Regatta racing photo album from day three, Saturday, September 13, as photographed from aboard Deception. View images from Thursday or Friday.
Rolex Big Boats San Francisco 2019 Select Photos
Due to the ongoing global pandemic, the 2020 Rolex Big Boats San Francisco Series hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, California, has been canceled.
“These are difficult times, and this was a difficult decision, but as a socially responsible member of both our local community and the greater sailing community, it was the right decision for St. Francis Yacht Club and all involved,” says Commodore Ken Glidewell.
The premiere West Coast regatta draws sailors from around the country and was scheduled for September 17–20, 2020, with four days of racing for invited one-design classes, ORR boats greater than 30 feet and a Classics division for boats built prior to 1955 and at least 48 feet in length.
“Up until the final decision was made, we were fully vested in planning to safely race in 2020,” says Rolex Big Boat Series Regatta Chair Susan Ruhne. “We were encouraged by the 51 skippers who had registered to compete and we had plans in place to mitigate the risk of contracting COVID-19. We weren’t giving up, but reality is not something we can avoid.”
The event was also to serve as the J/88 North American Championships and the Express 37 Pacific Coast Championships. “This would have been the 30th anniversary for the Express 37s, a class that’s been incredibly competitive on our racecourse,” said Ruhne. “We’re sorry we won’t see them this year, but we look forward to next year.”
The next Rolex Big Boat Series is scheduled for September 15-19, 2021.
Legacy Racing with Rolex Big Boats San Francisco
Since 1964, Rolex Big Boats San Francisco has been canceled only one other time: in 2001 after the attack on the World Trade Center, which occurred two days before the start of the regatta. Competitors flying in from New Zealand were turned around midair with no explanation until they landed back in Auckland. That year would have been the biggest field of boats competing in the regatta’s history.
“The St. Francis Yacht Club and Rolex Big Boat Series have been around for a long time and we will be here well past the era of COVID-19. We can take a year off in the name of safety for our sailors, our members and our community,” said Commodore Glidewell. “We look forward to seeing you in 2021.”
April 20, 2020, To all of our skippers, crew, and fans of the Rolex Big Boat Series, we at the St. Francis Yacht Club are following the situation and monitoring the news. We’re optimistic that we can host the 2020 Rolex Big Boat Series.
Our team is moving forward with planning, and we hope that you also plan to join us in September at the Rolex Big Boats San Francisco regatta. We will continue to work with St. Francis Yacht Club leadership, our sponsor Rolex, the City and County of San Francisco, YRA, and the U.S. Coast Guard to ensure we can hold a safe, yet fun, event for all involved.
The Notice of Race is posted, and entries are open. At this point, all entries are 100% refundable until August 1, 2020. We will update this as needed.
About the St. Francis Yacht Club
The St. Francis Yacht Club was founded in 1927 and has been host to many of the most prestigious national and international championships in sailing. With over 40 regattas on its calendar annually, StFYC is widely regarded as having one of the top racing and race management programs in the country. In addition to enjoying a worldwide reputation for on-water excellence, Platinum Clubs of the World named the St. Francis Yacht Club the Number One Yacht Club in the United States in 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018; and Boardroom Magazine recognized it as the first yacht club to be a Distinguished Emerald Club of the World.