The Yacht Club invites all Canyon Lake boat owners to participate in its inaugural Opening Day of Boating Season and Blessing of the Boats on Saturday, April 18. Boats will assemble at 1:30 p.m. at the boat tunnel on the main lake side.
Commodore Dave Dain of the Yacht Club will preside over the event. Local DJ Aprile DeAnne will sing the National Anthem and Pastor Pete Van Dyke of Canyon Lake Community Church will offer the blessing and officiate over the blessing of the boats.
At the conclusion of the brief ceremony, captains will form their boats into a single line parade following the Yacht Club lead boat. The flotilla will then pass close to the public dock at the lodge where Pastor will offer a benediction to each craft and crew for a safe boating season.
The Yacht Club flagship boat will then lead participant boats on a slow parade around the main lake before returning to the cove for a tie-up party and celebration.
In keeping with the tradition of boat and fleet blessing events, participating boats are invited to dress up their boats with ribbons, flags, and flowers. Political signs and flags are not permitted.
All Canyon Lake residents and their guests are invited to view the blessing and boat parade. Great viewing spots include the beach at Holiday Harbor and the lodge grounds by the pool, overlooking the marina. Due to load limits, the marina dock used for the blessing will be restricted to Yacht Club officers, Canyon Lake City and POA officials, and the officiating pastor.
The Blessing of the Boats is a century-old tradition. Originating in fishing villages in the Mediterranean, this annual festival was an important part of boating life as captains, crews, and families sought divine favor for bountiful catches and safety for working boats and the men that served on them. Today, annual blessing events are held by most yacht clubs and boating fleets around the world.
The other aspect of the ceremony, Opening Day commissioning, is an East Coast tradition signaling the reopening of yacht clubs in the spring, putting boats back in the water after the long winter. Yacht clubs on the West Coast picked up the tradition.
As in many Southern California coastal cities, Opening Day is a symbolic event in Canyon Lake since the weather allows year-round boating. The Canyon Lake Yacht Club is proud to introduce this new tradition to our community.
The Canyon Lake Yacht Club was established in 1990 by Canyon Lake residents who enjoyed time on the lake. Since that time, the Yacht Club has operated as a social and philanthropic club within the Canyon Lake constellation of sanctioned clubs and organizations. Boat ownership is not required to participate in the club.
The club of more than 110 members maintains a fun and busy social calendar, bringing members together for dinners, cruises, and other recreation. The club hosts several annual community events and gives back to the community through its student scholarship program. For more information about the Yacht Club, visit www.canyonlakeyachtclub.com.
