Join the Celebration at Opening Day on the Bay 2022
This coming Sunday, April 24, is Opening Day on the Bay. Boats of all sizes, shapes and means of propulsion are invited to join the celebrations. There is no requirement to be part of a club, and registration is free. Although the official PICYA flyer says registrations close today, we hear (from an insider) that registrations can be accepted right up to the day before. But just to be sure, do it today! Fill in the Skippers Online Entry here.
The official PICYA Opening Day Parade of Sail will start at noon, just north of Anita Rock off the shore of Crissy Field in the Presidio. Boats are asked to pass as close as possible to the St. Francis Yacht Club to be captured on the live stream as they continue along the Cityfront to end at Pier 39, where the committee boat will be stationed to award points for the best-dressed boats and crews.
This year’s theme is “San Francisco Bay — Leading the Way.” Decorating your boat and dressing up your crew are two of the beautiful things about Opening Day on the Bay. After all, how often do you dress up in grass skirts and coconut bikinis to go sailing? Flags and streamers are also acceptable, and are usually displayed by all boats, with some flying a dozen or more!
However you decide to decorate, doing so will put you in the running for this year’s prizes and trophies: the BoatUS Ward Cleveland Memorial, the Captain Morgan, the Pier 39, Royal Cruise Line, Marine World Foundation, and the Claude Benham Memorial. There will also be prize bags for first, second and third place in each group.
Anyone who doesn’t have a boat, or for some reason can’t sail or motor their boat that day, can join one of the many public charters that will be hoisting their sails to participate in this annual event. You can find a list of Bay Area charter boats on our website here.
For those who would like an extra dose of good vibes for the coming season, the Corinthian Yacht Club’s Blessing Vessel, Aurora V, will be anchored in Raccoon Strait to cast favors upon those boats that pass alongside.
The Blessing kicks off at 10:30 a.m. Vessels are to stage off the east end of Raccoon Strait, avoiding traffic lanes; line up single-file, and proceed from the east to the west through the passage between Aurora V and the Corinthian Yacht Club.
The current forecast is a very nice, mostly sunny day and 71 degrees. See you on the water!
Click here for more information.