Awesome, epic Rolex Big Boat Series!

Rolex Big Boat Series © Rolex / Daniel Forster

One of the best sailboat racing venues in the world, the iconic San Francisco Bay, lived up to its reputation for the 60th edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series at St. Francis Yacht Club, September 11th to 15th, 2024.

The regatta attracted 71 boats and nearly 700 sailors to St. Francis Yacht Club. There was a strong turnout in the J/88 and J/105 one-design classes. And, a good turnout of J/Teams in the ORC divisions.

Breeze-on conditions brought out the best skills and tactics for podium winners.

Right on cue, San Francisco Bay rolled out the most demanding conditions for sailors at the 60th edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series at St. Francis Yacht Club. A steady 15-20 knots during the first race on Thursday continued to build through Sunday for pure thrills and some spills for the boats competing. Challenging windward-leeward courses allowed for ample tacking duels from the eastern end of the Bay to outside the Golden Gate Bridge, with plenty of opportunities to upset the leaderboard during the downwind to the finish line in front of spectators at St. Francis Yacht Club. Sailors got what they came for world-class racing in a world-class venue. As noted by Chris Perkins, the 2024 Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club and eight-time winner— this is what the Rolex Big Boat Series is all about.

"We're extremely excited about how this week's went. The weather was tremendous, and we've had three great days with a very windy fourth and final day. I am glad they only had one race today!" he said. "Long courses and strong winds are what the event is all about and the clubhouse has been full of spectators watching the racing. It's been a fantastic regatta and a success on many levels. One of the special things about the past 60 years of this event is that it's attracted some famous yachts from all over the world."

J/105 Class

In the 30-strong J/105 class, considered by many to be the most competitive in America, Ryan Simmons and his long-standing crew on BLACKHAWK took home a Rolex Submariner timepiece to go with his sixth RBBS win and his fourth as skipper. 11-points behind was second place NE*NE, helmed by Tim Russell. Rolf Kaiser and Justin Oberbauer, owners of DONKEY JACK, took third.

"While there wasn't really a defining moment, we did have really good starts and for the most part going the right direction which really worked for us," said Simmons. "Conditions were exactly what you would expect for Big Boat Series— high teens to low twenties with ebb chop. While we may have won by a good margin, it has not taken away from the incredible competition in this fleet. On Thursday, we had an amazing photo finish with Randy Hecht and his team on NIUHI and a memorable gybing duel with Tim Russell on NE*NE on Friday. Racing was very tight and very fun. We've had a great regatta."

J/88 Class

In the J/88 class, Mark Howe's SPLIT WATER took first, a solid five points ahead of Tom Thayer and Robert Milligan's SPEEDWELL. The third went to Brice Dunwoodie's RAVENETTE.

"The combination of shorter windward/leewards in the morning and the Bay tours in the afternoon requires every aspect of tactics, boat handling, sail handling, and, most importantly, endurance," said Howe. "Crisis management has been key; no boat has been without incident, but keeping a cool head and staying focused is important to overcoming challenges. I'm very proud of my crew; they've worked hard with heartfelt enthusiasm and stayed flexible and focused even when things went sideways."

He and his crew were dually awarded the Pacific Yacht Club Association's Jesse L. Carr Perpetual Captain and Crew Trophy, which rewards not just the skipper, but the crew as well, for excellence on the water.

ORC A Division

In this fleet of nine boats, Peter Wagner's team on the J/111 SKELETON KEY finished third, just one point away from taking the silver medal. Andrew Picel's J/125 ARSENAL finished in 5th place and Nesrin Basoz's J/111 SWIFT NESS took 6th place.

ORC C Division- J/Teams Sweep Top 5!

In this eleven-boat fleet, Zach Berkowitz's J/100 FEATHER won by a robust 13.5-point delta over BACHANNAL, a J/133 owned by Ron Epstein. Barry Lewis racing his J/120 CHANCE finished in third.

"I'm pleased with our result," said Berkowitz. "I have put a fair amount of work into the boat this year. We cut the rudder off by four inches, we bought a new jib, put more rake in the mast, and added some weight to the boat. It all paid off and the boat is going fast."

Berkowitz added, "The new MarkSet Bots that the event is using are fantastic. They are spot on, the starting line is great, there are no postponements— it's revolutionizing race management!"

The balance of the top five included David Halliwill's J/120 PEREGRINE and John Arens's J/109 REVERIE in 4th and 5th, respectively. Camille Moussette's J/99 LATENCY ended up in 7th place.

For more ROLEX Big Boat Series sailing information.