Barth Memorial Regatta 2025: From Calm to Chaos and Home Again
The Barth Memorial Regatta began in the quiet waters off Sequoia Yacht Club (SeqYC) and finished off Coyote Point. It was a voyage from one home port to another, across waters that seemed to change their moods with every mile.
A heartfelt thank-you to Sandy Lazzari, Gary Edwards, and Maroula Castella for standing the watch aboard Koala III as our race committee boat. Despite 150 feet of chain in just 15 feet of water, the RC boat refused to stay put, dragging her anchor like a restless spirit. Add to that another boat drifting by without a motor, a heaving chop, and a touch of seasickness. Despite all of this, they held fast and recorded every finish time so racers could learn their fate once handicaps were tallied. Heroes all.
Representing team Coyote Point Yacht Club (CPYC) were the Ericson 36 Sweet Grapes and Ranger 23 Surprise! — the latter a gallant visitor from Brisbane, deputized as an honorary member for the day. SeqYC brought a fine fleet of five: Daredevil (Melges 24), Fortitude (Catalina 42 MkI), Frequent Flier (Farr 30), Love Handles (Catalina 38), and Rascal (Wilderness 30).
The course traced Sequoia’s B mark (channel marker 11) to starboard, then mark six to port and eight to port, finishing at Z: an elegant loop across a Bay that felt like two different worlds. South of the bridge it was summer again — warm, glassy, forgiving. North of it, the wind roared to life and autumn took the helm. It was, as one sailor said, “like sailing through a calendar.”
The start was quiet -— just a whisper of wind and stubborn flood current. Most boats hugged the east side of the channel while Love Handles took a gamble to the west. Daredevil and Frequent Flier surged ahead. Sweet Grapes kept pace with Love Handles, Fortitude, and Rascal in the South Bay’s soft light. But fortune favored the west. Love Handles caught a breath of wind and leapt forward, while Rascal unfurled her asymmetrical spinnaker and danced ahead.
At the bridge, the wind began to whisper secrets. Sweet Grapes stumbled in a bad tack under the shadow of steel and current, losing ground before finding her rhythm again and crossing through the next span, defiant.
Beyond the bridge came the Bay we all know: winds in the mid- to upper teens, whitecaps flashing like camera bulbs. Sweet Grapes reefed early on the beat to mark six, wise as ever, and hugged the east side while others charged west. The gamble paid. She clawed back distance, though the westbound boats, sailing the shorter line, rounded first.
Downwind to mark eight was pure exhilaration. Every boat flew. Sweet Grapes kept her spinnaker ready, but never needed it; the wind was more than enough.
When all the numbers settled, Daredevil won the race, followed by Frequent Flier in second and Surprise! in third.
Another day of shifting tidal currents, patient seamanship, and small miracles — a reminder that even when the wind changes its mind, the race still finds its way home.
You can find the full results from the 2025 Barth Memorial Regatta here.
Love seeing a sailing piece that is full of genuinely great writing, unlike most that are just narratives. The writing makes it come alive!