Take your sailing skills to the next level and learn to race sailboats! The San Franciso Bay is known as a sailing mecca and racers from around the globe come to test their skills under the Golden Gate Bridge. The Bay's famous winds and significant currents test every team’s expertise, strategy, and mettle year-round.
Join our Racing Program and you will join an inclusive community of sailors while adding depth and dimension to your sailing knowledge.
Explore the topics below to discover Racing Program details and the wide range of opportunities that Modern Sailing has made available for you to learn, practice, and compete.
- Racing and Asymmetrical Spinnaker Clinics
- Sailboat Races and Regattas in the SF Bay Area
- A Three-Tiered Yacht Racing Program for Beginning to Advanced Racers
- Race Pricing
- Cancellation Policies
Wondering if racing is for you? Check out our Member Resources article Five Reasons to Race with Modern Sailing.
San Francisco Bay Area Sailboat Racing Clinics
Prior racing experience is required to join our teams in the local yacht club races. However, if you're new to racing, our Racing Clinic will fulfill this requirement and prepare you to be a solid crew member on any Modern race boat.
With locations in Berkeley and Sausalito, Modern Sailing is able to offer the widest range of opportunities to learn and experience the excitement of yacht club racing on San Francisco Bay.
The Racing Clinic is a 2-day clinic that will teach you performance sail trim, efficient maneuvers, and the basics of the race course. After spending a portion of the clinic honing these skills, you will enjoy hands-on experience racing against another Modern boat!
The Asymmetrical Spinnaker Clinic will teach you all the ins and outs of flying this beautiful light wind sail. You will spend two days getting familiar with all the crew positions to hoist, trim, jibe, and douse an asymmetrical spinnaker.
| RACING CLINIC | ASYMMETRICAL SPINNAKER CLINIC | |
|---|---|---|
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The Racing Clinic meets the prerequisite to enroll in the Level 1, Introduction Race Teams. Price: Members $535 / Non-members $645 Non members please submit your sailing resume. |
The Spinnaker Clinic is not required to join Level 1, Introduction Race Teams, but the racing coach may decide to not fly the spinnaker during a race if there aren't enough spinnaker-trained sailors aboard. This is a requirement for Level 2, Development Race Teams. This clinic is also a prerequisite for bareboat chartering with a spinnaker. Price: Members $535 / Non-members $645 Non members please submit your sailing resume. |
Enroll now and be ready to join the races for the upcoming season!
View the Schedule of Clinics and Enroll Online
Sailboat Races and Regattas in the SF Bay Area
Once you've completed the Racing Clinic, you are eligible to join the races!
The Bay’s many yacht clubs take turns hosting regattas year-round, giving sailors ample opportunity to partake in thrilling races all over the Bay Area. During races, our participants rotate through different roles (skipper, helm/driver, spinnaker trimmer, jib trimmer, foredeck crew, midship/mastman, tactician) in order to gain skills and confidence in each role. Each team will have one of our USCG Captains on board to give expert advice and coach racers across the finish line.
Below are some of the Bay Area yacht club races that we typically enter our teams in.
| BERKELEY RACES | SAUSALITO RACES | |
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Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC)
Corinthian Yacht Club (CYC)
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View the Race Schedule and Enroll Online
A Three-Tier Yacht Racing Program for Beginning to Advanced Racers
When signing up for races online, you will encounter some different types of races. Here's how to distinguish between them and know which you are eligible for.
| LEVEL 1: INTRODUCTION RACE TEAMS | LEVEL 2: DEVELOPMENT RACE TEAMS | LEVEL 3: PERFORMANCE RACE TEAMS | ||
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Introduction Race Teams are perfect for those who are just getting started with racing, or those who want to experience every position on a raceboat and can commit to regular attendance in a full series. Members and non-members are invited to sign up. Introduction Race Teams are also skippered by a Modern Sailing instructor who serves as a race coach. Introduction Race Teams are typically racing J/105s in Sausalito SYC/CYC races and Berkeley BYC races. The prerequisite for joining Introduction Race Teams is completion of the Racing Clinic. The Spinnaker Clinic is not required, but the racing coach may decide to not fly the spinnaker during a race if there aren't enough spinnaker-trained sailors aboard. Learn more about our current Introduction Race Teams schedule and enrollment. |
Development Race Teams (formerly referred to as "Club Race Teams") give racers the opportunity to develop skills both individually and together to become a cohesive and competitive team. Racers are required to sign up for all races in a local yacht club series. Development Race Teams are usually skippered by a Development Race Skipper who is an experienced racer. Teams sail a J/99 or J/105. After completing the Racing Clinic, Asymmetrical Spinnaker Clinic, and a Level 1 race series, Modern Sailing members are eligible to join a Development Race Team. Stay tuned to our weekly email - we'll announce when we are building new teams before the start of a series. Learn about club membership. Development Race Teams also serve as training grounds and feeder for our Level 3 Performance Race Teams. |
Level 3 Performance Teams have the opportunity to participate in international regattas and elite racing events on San Francisco Bay such as the Rolex Big Boat Series. Racers will train together on multiple occasions in advance of the event to get well-prepared to put in their best possible performance for the event. For the class-level spring and summer series, the prerequisites for crew are a minimum of 12 days of racing experience, preferably in the Modern Sailing Racing Program. Participation in the Rolex Big Boat Series is by Modern Sailing invitation only. Preference is given to members who have participated in the Spring and Summer Series J/88 Performance Program, or who have had frequent participation in past races with Modern Sailing. |
Race Pricing
Level 1 - Introduction Race Teams
- Visit our Introduction Race Teams page for current pricing information.
View the Race Schedule and Enroll Online
Level 2 - Development Race Teams
- Visit our Development Race Teams page for current pricing information.
Level 1 Introduction Race Team and Level 2 Development Race Team prices are subject to change by season or series.
Questions?
We're happy to help! Please feel free to reach out to our friendly customer support team. Representatives at either location can answer questions for both locations.
Berkeley and Sausalito Contact Information
- (415) 331-8250
- office@modernsailing.com.
Race Team Cancellation Policy
- Cancellations made more than 15 days before the first day of the series are eligible for a 50% refund.
- No refunds will be provided for cancellations made 1–14 days prior to the series start.
- No refunds will be issued for cancellations during the series. Attendance at all sessions is expected.
- If you miss more than one race in the series, your position will be permanently reassigned.
