Registration is open for the 2025 Rolex Big Boat Series hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club and teams interested in racing in the West Coast’s premier regatta should register now to take advantage of the best price on entry fees. The early entry discount ends May 15, 2025.
"St. Francis Yacht Club is committed to providing excellent service during our most prestigious regatta of the year, from the socials to the docking experience to the race management out on the course,” says Felix Weidling, Race Director of St. Francis Yacht Club. “We make crucial decisions throughout the year based on registration deadlines, such as determining the number of racecourses and safety boats, establishing float plans and filing permits based on participants. Entering early shows your commitment to the event, which we appreciate and reward with a discounted entry fee. We look forward to welcoming an outstanding field of skippers and crews at the 2025 Rolex Big Boat Series.”
The following are invited to compete in this year’s Rolex Big Boat Series:
- One-design boats of the J/88, J/105, Cape 31 and Express 37 classes. Other classes with a minimum number of six boats can be considered with application to the Organizing Authority.
- ORC Monohulls with a LOA ≥ 30 feet. Boats with an APH of 500 or lower are required to have an ORC International certificate. Boats with an APH higher than 500 may compete using either an ORC International Certificate or ORC Club Certificate.
- Classic boats built prior to 1955 with a LOA ≥ 48 feet and a current ORRez rating certificate.
“Rolex Big Boat Series is unique and different from all the other regattas in San Francisco,” says Ryan Simmons, owner and skipper of J/105 Blackhawk. “With four days of racing, all of the top local talent, an influx of some of the top national and international sailors, top tier race management on the water and a variety of onshore parties and events nightly, there really is nothing that compares to RBBS.”
Simmons has won the intensely competitive class J/105 class for two years running, but a podium finish is never a guarantee. “It's always a battle in the J/105 fleet—from 2012 to 2019 a different boat won every year,” he notes, but his strategy remains the same year over year. “We go into Rolex Big Boat Series with the same goal: have a chance to win it all by the start of Saturday. You can't win RBBS on Thursday or Friday, but you can certainly lose it. By the time you get to the bay tour on Sunday, there's only one race left and it can be hard to make up five to ten points without a mistake from someone else.”
The San Francisco Bay fleet of J/105s is usually the largest class of competitors at Rolex Big Boat Series and everyone brings their best to the event. “It’s undoubtedly the championship regatta for our local J/105 season,” says Simmons. “It is the final event that counts toward our season standings. Each boat puts their best crew together, everyone breaks out their brand new sails—and the possibility of winning a Rolex will get anyone’s attention.”
The event also draws a deep and talented pool of boats racing under the ORC handicap rule, typically with two or three splits based on ratings. Skipper and owner of J/109 Reverie, John Arens, said, “The ORC fleet is always interesting—you never know exactly how the race organizers will split the classes, so the mix of boats is always different. That said, we’ve found the ORC ratings to be reliably consistent and fair.”
He adds that Rolex Big Boat Series “serves as the culmination of the racing season for us and the competition is always top notch. We missed the podium last year by literally two seconds so we’re keen to get back at it.”
After the early deadline of May 15, regular registration will remain open through July 31, 2025. Late entries will be allowed from August 1 through September 1, but will be assessed a late registration fee of $275.
In addition to title sponsor Rolex, the week of racing is further supported by Quantum Sails Daily Weather Briefings every morning before racing, official Rolex Big Boat Series merchandise from Regatta Gear, Mustang Survival gear for sale at the Regatta Plaza, complimentary Fort Point Beer after every day's competition and the outstanding Mount Gay Rum Party on Friday night.
