With entries already accumulating and the Notice of Race long since published, San Francisco Bay is set to host another standout edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series. Organised by the St. Francis Yacht Club, the regatta gets underway on 10 September 2025.
Few events on the West Coast of the United States carry the same weight as this one. Running continuously since 1964, the Rolex Big Boat Series brings together top amateur and professional sailors for four days of inshore and long-course racing on one of the world's most demanding stretches of water. San Francisco Bay's reliably strong breeze and punishing tidal currents create a genuine physical and tactical examination for every boat in the fleet, from 30-footers through to custom offshore racers and pre-1955 classics. The racing programme spans one-design fleets including the J/105 and Cape 31 classes, while handicap competitors race under the ORC system.
The event's record books capture decades of West Coast sailing excellence. Ryan Simmons' Blackhawk has been a dominant force in the J/105 class in recent years, claiming back-to-back titles and cementing its place among the competition's most successful campaigns. In ORC racing, Lucky Duck, Vasara, and Pacific Yankee have each secured class honours through disciplined, low-point sailing. The classics division remains one of the regatta's most cherished elements, with historic yachts such as Mayan, Hurrica V, and Brigadoon celebrating sailing heritage while still racing hard. Across seven races, including the Bay Tour long-course finale on Sunday, past winners have needed both outright speed and the endurance to hold together a consistent scorecard, all in pursuit of a coveted Rolex timepiece.
The 61st edition, scheduled for 10–14 September 2025, carries additional significance as it will also serve as the ORC Pacific Coast Championship. The 2026 event is set to host the ORC North American Championship, and the expectation is that this year's fleet will already reflect that growing momentum. More than 50 boats have signed up, with over 30 J/105s entered, a strong Cape 31 contingent, and classic yachts returning to add both depth and character to the programme.
The format follows an established pattern, with short-course racing running from Thursday through Saturday before Sunday's long-format Bay Tour brings proceedings to a close. The 2025 Notice of Race introduces some notable adjustments, among them allowances for powered winches and an opening up of team trophies to cross-club entries. Both changes are designed to attract larger yachts and encourage a broader sense of camaraderie across the fleet.
Among the familiar names returning to the start line are Reverie in the J/109 class, Speedwell in the J/88, and Vasara, the RP56 that has previously made its mark in ORC competition. The Express 37 fleet will again feature past champion Loca Motion. Ashore, the regatta continues to benefit from strong backing by Rolex, Quantum Sails, Fort Point Beer, Mustang Survival, and Mount Gay Rum, ensuring the atmosphere beyond the race course matches the intensity on the water.
With a stacked entry list, an enhanced competition format, and the considerable resources of one of North America's most respected yacht clubs behind it, the 2025 Rolex Big Boat Series is well positioned to deliver another compelling chapter in its long history.
