A ritzy yacht club has been torn apart after a female member applied to become its boss.

Marisa McArthur, 50, had hoped to become commdore - equivalent to CEO - of the Sausalito Yacht Club in California.

She had joined the club in 2018 and was made membership chair two years later. In 2023 she was made rear commodore, and seemed on her way to eventually getting the top job.

However in March 2025 McArthur was told by the club's nominating committee that she would not be made commodore.

McArthur told the Wall Street Journal that the committee told her: 'We've heard people don't like you.'

The trouble started just before St Patrick's Day in 2025. The club had traditionally held a party to mark the occasion but announced it would be canceling celebrations and hosting a fundraiser for veterans instead.

McArthur objected to the decision and emailed the commodore Russell Croce. Croce reportedly sent a stern reply warning her to stop questioning him, before telling the nominating committee she was insubordinate, according to the WSJ.

McArthur claims her rejection from the commodore role was an act of retaliation.

She ran for the position anyway as a write-in candidate, making campaign pins and wristbands.

Another holiday then added to the drama.

On the Fourth of July, club member and broadcasting legend Jim Gabbert, 90, reportedly approached McArthur's mom Tina Frank and made disparaging comments about McArthur. He was reportedly unaware he was talking to the candidate's mother.

He called McArthur 'Tammy Two' - comparing her to her friend Tammy Blanchard, who Gabbert described as the 'worst commodore we ever had.'

Gabbert reportedly added that McArthur had 'ruined' a club picnic.

McArthur told the WSJ: 'They just don't like me. No matter what I touch or what I do, I've ruined it.'

Gabbert and McArthur reportedly got into an argument during happy hour at the club weeks later, with Croce forced to physically get between them to stop it escalating.

At another happy hour, McArthur reportedly told the current rear commodore Bob Lalanne: 'You're either with me or you're against me.' Lalanne then filed an incident report.

Members inboxes were reportedly flooded with emails from both the club and McArthur outlining each side's grievances.

The club's politics eventually became so toxic that McArthur, Blanchard, Gabbert, Frank and 20 other members had to be disciplined at a formal meeting.

McArthur, Blanchard and Blanchard's husband were banned for life.

A group formed by McArthur then filed a lawsuit against the club demanding the trio be reinstated. The case is set to go to trial.

Blanchard said: 'It's been horrible. It was our entire social network. We don’t have anywhere to go.' Club chef Justin Bruckert said the saga has 'torn the club apart.'

Club member Mark Jensen said the dispute was 'like high school' but with 'a lot of retired attorneys with time on their hands.' 

The Daily Mail has contacted McArthur, Blanchard and the SYC for comment.