Who Turned the Lights Out?

As we headed out from Sausalito in our photoboat at 6 p.m. Friday evening, the sun was still so hot that we thought, "Damn, forgot the sunblock." But a few minutes later, as we approached the Cityfront, we were pulling on our fleece and foulies.

As Mark Twain observed so long ago, summer in San Francisco can be on the chilly side, especially when the City becomes enveloped by a thick blanket of fog. But gray skies aren’t enough to deter diehard sailors from pursuing their passion. Friday night, for example, several dozen boatloads of racers were out running the buoys during the Golden Gate and South Beach YC‘s Beer Can Races. Hey, even if it had been raining, the experience would have been more fun than sitting in the Bay Area’s mind-numbing ‘Friday getaway’ traffic.

To be fair, we should point out that it’s often sunny and clear for evening races in the City. It was just our bad luck to focus on them during a particularly monochromatic evening. But we had fun anyway, and we’re pretty sure the hundred or more participating sailors did too. 

All throughout the Greater Bay Area, beer can races continue until fall. Check out the complete schedule in Latitude 38‘s Calendar. If you don’t have a boat of your own, we suggest showing up early at a sponsoring yacht club with a six-pack of cool beverages, some snacks and a smile, and you’ll be likely to find a ride. For newcomers to racing, beer can races are an ideal means of getting some hands-on experience in a decidedly low-key setting. And you don’t have to be a member of the sponsoring club.