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Previewing a Basketful of Regattas in April

Northern California Regattas

In the southern part of S.F. Bay, Sequoia YC will host their Spring Regatta on Saturday, April 1. It’s a one-day event with two — maybe even three — back-to-back races out in the Bay. “We anticipate two PHRF fleets and one-design racing for the Open 5.70s, all dependent on numbers,” writes Andrew Lesslie.

It’s time to register for Richmond Yacht Club’s Big Dinghy Regatta on April 1-2. This is a big regatta for dinghies. It’s also time to get your Bullship El Toro and CowShip entries into RYC, as April 15 is the date for the Bullship race from Sausalito to San Francisco. You can register online here. Each CowShip can handle (be registered with) three El Toros.

El Toros in Sausalito
A herd of El Toros departs Sausalito bound for the San Francisco Marina in a past Bullship Race.
© 2023 Latitude 38 Media LLC / Chris

St. Francis Yacht Club’s Bunny Bash is coming on Saturday, April 8. “This is an entry level match-race regatta for San Francisco sailors,” explains Nicole Breault. “Registration is open now for the eight spots, but by invitation only.” Skippers who want to participate should email Nicole at [email protected]. “Describe your background in match racing (if any), your small keelboat sailing experience, your goals, and your crew (optional). Provide your World Sailing ID number (if you have one), and attach your sailing résumé.”

Everyone is invited to the South Bay Bridge Series, hosted by the South Bay clubs, with one race per month, April through September, beginning on April 8.

StFYC will host a Spring Wingding Regatta on April 14-16, open to all wingfoil competitors. Race organizers are planning three days of short-course racing on the San Francisco Cityfront, with up to five races per afternoon. Saturday’s distance race, the San Francisco Bay Challenge, will include a long windward-leeward Bay tour course that will take competitors from Crissy Field to Berkeley and back. The club also invites windsurfers and kiteboarders to compete in the San Francisco Bay Challenge. Register by March 31 to get an entry fee discount.

Wing sailor airborne
Getting air with a foiling wing sail.
© 2023 Kimball Livingston

Monterey Peninsula YC will host the Ulimate 20 Pacific Coast Championships on April 14-16.

San Francisco YC’s Anne McCormack Invitational Cup has moved up from its original date of May 13 to April 15. Each entry must be skippered and crewed entirely by women.

View from deck of Alerion 28
As seen from an Alerion 28, a downwind leg of the Anne McCormack Cup, west of Angel Island.
© 2023 Latitude 38 Media LLC / Chris

On April 15-16, Berkeley YC and the YRA will put on the 50th annual Wheeler Regatta. Two great days of racing will include two buoy races scheduled for Saturday and a pursuit race on Sunday. Sail on both days, or just Saturday or Sunday. Awards will be handed out at BYC at the conclusion of racing each day, and the club will serve up the traditional oysters and specialty drinks. Saturday’s Wheeler Races are also the YRA’s In the Bay Series #1. If you plan to enter the YRA In The Bay Series this year, be sure to sign up for the Wheeler Regatta. The YRA will add your Wheeler scores to the In The Bay Series once you sign up for that series (registration for the In the Bay Series will open after the Wheeler Regatta).

StFYC will also host the opening stop of the 2023 Women’s World Match Racing Tour on April 24-28. Ten invited skippers and crews will race in the club’s J/22s for the inaugural Casa Vela Cup, the first of four international events in the 2023 tour.

Planning Ahead

The regatta’s not until September 13-17, but StFYC advises us that registration is open already for the Rolex Big Boat Series. RBBS invites the following fleets to compete this year:

  • One-design boats of the J/105, J/88 and Express 37 classes. Other classes with a minimum number of boats can be considered with an application to the Organizing Authority.
  • Monohulls with an LOA ≥30 feet. Boats with a General Purpose Handicap (GPH) of 560 or lower are required to have an Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) International certificate. Boats with a GPH higher than 560 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.

Even further in the future is the 2024 Pacific Cup, but the Notice of Race is posted, and the PCYC opened registration today.

Speaking of the Ocean…

The nearby ocean sailing season will kick off with Island YC’s Doublehanded Lightship Race on April 15.

This year’s Offshore (OYRA) Series will start with the Lightship Race on April 29.

The 75th Newport to Ensenada Race will depart Newport Beach on April 28. Host NOSA (Newport Ocean Sailing Association) also offers an optional 90-mile Newport-San Diego course.

Southern California Regattas

Silver Gate YC in San Diego will host the America’s Schooner Cup Charity Regatta this Saturday, April 1. The event benefits the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.

Long Beach YC will host the third and final stop in the California Dreamin’ match-racing series on April 1-2 in Catalina 37s. StFYC’s Nicole Breault is leading the series.

A spectator sport for us mere mortals, the Congressional Cup will return to LBYC on April 18-22 in that same fleet of Catalina 37s. The world’s top match-racing skippers will compete in the event that’s part of the prestigious World Match Racing Tour. The top two competitors from the Ficker Cup regatta, hosted by LBYC on April 13-15, will round out the international roster.

The Etchells PCCs will race out of San Diego YC on April 29-30.

And More…

We’ll have much more in the Calendar section of the April Latitude 38, coming out this Friday, March 31. Many beer can series start in April (a few have already started in March). You’ll find a pretty darned comprehensive list of offerings in Northern California in the upcoming issue. Also see the year’s racing events all in one place here.

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