Racing in the San Francisco Bay and Offshore
The San Francisco Bay is known throughout the world as a mecca for sailboat racing. Year round sailing, challenging and exhilarating wind and water conditions and a venue of unparalleled beauty makes racing in the San Francisco Bay phenomenal. If you are a multihull owner who wants to start racing, BAMA is here to help you get started.
BAMA Sponsored Races
The Double Handed Farallones Race is BAMA's signature annual mixed-fleet race event. The course has racers starting in the early morning off Baker Beach, rounding the Farallones in either direction, and then finishing off the Golden Gate Yacht Club race deck. Covering a total distance of 54nm, the conditions for the DHF can be challenging, testing a double handed crews stamina and seamanship. The race requires that participating boats meet the NCORC's offshore safety requirements, and requires that participating sailors study offshore safety topic and practice person overboard recovery prior to the race.
The Silver Eagle is the premier in-bay long distance race. At over 90nm, the Silver Eagle is a marathon that takes boats and crew from the Central Bay, to Point Bonita, and then to points distant in the north and south bays. The race promises varied weather and water conditions as sailors tackle this long-distance challenge. Traditionally run by the Island Yacht Club, this year's Silver Eagle race is co-sponsored by BAMA.
The Double Handed Lightship Regatta is a 25nm sprint from the Golden Gate Yacht Club out to the San Francisco Entrance Buoy and Back. As an offshore race that crosses the challenging San Francisco Bar, the Lightship Regatta requires that participating boats meet the NCORC's offshore safety requirements, and requires that participating sailors study offshore safety topic and practice person overboard recovery prior to the race. Traditionally run by the Island Yacht Club, this year's Double Handed Lightship Regatta is co-sponsored by BAMA.
The BAMA Multihull Regatta is BAMA's weekend-long, in-the-bay, around-the-buoys race. Unlike many longer bay races in which multihulls compete, the Multihull Regatta tests crews skills around shorter courses in the flat waters of the south bay. The regatta typically consists of 4 to 6 races staged over two days, with a social event capping the completion of racing.
The Jack Reacher Race & Raft-Up is BAMA's annual no-pressure fun race. An easy and fun way to get started racing, the Jack Reacher Race features a simple all-reaching course, followed by a raft-up in Clipper Cove with the other entrants. The race is FREE, an you don't need a ratings certificate. We encourage you to bring the family or sailing friends!
The BAMA Racetrack is BAMA's race any time, self-timed course on the central bay. Racers may race this course any time, and as many times as they want. Send your times and your GPS tracks to sfbsocial@sfbama.org to be automatically entered into this annual race. The full race description and instructions are here.
2021 BAMA RACETRACK STANDINGS
(click on any column heading to sort)
Boat | Date Sailed | Starting Mark | Starting Time | Finish Time | Elapsed Time | Boat PHRF | Corrected Time |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Greyhound | 1/24/2021 | R4 | 12:14:58 PM | 1:35:04 PM | 1:20:06 | 90 | 1:21:21 |
Looking Good 3 | 2/14/2021 | R4 | 1:22:00 PM | 3:22:08 PM | 2:00:08 | 42 | 2:11:54 |
BAMA Sponsored Multihull Series for BAMA Members
The BAMA Cup is BAMA's perpetual trophy awarded to the winner of BAMA's annual race series for trimarans. Participants in the BAMA Cup for 2021 can sail in ANY published race with points awarded for each race by formula. At the end of the season, racers submit their top 7 scores for a combined season total. A complete description of the scoring can be found here.
When participation allows, BAMA offers a series for its fastest boats, the Fast Cats Series.
2021 BAMA CUP STANDINGS
(click on any column heading to sort)
BOAT | SKIPPER | Current Position | Total BAMA Cup Points | Total Races Bonus Points* | 3 Bridge Finish | 3 Bridge Points | OYC Sunday Brunch 4 Finish | OYC Sunday Brunch 4 Points | OYC Sunday Brunch 5 Finish | OYC Sunday Brunch 5 Points | SSS Corinthian Finish | SSS Corinthian Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MAMA TRIED | Trevor | 1 | 18.2 | 1.0 | 1 | 8.60 | 1 | 8.6 | ||||
WINGIT | Amy/Dave | 7 | 8.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 8.20 | ||||||
PAPILLON | Andrew | 4 | 13.8 | 1.0 | 3 | 7.80 | 7 | 5 | ||||
WHOOPEE | Glenn | 3 | 16.2 | 1.0 | 4 | 7.40 | 3 | 7.8 | ||||
CAT SASS | Jeremy | 9 | 7.0 | 0.0 | 5 | 7.00 | ||||||
BIRD OF PREY | Glen | 12 | 6.0 | 0.0 | 6 | 6.00 | ||||||
LOOKIN GOOD 3 | Rafi | 2 | 17.0 | 3.0 | DNF | 2.00 | 2 | 3.00 | 2 | 3.00 | 6 | 6 |
RAVEN | Truls | 5 | 13.0 | 1.0 | 7 | 5.00 | 5 | 7 | ||||
GREYHOUND | Evan | 6 | 12.4 | 1.0 | 8 | 4.00 | 4 | 7.4 | ||||
SEA BIRD | Richard H. | 9 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 1 | 4.00 | 3 | 2.00 | ||||
ERROL THE SWAMP DRAGON | George | 15 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 3.00 | ||||||
KOKE HONU | Rick | 13 | 5.0 | 1.0 | DNF | 2.00 | DNF | 2 | ||||
TRIPLE PLAY | Richard K. | 9 | 7.0 | 1.0 | 3 | 2.00 | 1 | 4.00 | ||||
WATERWINGS | Todd | 14 | 4.0 | 0.0 | DNS | 0.0 | 8 | 4 | ||||
HAMMER | Jonathan | 15 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 9 | 3 | ||||||
SHADOW EXTREME | Peter | 7 | 8.2 | 0.0 | 2 | 8.2 |
How to Start Racing your Multihull
- Get your RATING from BAMA (see below)
- Learn the basics of the Racing Rules of Sailing
- Crew on another Multihull in a race
- Sign up for a beer-can race at a local yacht club and become comfortable with the starting line
- Sign up for a larger Regatta and race with more competitive fleets (See our Calendar)
Getting your Multihull Rating from BAMA
BAMA issues PHRF Handicaps for multihulls to race in the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey Bay and Lake Tahoe at the request of the YRA PHRF Committee (NCPHRF) using their rules and guidelines with US Sailing guidance. BAMA PHRF Handicaps are determined relative to boats in the local Bay Area multihull fleet, using One-Design & National Association guidelines where they exist, other regional data, local race results and Rating Rules as applicable.
BAMA uses Texel (NDL, AUS, DEN, CSA), SCHRS (World Sailing), MOCRA (UK) and Multi2000 (FRA) Rating Rules for multihulls over 15 feet. The Rating may be used to calibrate the initial PHRF Handicap.
BAMA recommends that multihulls & monohulls should not be scored in the same section or division in any competitive event in alignment with US Sailing PHRF.
Initial PHRF Handicaps will be considered provisional in nature for boats new or unfamiliar to the committee. These handicaps may be reviewed and perhaps changed after one season or a series of races has transpired.
The BAMA PHRF Handicap Committee may decline to handicap any yacht for which it feels unable to determine a potential speed.
BAMA policy requires that all documentation be submitted prior to issuing a PHRF Handicap. No handicap will be given over the phone or without full documentation having been made available to the entire committee.
The Committee may invalidate a Certificate at any time where cause is in evidence such as incorrect dimensions or where other than declared equipment is used. Due process will be exercised to allow the owner to be heard and corrections made if the owner, in the view of the Committee, provides justification.
A new or updated Rating Certificate is required if your boat is:
- New to the fleet; or
- Modified from a prior year, including but not limited to new sails, new rudder, centerboard or daggerboard, the addition of lifting foils, or other modifications that would materially change a boat's displacement or performance.
- Download the application form. Applications require the dimensions of your boat, including hull, sails and rig. The Application has diagrams & explanations with sample measurements.
- Download the Application in Excel format: BAMA-Rating_App_Diagrams-15.xlsx
- Download the Application in PDF format: BAMA-Rating_App_Diagrams-4.pdf
- Purchase the PHRF Certficate here.
- Send the completed form and supporting documents to the Rating Chair, RatingChair@sfbama.org
- Get your boat weighted by the Ratings Committee. Admittedly, this step is not as easy as the first three, but BAMA strongly recommends weighing your boat for an accurate rating and will assist you with this process. In the absence of an accurate weight, the Rating Committee will assume that your boat's weight is equal to the lightest similar boat in its database, which may negatively impact your boat's rating. If you want your boat weighed, please indicate such when sending your supporting documents to the Race Chair (Step 3) and the Race Committee will assist you with this process.
Applications typically take 2 – 4 weeks to review before a certificate will be issued if no additional information is requested.
2021 BAMA PHRF Ratings
(click on any column heading to sort)
Name | Sail Number | Skipper | Model | TCF | PHRF | Cert Link |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WINGS | 27062 | Cook, William | Corsair f 24 mki | 0.751 | 87 | |
WILD THING | Undeclared | Marcoe, Stephen | Malcomb tennant | TBD | TBD | |
ENTOURAGE | 48 | Carver, Benjamin | Corsair f-27 | TBD | TBD | |
BOTTLE ROCKET | DN-04 | Schumann, David | Seacart 30 gp+ | TBD | TBD | |
PAPILLON | 277 | Scott, Andrew | F 27 | 0.824 | 42 | Download |
WATERWINGS | 173 | Olsen, Todd | Corsair F 31 rs | 0.928 | -15 | Download |
SRIRACHA | SR-19 | Davis, Thom | Searail 19 | 0.819 | 45 | Download |
ADRENALINE | 44 | Erkelens, William | D class catamaran modified | 1.147 | -102 | Download |
OCEALYS 3 | USA2 | Bouju, Fred | Diam 24 od | 0.949 | -15 | Download |
MOJO | 6 | Harvey, Christopher | Farrier f-25c | 0.914 | -6 | Download |
FUNTASTIC | 3 | Blumhorst, Judy | Corsair f24 mark 1 | 0.757 | 90 | Download |
LOOKIN GOOD 3 | 28 | Yahalom, Rafi | F 28r | 0.837 | 42 | Download |
WINGIT | 74 | Amy Wells | F 27 | 0.821 | 42 | Download |
SEA BIRD | 27061 | Holden, Richard | F 27 | 0.807 | 45 | Download |
KOKOMO | 30 | Smith, Terry | Corsair f 31 | 0.837 | 45 | Download |
RAVEN | 69768 | Myklebust, Truls | F 27 | 0.785 | 66 | Download |
KOKE HONU | 359 | Elkins, Rick | Corsair F 24 ll | 0.770 | 75 | Download |
HAMMER | HK08 | Hunt, Jonathan | Marstrom 30 trimaran | 1.030 | -63 | Download |
WHOOPEE | none | Howell, Glenn | Corsair dash 760 | 0.790 | 72 | Download |
EMMA | 1215 | Roberts, Bill | Dragonfly 1200 | 0.758 | 84 | Download |
HUMDINGER | 888 | Lawrence Olsen | W. Green 35' Trimaran | 0.807 | 51 | Download |
CAT SASS | 87945 | Boyette, Jeremy | Viva 27 | 1.010 | -45 | Download |
ROUND MIDNIGHT | 1 | Waltonsmith, Richard | Explorer 44 trimaran | 0.968 | -33 | Download |
ERROL THE SWAMP DRAGON | 824 | Mckay dvm, George | Hobie miracle 20 | 0.964 | -27 | Download |
MAMA TRIED | USA-7644 | Baylis, Trevor | Melvin 28 | 0.941 | -24 | Download |
TRIPLE PLAY | 367 | Keller, Richard | F 31 | 0.841 | 36 | Download |
GREYHOUND | 226 | Mcdonald, Evan | Farrier F 22 | 0.746 | 90 | Download |
RAINBOW | KA-1 | Shaw, Clifford | Crowther 10m custom | 0.556 | 258 | Download |