Our Story

The Long Beach Sailing Foundation was formed in 1991 to own, manage, and maintain the Catalina 37 fleet, donated by Frank Butler, the president of Catalina Yachts. The Sailing Foundation supports the boats to an identical standard in all performance-related areas: weight, equipment, rig tuning, and sails. This is possible through the tremendous efforts of dedicated board member volunteers, contractors, and supporters, such as Catalina Yachts and Samson Rope Technologies, who are all key to helping us fulfill our mission.

The Catalina 37s, commonly known as "the 37s," have been the boats for the Long Beach Yacht Club's iconic event, the Congressional Cup, for over 30 years. Over the years, they have also become the platform for LBYC's extensive match racing program - Ficker Cup, Mayors Cup, California Dreamin' Series, and Butler Cup. The Sailing Foundation makes the fleet available for several other events throughout the year, including the Harbor Cup Invitational Intercollegiate Regatta, Long Beach Race Week, and the Linda Elias Memorial Women's One-Design Challenge, to name a few.

However, that is only part of the Sailing Foundation's story. Throughout the year, the Sailing Foundation, working with many partners, undertakes activities that promote national and international amateur sailing, maritime education, and community outreach. The Foundation focuses on being part of the “future” of amateur sailing and a valued community partner.