The first Seal Beach to Dana Point Race took place in the early 70's.  A full schedule of racing programs began in 1973, including the first Dana Point Series, followed soon by the San Clemente Island Race.  By 1978, the always successful Dana Point Series and other regular regattas had been balanced by an equally successful schedule of small boat races and the Dana Belles Regatta was unchallenged as the largest all-ladies race in Southern California.  The inagural year for the Dorcas Britt Perpetual Trophy was 1979 and was won by "Grins".

In 1981 an agreement was made with Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club to co-sponsor another offshore race "Around Catalina Island".  The inaugural year winner was Victoria, E.D. Callender, LAYC.  In 1999 a new elapsed time record of 8 hours, 58 minutes, 39 seconds was set for the 75 mile race by Roy E. Disney's boat, Pyewacket.  The 25th Anniversary Race in 2005 was won by Whiplash, DPYC and all prior year's winners were recognized at the trophy presentations.  2006 proved to be a fantastic wind year for the "Around Catalina" race.  In all three boats, Taxi Dancer, Ragtime and White Knight, broke the 1999 record with Taxi Dancer being the First to Finish.  Taxi shaved over 1 1/2 hours off the record, setting the new elapsed time record at 7 hours, 26 minutes, 53 seconds.

Over the course of the years other regattas and series have been added to the race calendar including, the Doheny Series, Thirsty Thursdays, Midwinters Tune-Up, Endless Summer, J-24, Commodore's Challenge and the Year End Regatta.  DPYC also hosts, in rotation with other harbor clubs, the SCYA Midwinters Regatta and the Turkey Series.

In 1997 a decision was made to re-draft the deed of gift for the Dorcas Britt Perpetual Trophy and to exclude the offshore races in its scoring.  This decision was based upon a desire to have the trophy more accurately represent its original intentions to recognize the "best DPYC area" racer.  At the same time a new deed of gift for the Steve Dutton Memorial Offshore Championship was decided upon and 1998 became the first year for the Offshore Championship Trophy.  The inagural year winner of the Steve Dutton Memorial Offshore Championship Trophy was "Hassle".  In 1998 an agreement with the former Capo Bay Yacht Club was reached in which DPYC was deeded the Howard Trueba Memorial Trophy, the perpetual trophy for the Harbor Championships.  Dana Point Yacht Club hosted those Championships for the first time that year.

With the club's move to its new home in 1998 and the desire of the members to demonstrate their community concern a brand new event was planned for 1999, The Richard Henry Dana Charity Regatta ^®.  This event is an annual regatta and was initially setup with an annually chosen charitable beneficiary.  In 2004 the Board decided to establish the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation as the regatta's beneficiary for the foreseeable future.

After a few years of discussion at the club regarding one of our long standing offshore races, the San Clemente Island Race, it was decided in January of 2006 to replace that race in the Offshore Championship with the existent Long Beach to Dana Point Race.  Both the San Clemente Island Race and the Long Beach to Dana Point Race were held on Labor Day Weekend each year.  DPYC would join with the co-sponsors Dana West Yacht Club and Shoreline Yacht Club of Long Beach in sponsoring this race, thus creating a three club sponsorship for the race.