Pac 52 crews hang off the sides of their boats, known as hiking out, to help decrease how far the boat leans away from the wind. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)
At the start of day two of the Rolex Big Boat Series regatta, the clouds were clearing. The water was calm and the crews were ready to hit the water.
“It’s like starting all over again,” said Austin Fragomen. He's the co-owner and helmsman of Interlodge, one of four Pac 52 boats competing in the event.
The annual regatta, hosted by the Saint Francis Yacht Club, is a Bay Area mainstay in the sailing community. The four-day-long race has been going on since the 1960s and it's the largest formal boat racing event held on the Bay. Sailors from across California, and beyond, look forward to it all year.
“It’s just fun,” said Theresa Brandner, Commodore at Saint Francis. “The exhilaration of going out on the race course is unparalleled to anything else.”
This year there are 77 boats competing with both single-design and multi-design division races. The crews at Saint Francis are mostly made up of non-professional sailors, known as Corinthians, but competitors can come from anywhere as long as they qualify. However, according to Susan Ruhne, regatta co-chair and longtime member, the larger boats have more than a few pros among their ranks. "It's a prestigious race," she said, noting that the series is on "a lot of racer's bucket lists."
Crew members from Elyxir fold the jib sail following two wins in the ORR A category. "A true shake and bake!" said bellringer Chad Howard of the back-to-back victories. ORR division races include boats of different designs and sizes that are able to compete with each other with a time handicap. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Strangelove crew member Tyler Daniels stands on the boat before departure with his face completely shrouded by glasses, a hat, and a bandana. "I just want to stay out of the sun," he said with a laugh. Each boat will compete in two races per day for the first three days of the competition. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Fog obscures the Golden Gate Bridge in the background as J/88 boats head toward the mouth of the bay. Both J/88 and J/105 classes have a strict rule against including professional sailors on their crews. (Anne Wernikoff/kQED)Longtime member Lloyd Ritchey watches the morning race from the yacht club's observation deck. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Express 37 class boats pass by Alcatraz as they await the start of their afternoon race. Courses are set in the morning by a member committee based on that day's weather and currents. Although races run simultaneously, the start times are staggered. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Volunteers tow an inflatable marker through the race course which is set each morning by the member committee. The courses are marked with a combination of inflatable and permanent markers. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Spinnaker sails puff out as J/105 class competitors turn downwind. Regatta co-chair Susan Ruhne said Bay Area sailors are "very spoiled" for having such reliable conditions with the wind always coming from the west. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Volunteer Mitch Cihomsky fires a shotgun signaling the winner of the J/88 class race. "I just walked up here," he said. "The people who figure out who to shoot the gun for are the smart people," he continued, referring to the judges. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Strangelove crew member Noah Barrengos retrieves the rope that connects to the spinnaker sail after they became disconnected during the afternoon race. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)Boats compete in two races per day for the first three days of the regatta, followed by one longer race on Sunday. Sailing is a low point scoring sport, so the boat in each class with the lowest score at the end of the series will be the winner. (Anne Wernikoff/KQED)
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