Sea Stories Abound in the 2025 Master Mariners Regatta
Spring on San Francisco Bay can be as windy as — but less predictable than — summer. On Saturday, May 24, sailors in the Master Mariners Regatta recorded wind into the 30s, and even an apparent wind gust of 40 during the afternoon’s last leg across the Slot.
The Master Mariners Regatta is a Memorial Day Weekend tradition on San Francisco Bay, and an opportunity for wooden-boat caretakers to put down the caulking gun and varnish can, hoist various sail configurations, and get their competitive juices flowing.
The Master Mariners Benevolent Association puts on the regatta, with assistance from Sausalito Yacht Club for running the start and finish, Encinal YC for hosting the after-race party, and St. Francis YC for hosting the Sponsors’ Luncheon, this year held on Friday, May 16. Yes, it takes a village.
The starts go off in reverse-handicap order from in front of St. Francis Yacht Club. It’s not exactly a pursuit race like the Three Bridge Fiasco; starts happen every five minutes after noon rather than at odd times such as 12:06:47. Five 23-ft Bear Boats started at noon, followed by Bird Boats five minutes later. The final division, the Parade Class, went off at 12:55.
As these boats vary greatly in their characteristics, from gaff tall-ship schooners to smallish Marconi sloops and everything in between, courses vary depending on division. But everyone finishes in the relative shelter of Treasure Island’s eastern shore, and everyone is invited to sail under the Bay Bridge, past the Port of Oakland, and down the Estuary to a raft-up, party, and overnight stay at Encinal YC in Alameda.
The top story of the day belonged to Jack Reynolds and the crew of the 54-ft Colvin steel pinky schooner Roxy and Stephen Carlson, who singlehanded his 1961 36-ft Angelman Sea Witch gaff ketch Sea Quest. Roxy was easy to spot on the race course, as she has a black hull and tanbark sails. Sea Quest is white with a blue stripe and a dinghy on davits perched over the stern. We caught up with the two sailors ashore at EYC.
“At the first yellow mark [Hank Easom, aka Yellow Bluff] by Sausalito, maybe a half mile from there,” said Stephen, “I was messing with my backstay and the boat did a lurch.” Sea Quest was sailing along, heeled over on starboard tack. Stephen turned his back and a wave hit the boat, knocking him overboard, head first into the Bay. “I grabbed for the shrouds and they weren’t there,” he said. “I thought you guys saw me fall off,” he added in an aside to Jack.
Sea Quest took off like a rocket on her own.