(07/15/2009) Jimmy Buffett, Karen Lauder of the Estee Lauder
 Janis Hewitt
|
family, and Jesse Bongiovi, the son of Jon Bon Jovi, are the first surfers to take advantage of the Surf Shack at the Montauk Yacht Club.
“The Surf Shack is a place for celebrities to store their boards and not have to drive back and forth from East Hampton with them,” said Jessica Berger of Sunshine, Sachs & Associates, the public relations team hired in April to promote the “legendary resort area and bring it back to its crowing glory on the occasion of its 80th anniversary,” which is being celebrated this year.
Boldface surfdogs can leave their boards in the shack, which has clear doors that allow the yacht club’s guests to sneak a peek at them.
They looked waxed up and ready to ride on Friday, stacked on top of one another in a space that can accommodate up to 20 of them. Each slot is labeled with the owner’s name. There is no storage fee.
On weekends, the shack serves hot dogs and hamburgers while music plays outdoors — another effort by Island Global Yachting to make the Montauk Yacht Club, which it bought in 2007, a more family and local-friendly place, according to Erika Austin, the assistant general manager.
“We’re trying to incorporate the local surf vibe into the space. The yacht club used to be a playground for the rich and fabulous and we want to retain that elegance and still keep it local and friendly,” she said.
A recent $6 million renovation included restoring an on-site, 60-foot replica of the Montauk Lighthouse. The club now has multiple dining areas, indoor and outdoor bars, a day spa, and, of course, the marina with 232 slips where huge yachts and little powerboats moor up next to each other. J.H.