.
1980 -
Bob Heckel again. He guess he ain’t got it right
yet. What more can we say
.
1981 -
Dennis Rathman
1982 -
Roy Baum
1983 -
Rich Aylesworth
1984 -
Bob Heckel (6mos) Sandy Miller
1985 -
Sandy Miller
1986 -
Charles Chance
1987 -
Jim Enlekrout
1988 -
Ron George
1989 -
Ron George
1990 -
Ben Benevides
1991 -
Ron Buop
1992 -
Bo Jac
1993 -
Geno Rogers
1994 -
Byron Miller
1995 -
Byron Miller
1996 -
Johnny Ingram
1997 -
Johnny Ingram
1998 -
Tony Williams updated the By-Laws (again) and headed
up a new moving committee and began working with the
City to start the move to South Shores next to Sea World.
The City would like us to move by 2003. Board agreed
to have a permanent committee and City has assured we
plan to move. Kumulani Outrigger joined the Club, bringing
two large outriggers and their equipment. Under Tony
profits grew and the Club developed it's first web page.
1999 -
Johnny Ingram. The Club's grounds get a facelift and
the Blind Ski have their own large trailer. Moving is
now the Club’s priority and several options are
under consideration. Tony Williams submitted a phased
plan to the city to develop the club in 3 stages. The
Athletic Association creates a junior membership program
and the YMCA joint ventures a very successful camp-out
at the Club using the Outriggers and canoes.
2000 -
Dave Deyoe
2001 –
Dave Deyoe
2002 –
Tony Williams
2003 –
Vasili Triant
2004 –
Glen Gentile
2005 –
Monti Barnes
2006 –
Monti Barnes
2007 –
Pat Hernandez
2008 –
Sonya Chandler
