Looking Ahead to August (and More) Regattas

From St. Francis Yacht Club

We’ll lead off with the “and More” part of this post’s headline:

Registration fees for the 61st Rolex Big Boat Series hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club on September 10-14 will increase by $275 after July 31 (that’s tomorrow, as we post this story on Wednesday the 30th). The following are invited to compete this year:

• One-design boats of the J/88, J/105, Cape 31 and Express 37 classes. Other classes with a minimum of six boats can be considered with application to the Organizing Authority [StFYC].
• ORC monohulls with an LOA ≥ 30 feet. Boats with an APH of 500 or lower are required to have an ORC International certificate. Boats with an APH higher than 500 may compete using either an ORC International Certificate or ORC Club Certificate.
• Classic boats built prior to 1955 with an LOA ≥ 48 feet and a current ORRez rating certificate.

Sign up here. As of this morning, 59 entries had registered. The event will serve as the 2025 ORC Pacific Coast Championship. Next year, the 2026 Rolex Big Boat Series will host the ORC North Americans.

Before the RBBS, however, StFYC will host:

• The Chubb US Youth Triplehanded Championship for the Sears Cup in J/22s on August 7-10.
• The US Women’s Match Racing Championship for the Allegra Knapp Mertz Trophy on August 14-17, also in J/22s.
• The Phyllis Kleinman Swiftsure Regatta on August 23-24.

More on San Francisco Bay

South Beach YC will host the Bay Area Association of Disabled Sailors’ Herb Meyer Regatta on August 2-3.

SFYC’s Summer Keel will welcome J/105, J/88, J/24 and Alerion 28 classes, and any other one-design fleets of six or more boats, on August 9-10.

Encinal YC’s Gracie & George starts in the South Bay and finishes down the Estuary on Sunday, August 10. It’s a doublehanded coed race; Gracie drives. Avoid the late fee and sign up by August 3 on Jibeset.

The YRA and the SSS continue to team up for the Drake’s Bay Race. On Saturday the 16th, sailors race from San Francisco to Drake’s Bay, where they anchor out overnight, then race back on Sunday. YRA racers sign up via the Offshore Series. SSS racers (singlehanders and doublehanders) register on a separate Jibeset page.

SFYC will host the Great Schooner Race/Belvedere Classic on the 23rd.

Labor Day falls on September 1 this year. The Jazz Cup from San Francisco Bay to Benicia YC takes the lead of Labor Day Weekend regattas on Saturday, August 30. We’ll have more on Labor Day Weekend events in a later post.

Elsewhere in Northern California

Half Moon Bay YC will host the Coronado 15 North Americans on August 1-3 in Pillar Point Harbor.

Lake Washington Sailing Club’s Iron Butt Race will serve as the El Toro Worlds. On August 2, small-boat sailors will complete a 10-mile adventure on the Ship Channel leading to Lake Washington. Gordie Nash of the El Toro fleet comments: “Because we will not be sailing Pinecrest Lake this year, we are designating this distance race as our replacement. El Toro historians remember that the Pinecrest Lake Regatta was named the ‘Worlds’ because each sailor would bring a different prepared dish, representing a country’s cuisine, for the potluck dinner Saturday evening. Lake Washington Sailing Club will provide dinner this time; it is included in the entry fee.” The race is open to dinghies, centerboarders and some keelboats.

Southern California

On August 9, Long Beach YC will host a Heroes Regatta for teams of first responders. The Long Beach Lifeguards are the three-peating defending champions; other past winners include the Long Beach FD, PD and Police Motor Patrol. There’ll be spectating opportunities and pre-race coaching. The regatta will use the matched fleet of Catalina 37 keelboats.

San Diego YC will host the Snipe North Americans on August 21-24 on the Coronado Roads racing area.

Oregon

Hood River YC’s infamous Double Damned Race will sail from the Cascade Locks to the Dalles on the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon on August 9. If you sail an Express 27, Moore 24 or J/70, this one’s on your boat’s bucket list. You may see other sportboats there as well.

Washington

San Juan Island YC will hold the 55th Shaw Island Classic Sailboat Race on Saturday, August 9. The race starts and ends in Friday Harbor. Racers circumnavigate Shaw Island in either direction. A hearty lasagna dinner and awards presentation will follow the race at SJIYC. The public can view the race from the shores of San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Shaw Islands, as well as from ferries transiting the course. The race is open to multihulls, unballasted centerboards, registered PHRF sailboats and cruising sailboats of all sizes and rigs.

Seattle YC will host the PNW Junior Olympic Sailing Festival on August 23-24.

“More” Is Today’s Keyword

As always, there’s much, much more to do and see in the upcoming month. For many more events, see the Calendar section of Latitude 38, coming out this Friday, August 1. Also see the 2025 YRA Calendar and Master Schedule.