A Guide to Rolex Big Boat Series

Here it is again — Rolex Big Boat Series — a four-day sweep of either lots of wind or no wind, starting tomorrow at St. Francis Yacht Club. Of ridiculous tank-top heat days and suntanning at the docks, or cold and wet conditions. Of leadership and being miles ahead of the competition, or realizing it’s time to just start enjoying the view because consistent DFL finishes won’t get skipper the watch.

Camaraderie is high; competition is (mostly) friendly. Most Rolex BBS racers know each other well and know what to expect. Here are a few things we love about the Rolex Big Boat Series.

Sailors and Style
What’s special about September in San Francisco? Great regatta conditions and fall fashions of course. And just like a back-to-school student, many Rolex BBS racers will be getting new outfits, whether it’s head-to-toe matching Musto ensembles or merely a crew cap. Add a 2017 Big Boat long-sleeve wicking pullover, but keep your eyes on your gear; 23%* of all new apparel gets lost at Rolex BBS. Next, let’s talk about the season’s best shoes and boots. This regatta offers a valuable opportunity to swap comparisons with dockmates. Chat about grip, style, price and durability. And of course ask around about top candidates for fall statement bags. We bet duffels from recycled materials will prevail.

Many boats will debut a new spinnaker, main and/or jib. However, despite the global preponderance of sports endorsements and product placement on hulls and sails, the embellishment trend will likely skip over the 415; don’t expect much in the way of splashy wrapper decals and logo spinnakers. San Francisco tacks conservatively (yeah, hard to believe). A guess about a new chute’s appearance is often limited to color. We’ll probably see new jewelry adorning the gals, and many vessels are poised to sail directly from a spa rubdown — fresh and shiny.

Holding It All Together
Let’s move to the underpinnings of this regatta, starting with the almost-always-happens glimpse of male skivvies; sightings both below and above deck. Guys seem immune to modesty. You’ll catch them dressing and undressing pre- and post-race. Is there a snag on the prop? Need to scrub the boat’s underside at the dock? Ask a guy. He’ll ‘drop trou’ in an instant and dive into cold water. The skin flick often entertains the gals — sailors have some of the best bodies, and it’s not often that Bay Area ladies get a peek at abs.

The milky white abs and untanned bodies of the SF set nicely play up the deep purple, black, red and yellow hues that will appear. Collect lots of bruises and scrapes with the goal of returning to the office on Monday with bragging rights. Some racers hasten the pity by posting photos after each day’s combat. Trying to determine how a bruise came about is part of the game.

Ode to the Boat Owner
Boat owners get 96+ hours of finger-on-the-wallet hopes that additional hardware costs will come in under $1,000, injuries will not happen, and every maneuver will look good. Make sure the boat’s staffed and there’s enough water onboard. Tolerate all sorts of feet crossing your boat to reach an adjacent tie-up. Manage old friendships with fellow skippers via intimate conversations at the start line and while scanning race results. Navigate the ‘visual artists’ who track the fleet, the photographers, videographers, drone operators and lookie-loos. They are a nuisance who often come in too close, but they may just nail that killer shot that makes you look good.

An Advance Race Recap
It’s a given that Thursday and Friday will start off great. You’ll be enthusiastic, show up on time and will still have your Rolex hat. You’ll get to the courtyard early for the best selection of hot foods; everyone fills multiple plates. By Saturday you may be sleeping in a bit, and possibly even forego a morning shower; it’s OK to blame  the Friday night food-truck party and Mount Gay Rum’s patronage. Come post-race Saturday aspirin will be chased down with free dockside beer. Saturday’s the crew dinner night — time to clean up and dress up. By 10 a.m. on Sunday the wind is either clanging about the halyards, or it’s dead calm and you are A-OK with sacking out on the pointy end for another hour of sleep (which gives time to prep your Rolex watch acceptance speech).

*Purely a guess. Stats and footnotes lend credibility to copy.