BYC Beer Can and SYC Sunset Series Open for Enrollment!
Are you looking for a route to level up your racing game by joining a cohesive crew on a highly competitive one-design racing yacht? You've found it! Step up to Tier 2 of our three-tiered Racing Program, Club Race Teams!
Being a part of a Club Race Team committed to a series of 4 to 5 races allows you to familiarize yourself with your specific role, teammates, skipper, and the boat. This experience plots the course for both you and your teammates to progress and thrive in the realm of competitive racing.
The BYC Friday Night Beer Can Racing Series and the SYC Spring and Summer Sunset Racing Series Club Race Teams are open for enrollment now! These teams provide an opportunity for sailors with prior racing experience to go beyond the basics to gain proficiency in boat and sail handling on a J/105, the Bay Area’s most competitive one design race boat. Completion of the Racing Clinic and Asymmetrical Spinnaker Clinic and previous racing experience are required to participate.
The BYC Friday Night Beer Can Races run from March 15 to September 27. We have divided the whole season into smaller "series" of five races each. Race days will build on skills practiced in previous races, so participants will be required to enroll in and attend all races in their chosen series. These Race Teams are led by a Club Race Skipper rather than an instructor race coach.
The SYC Spring Sunset Series runs every second Thursday evening from May 2 to June 13. The SYC Summer Sunset Series runs from July 18 to August 29. Each racing day will build on skills practiced in previous races, so participants will be required to enroll in and attend all races in the series.
This program is exclusively for Modern Sailing members.
- Club Race Team Series Dates
- Series Pricing
- Participant Prerequisites
- Meet Your Club Race Team Skippers
- FAQs
- Cancellation Policy
2024 BYC Friday Night Beer Can Series Dates
You can choose from one or more of these six series to participate in.
| SERIES 1 | SERIES 2 | SERIES 3 | SERIES 4 | SERIES 5 | SERIES 6* |
| March 15 | April 19 | May 24 | June 28 | August 2 | September 6 |
| March 22 | April 26 | May 31 | July 5 | August 9 | September 13 |
| March 29 | May 3 | June 7 | July 12 | August 16 | September 20 |
| April 5 | May 10 | June 14 | July 19 | August 23 | September 27 |
| April 12 | May 17 | June 21 | July 26 | August 30 |
2024 SYC Spring and Summer Sunset Series Dates
You can choose from one or both of these two series to participate in.
| SPRING SUNSET SERIES | SUMMER SUNSET SERIES |
| May 2 | July 18 |
| May 16 | August 1 |
| May 30 | August 15 |
| June 13 | August 29 |
For both the BYC and SYC races, departure from the dock will be at 5:00 and generally return at 8:30pm. Before and/or after each race, the Club Race Skipper will lead the crew through racing practice, time permitting. After the race, the team will dock at Modern Sailing, put the boat away, and then drive to Berkeley Yacht Club or Sausalito Yacht Club to join the post-race social and results presentation.
Additional optional race practice days may be offered. Club Race Team Practice Days will have an additional charge and participation will not be considered mandatory.
2024 Club Race Team Prices
5 BYC Friday Night Beer Can Races
- $525 for members
- 10% off for members who participated in a Club Race Team in the previous 12 months
- 20% discount will be applied to Series 6 due to shorter series
4 SYC Sunset Series Races
- $420 for members
- 10% off for members who participated in a Club Race Team in the previous 12 months
Race Packs used for Drop-In Races cannot be used to pay for the Club Race Team events.
Club Race Team Participant Prerequisites
- Modern Sailing or Inspire Sailing 2-Day Race Clinic + Modern Sailing or Inspire Sailing 2-Day Asymmetrical Spinnaker Clinic, or Modern Sailing 3-Day Race Clinic which included Asymmetrical Spinnaker training
- A minimum of three previous Drop-In Races
- Members who have race experience outside of Modern Sailing can join the program if they have comparable experience documented in a sailing resume.
Maximum/Minimum Required Crew
For the BYC and SYC Series to Run:
Meet Your Club Race Skippers for the 2024 Spring and Summer Season!
Paolo Juvara - Team Chao Pescao, Sausalito
"I grew up sailing dinghies as a kid on the lakes of northern Italy. After many years of hiatus, I restarted sailing as an adult in 2015, completing the US Sailing and ASA curricula, first at OCSC and then at Modern Sailing, where I have been a member since 2020 and a Club Skipper since 2022.
"As a cruiser, I have chartered boats in Saint Lucia, Croatia, Greece (twice), Italy (twice), Tahiti and Belize with friends and family. In 2022 I had my first exposure to racing, taking a couple of racing clinics at Modern and participating in the Berkeley Midwinter series. Wanting to progress beyond that led me to the decision to purchase Chao Pescao in March of this year, form a team and race her in the very competitive Bay Area J/105 Class series, culminating in the participation in the Rolex Big Boat Series in September.
"I am very excited to be part of the Club Race Team Program and to help provide an avenue for people to progress in their racing experience. Looking forward to racing with you!"
David Morris - Team Resolute, Berkeley
"I started sailing at 14 years old on Sunfish in the Adirondacks. During my college years at the University of Rochester, I continued 'club racing' Lasers in Irondeqoit Bay/Lake Ontario. Over the years have sailed and raced on the Chesapeake, Boston Harbor, and the San Francisco Bay both as skipper and crew. I have been lucky to have also sailed internationally in Ireland (Bantry Bay), Switzerland (Lake Leman), the UK and Greece. I have enjoyed being certified multiple times through ASA and US Sailing and continue to take advantage of all the training offered through Modern Sailing in racing, cruising, and long-distance sailing.
"While I currently work in biotech as a physician-scientist, I’m also working toward USCG and divemaster certifications and looking to maximize my time on the water. I am also a volunteer crew member on the Pegasus Voyages program helping expose our local kids to the Bay and all it has to offer. My hope is to eventually retire to teaching sailing (which I already love to do) and leading sailing and diving expeditions around the world, but in the meantime I try to do as much as I can in my 'spare' time!
"I feel fortunate to be part of the Modern Sailing fleet because of the great sailing culture and community that it creates. I am grateful for the opportunities for continued learning from great sailors and crew members. I look forward to meeting more aspiring sailors, racers, and teachers as we sail in this most amazing place!"
MSC Club Race Teams FAQs
Q: How does the Club Race Teams format differ from the usual "drop-in" racing format?
A: Drop-in Races are perfect for those who are just getting started with racing, or those who want to occasionally race and cannot commit to regular attendance in a full series. Drop-in Races are also skippered by a Modern Sailing instructor who serves as a race coach. There tends to a wide variety of crew members and coaches participating in the various races within a series.
With the Club Race Teams, racers are required to sign up for all races in a series. Also, Club Race Teams are usually skippered by a Club Race Skipper who is an experienced racer. Club Race Teams give racers the opportunity to develop skills both individually and together to become a cohesive and competitive team. Club Race Teams also serve as training grounds for our Tier 3 elite racing teams.
Q. What if I have race experience outside of Modern Sailing’s Racing Program?
A. Racing experience outside Modern’s Racing Program can be used to meet the prerequisites of the Race Team. We ask that you submit a sailing resume detailing the experience. Please contact us to learn more about this.
Q: What is the difference between Club Race Teams and the Performance Team?
A: Club Team Races are for a specific series and are led by a Club Race Skipper, typically casual “beer can” races at the local yacht clubs. Consider this the middle tier of our Racing Program. Drop-in racing is the entry-level tier, and our Performance Racing Program will be the top tier of our Racing Program. Top tier racing involves a mix of Race Instructor-led practice sessions and class-level races (such as in the Rolex Big Boat Series).
Q: Can I sign up for only one or some of the races in a Club Race Team series?
A: No, this enrollment is like a course or a multi-day clinic. You will sign up for every race in the series. If you know in advance you will need to miss up to one race in the series, you can still enroll. If you need to miss more than one race, we encourage you to try drop-in racing rather than join a Club Race Team.
Q: Will I be assigned a specific role in the team for the whole series?
A: Roles will be assigned during the pre-race session. Team members will be encouraged to fill the same role through the series to develop strong proficiency in the specific role.
Q: Are MSC Club Race Teams for Modern Sailing club members only?
A: Yes, Club Race Teams are for Modern Sailing club members only. Learn about the many benefits of club membership.
Ready to sign up? Yes, you can sign up online!
Do you have questions or need some help signing up? Please contact us. We're happy to assist!
Club Race Team Series Cancellation Policy
- If you cancel at any time before the start of the series, you are eligible for a 50% refund.
- If you cancel any of the races during the series, there is no refund. Participants are expected to attend all sessions.
- Your position will be filled permanently if you miss more than one race in the series.
