After the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake severely damaged the club, members pulled together and rebuilt it.

[1] GGYC is a popular cruise and regatta venue on the San Francisco waterfront.

They challenged for the America's Cup in 2010 represented by the BMW Oracle Racing team and won a Deed of Gift match 2–0 against the Alinghi team representing Société Nautique de Genève becoming the first American yacht club to hold the cup since 1995.

America's Cup Management announced on July 5, 2007, that the protocol for the 33rd America's Cup had been agreed between the Defending yacht club, the Société Nautique de Genève (SNG) of Switzerland and its Challenger of Record, the Club Náutico Español de Vela of Spain.

The rigid wing sail of USA 17 provided a decisive advantage and Golden Gate Yacht Club won the 2010 America's Cup by a considerable margin.