The Notice of Race has been posted and registration is open for the 2021 Rolex Big Boat Series at St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, California.
Scheduled for September 15-19, 2021, the regatta includes four days of high-test competition for boats in the following classes:
- Monohulls with an LOA greater than 30 feet and a current fully or partially measured ORR rating certificate;
- Classic boats built prior to 1955 with an LOA greater than 48 feet and an ORRez rating certificate;
- One Design boats of the J/105, J/88, J/70, J/120 and Express 37 classes.
The event will serve as the J/88 North American Championship and also the Express 37 Pacific Coast Championship.
With COVID-19 vaccinations increasing and restrictions easing, the Organizing Authority anticipates a full schedule of competition, with seven races for each class and social activities for all participants.
“We are optimistic that we will be able to host a safe and fun regatta come September. With some modifications, we feel confident we’ll be able to put on the full spectrum of racing and socializing that competitors have come to expect and enjoy. The club will be following all State and City COVID policies,” said St. Francis Yacht Club’s Executive Race Committee Chair, Lawson Willard.
St. Francis Yacht Club’s 2021 Commodore Bill Dana said the club is making the necessary accommodations to host visiting sailors safely, and he’s hoping a year off in 2020 will mean boat owners and crews are more eager than ever to compete. Dana recently purchased a veteran RBBS-competitor Santa Cruz 52 that will be lining up in the ORR fleet.
“I’m looking forward to the great sailing conditions we have in September drawing boats from all points on the West Coast,” said Commodore Dana. “I’d like to see some of the Southern California boats, including the TP52s, up here. After a year stuck at home, they should be ready for a change of scenery and there is nothing finer than our venue for top-notch competition.”
ORR competitor Greg Dorn and his Dehler 46 Favonius will be fresh off Transpac and looking to test his crew within the tighter confines of the Bay. “Big Boat Series is THE regatta,” says Dorn. “It creates an amazing competitive environment with the depth to bring out the best in our team and boat. RBBS is the capstone to the inshore season and thoughtfully, professionally and seriously managed. This year we will come with a full inventory of sails and we have optimized the running rigging.”
RBBS Regatta Chair Susan Ruhne is looking forward to celebrating three decades of Express 37s on the start line by hosting the class’s Pacific Coast Championship. “Competition in that class has been phenomenal over the years and I am excited to see the local kingpins be tested by out-of-state talent traveling here to compete for the title.”
Eligible boats may enter by completing the online entry form and paying the full entry fee on or before July 31, 2021, to avoid a $200 late fee penalty. Should the regatta be canceled, entrants will be refunded their fees.
ABOUT 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 #1 Yacht Club in the United States for multiple years and Boardroom Magazine recognized it as the first yacht club to be a Distinguished Emerald Club of the World.
ABOUT ROLEX AND YACHTING
A Natural and Supportive Partner
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours. Rolex’s partnerships with the St. Francis Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda and Yacht Club Italiano among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
