Mission Bay Yacht Club has a rich history -- the early sailboats had to be flat bottomed to maneuver in the shallow water of the Bay. The Flapper, a 12 foot catboat, was the first class to race. A variety of boats, including some from San Diego Yacht Club, formed a handicap fleet and raced when the tide permitted. By 1931 the Skimmer was the hot boat in this area.

Each Opening Day we relive some of our early history as the commodore sails "Scanties," the club's first Flapper class boat, given to the club by our first commodore, Tom Scripps. It was donated to the Club around 1968, and the Board decided that the Commodore should sail it each year in the Asher Pier Race. It has since been rebuilt, and is still sailed. Originally, it was just one of the boats in the Handicap Fleet. Subsequently, a special class for the Opening Day race was established, which the Commodore always wins.