By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY – Senior Writer
Following the disastrous February and March blizzard that wreaked havoc on the mountain communities and caused the collapse of the Lake Gregory Yacht Club’s clubhouse on Forest Shade Road in Crestline, the club has set sail again.
The club, which was founded in 2004 and is affiliated with the Southern California Yachting Association, is now located at the Crest Forest Senior Center.
During their opening day luncheon on Saturday, June 3, some 60 current club members and their spouses enjoyed hors d’oeuvres with champagne, wine and soft drinks while greeting each other and catching up on community affairs and events that have transpired since the so-called “Snowmageddon.”
Commodore Howardell announced that the future of the club’ collapsed clubhouse remains uncertain.
Commodore Doug Howardell announced that the future of the club’s collapsed clubhouse remains uncertain. “We started out with a tough year – we lost our clubhouse. The building is not the club, the members are the club, and we will remain a strong social club. I’m looking forward to our seasonal events.”
A moment of silence was observed by Fleet Captain Johnson in honor of members who had passed away.
According to Commodore Howardell, this year’s first day on the lake (Lake Day) will occur on Saturday, June 24 when members will be picnicking on the beach and launching their RC (remote control) boats, paddleboards, six-foot Sabots and 14-foot Lido sailboats for the first time this year.
The re-scheduled 93rd annual Mid-Winter Regatta is slated for Saturday, July 8, when they will be hosting an RC boat competition, featuring DF95 (DragonFlite), Laser and V32 RC boats.
The raising of the club’s burgee flag by Fleet Captain Johnson came at the end of the luncheon.
After dining on salad, meatballs and enchiladas, a moment of silence was held in remembrance of club members who have passed away. The formal ceremony, performed by Fleet Captain Henry O. Johnson, consisted of the ringing of a bell with a series of four repeated taps.
The luncheon was closed out with the raising of the club’s burgee flag by Fleet Captain Johnson.
What about your collapsed yacht club building? To say the future is uncertain is a slap in the face of your neighbors. For 4 months you have done nothing. I
live with the stench and homeless there everyday.
I just noticed a for sale sign for the Lake Gregory Yacht Club building for $249,000. A collapsed building will never sell so I get to look at this forever. I want to sell by nearby property but now I realize that these yacht owners have spoiled any chance I have. Does anybody know how to make these selfish and irresponsible people take are of their business?
Hey Matt: the yacht club just lowered their asking price to $225,000. Maybe the yacht club will take this problem seriously and do the necessary cleanup or transfer the ownership to a local contractor for a $1.00.
Do not make me laugh. These yacht owners do not care about their collapsed building. They do not want to spend money for the cleanup costs If they did they would have figured out how to cleanup the demolished building over the last four months. By listing it for sale they are just stalling because anybody can see 225k “as is’ is not possible for a lot with a totally destroyed building in Crestline. The only action will come is by all of us complaining aggressively to the County. And yes the transients are all over this abandoned club house. Something in that building has a foul smell. Maybe the yacht club left rotted fish? The County needs to inspect this red tagged property immediately.
You do know that almost none of the members of the Yacht Club actually own yachts. Right? The club mainly engages in charitable activities and philanthropies. They have small radio controlled boats and small sail boats that were donated to them. They teach kids about sailing and safety. Their members were largely responsible for getting the library built.
Caleb-what does the size of your boat have anything to do with collapsed Lake Gregory Yacht Club building? The property is now a magnet for the mountain undesirables and is housing something inside that stinks. The yacht club has refused to take ownership of the problem. We live next door and have to live with this. Either get your fellow yacht club members to clean up your mess or try living there yourself. We have filed a complaint with the County. Do the right thing. If your members are good citizens like you claim it will make you feel good.
Thanks for the library Caleb but the collapsed yacht clubhouse can not sit in its present form. It is disgusting and drawing attention from the worst elements on the mountain. By you listing it for sale as is means the neighborhood will be thrashed. If you claim your fellow members do good things then start with your house.
Where else can you find a group of ‘fat cat” yacht owners let a collapsed building rot like this? If you can afford a yacht you can afford to cleanup your mess. Unless the yacht people take care of this before winter we will have this embarrassment in Crestline for years to come. They know this property will NOT be sold in this condition so it all comes down to the decency of the Yacht Club. Please do the right thing or try living there like my family does.
The size of the boat matters a lot if you’re attempting to portray the Yacht Club members as a bunch of rich snobs with lots of money and big yachts. That has been attempted a number of times here. Perhaps instead, talk to someone from the Yacht Club and ask them what’s really going on.
The attempt to portray all of the Yacht Club members as wealthy snobs who don’t care about the community isn’t true and it isn’t productive.
I just noticed the clubhouse has collapsed. In talking to Rick Chisler I just found out the Yacht Club was uninsured. Who thought that is was a smart decision? Now after the building is bulldozed the Lake Gregory Yacht Club can meet at the sanitation district. Everybody has rebuilt from the winter storms or is in the process except the yacht club. How could these people miss the boat
Matt, I do not own the Yacht Club building so I have no say in what happens to it. I’m not sure why you assume I do. Perhaps the same silly reason you assume all the Yacht Club members are wealthy Yacht owners. Maybe a better way would be to get hold of someone with the Yacht Club and get a statement from them on why things are the way they are instead of spewing falsehood, nonsense, and speculation. They have a website with contact information on it.
The neighborhood does not care about your bank account but we do care about our quality of life. Your sign is on the building and your boats are scattered around the property. If you do not want to be part of the solution then remove your sign to show the neighbors you are not part of the nightmare the storm left us. Either way we are putting pressure on the County to force a solution.
Caleb: how can you say the Yacht Club has no responsibility for the problem at 606 Forest Crest? Your sign is on the property, your boats are there and your members own the property. The storms created huge problems in our mountain community but everyone else including private homes and businesses are doing what they can. You have done nothing other than a temporary fence and a for sale sign. Recently a member of your club told me that the property was not insured. So now all your neighbors have to suffer because of your mistakes. Sell a few of you yachts and remove that rotted building. We are looking at all our options to force your club to do what you know needs to be done. Listing the property for $225,000 with the collapsed building is a sneaky way out because nobody will ever buy it. Shame on you!
Jorge, at no point have I ever suggested anything about anyone’s responsibility. The owners of the building are responsible. I do not own the building yet you refer to my signs, my stuff, and so forth. I am not the owner of the building and I have no responsibility whatsoever for anything there.
For some reason, you seem to think I own the place when I don’t.
The only people who have responsibility for that building are the owners. Period.
Caleb: checking the County website there are six owners of the property and they are all current members of the club.
Caleb: how come your name does not show up as a current yacht club member? The neighborhood would like a cleanup update from a actual spokesperson from the club. Having contact the club itself they claim no responsibility and no ownership. However the tax collectors website shows otherwise. Is there going to be a cleanup or do we have to get the government involved.
My name doesn’t come up as a member of the Yacht Club because I’m not a member. I’ve also never claimed to be a member or to speak on behalf of the Club. You simply assumed.
If you want to know what’s happening with the Yacht Club building, consult the owners. They aren’t difficult to find.
No, the Yacht Club does not own the building. Some members own the building, but the Club itself does not.
Perhaps stop making assumptions and go to the source. As I mentioned, the owners aren’t hard to find. They are well known, active members of the community.
Caleb thanks for the information. We now have the names of the six owners and their contact numbers. All six are current members of the club. And it was confirmed that the building was not covered by insurance. It is unfortunate but the collapsed building will be removed. We are having a third part advise us what are options are. However the mountain transients have invaded the property which is making us uneasy. We will not bother you again since you are not named as an owner or member. God Bless
Good News: the property went into escrow. Maybe we can all breathe a sigh of relief. Hopefully soon the neighborhood can be safe again.👍
The Lake Gregory Yacht Club collapsed building just went on the market for 250k “”as is”. We work nearby and have to look at that mess everyday. The smell is a slap in the face for anybody keeping up their property. This turkey will never sell since it has been red tagged and cleanup will be closely checked by the county. Since it is unsaleable will we have to look and smell this yacht club building for years to come. Please yacht take responsibility as ownership has a price. If you make the community wait for a buyer that does not exist it will lead to a house of cards in this neighborhood.
The Lake Gregory Yacht Club building is now for sale for $249,000.00. The new buyer would own a totally collapsed building. That will never sell for that crazy price which means the homeless/transients will control that collapsed mess forever. I would never buy a property in that area. How can yacht owners brush this off and force us to live with their problem. The County of San Bernardino needs to step in and require a cleanup before this winter. Otherwise this problem will last for years.