The Rolex Big Boat Series traces its origins to 1964, when just eight yachts gathered for the inaugural St. Francis Perpetual Trophy Regatta. That founding fleet was split evenly between Southern California and northern boats, a geographic rivalry that swiftly gave the event its enduring "Big Boat" identity. In the decades since, it has grown into one of the most prestigious keelboat regattas in North America.
St. Francis Yacht Club has held its prized position on the San Francisco waterfront since 1927, hosting this flagship event each August with considerable style. With sweeping views of the Golden Gate and a calendar running to more than 40 regattas annually, StFYC is the natural home for sailing of this calibre.
Sixty-six crews are entered this year, drawn from yacht clubs along the West Coast and beyond. The J/105 fleet once again forms the backbone of the regatta, with boats including Blackhawk, Godot 2.0, Peaches, and Juju promising tight one-design racing where tactical sharpness decides the outcome. J/88s, Express 37s, and Cape 31s add further layers of competitive one-design action.
The ORC division offers a striking contrast in character and scale. At one end sits the J/99 Latency, at the other the storied Merlin, a Bill Lee Custom 68 carrying considerable legend with it. Between those extremes, boats such as Velvet Hammer (J/125), Skeleton Key (J/111), and the Infinity 52 Zeus will compete across the ratings. Zeus makes the journey from Sydney under CYCA/RSYS colours, providing the lone Australian presence in an otherwise predominantly American fleet. Classic yachts carrying their own layers of history also line up, adding a sense of pedigree to proceedings.
While the majority of entries represent clubs from San Francisco YC, Richmond YC, Monterey Peninsula YC, and Southern California bases, Zeus lends the regatta genuine international flavour. Every class confirmed the minimum six-entry threshold required to secure its start, ensuring competition across every division will be close and meaningful.
Racing runs over four consecutive days, with a single long race scheduled each day from 11 to 14 August. San Francisco Bay provides a demanding arena, with strong afternoon breezes, tricky tidal gates, and the ever-present backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. The J/105s will reward sharp boat-handling over raw speed, while the Cape 31s and Express 37s are expected to thrive in the bay's trademark afternoon pressure. In the ORC division, Merlin, Bodacious+, and Zeus represent a compelling mix of grand-prix modern racers and celebrated custom builds, each hunting an advantage across the corrected-time calculations.
From those eight boats that lined up in 1964 to a 66-boat fleet racing under the Rolex banner, the Big Boat Series has never lost its connection to what makes keelboat racing compelling. With a full complement of entries, international representation, and San Francisco Bay providing its usual theatre, this year's edition carries every ingredient for another memorable chapter.
