The big boat series by Rolex is on for its 55th annual event at San Francisco Bay. Registrations are open and the event would take place between 12th and 15th September 2019. This event is known to be a classic of the fall period and with the breezy sailing conditions that it is known for, the venue is also unique and so is the ultimate award, the Oyster Perpetual watch of the Submariner Chronometer series of Rolex.
The edition held last year was between J/105s and J/88. The latter class made their debut last year in this series. There had also been handicap racing that was super close among the ORR classes and Pac52 class. Express 37 class, on the other hand, is a long-standing participant which acts as the backbone of the regatta. Last year this class was only a single point away from reaching first and second place finishes.
Racing takes place in two Bay sections, one being the Alcatraz area and the other is the Treasure Island area. The Race committee splits the time for each class between these two areas for starting their races. That helps to test the speed as well as boat handling skills in different waves, currents and tides patterns.
The classes need to register by August 1st and with minimum six entries they will gain their own start of One Design. If a class does not reach this minimum number then they can participate in the ORR classes of the regatta. There would be monohulls that would be participating and they need to participate alongside these vessels in order to acquire an ORR certificate. J/70s need to register with a minimum of 15 boats. This is a category being brought back to One Design and that is also because last year they were the largest fleet that competed and qualified for the perpetual trophy Commodore’s Cup.
