st. francis yacht club san francisco california

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St. Francis Yacht Club

700 Marina Blvd

San Francisco , CA 94123

(415) 563-6363

Becoming St. Francis

St. Francis Yacht Club was founded in 1927 by a group of 21 San Francisco yachtsmen with a vision of a club in the City. It was an offshoot of the San Francisco Yacht Club, which was founded in 1856 and had its facility in Sausalito, across the Bay. That facility burned to the ground in the mid-twenties and a fierce debate raged after the fire between those who lived in Marin County and those who lived in San Francisco. The city-dwellers wanted to relocate to San Francisco—not surprising given that this was before the Golden Gate Bridge, so SF members had to travel by water to their club. Members from Marin found a suitable location in Belvedere against the wishes of their SF membership and pulled some fast and furious moves to secure the right number of votes to make it happen. This so offended the SF members that they chose to leave San Francisco Yacht Club and form their own club: the St. Francis Yacht Club.

Today, there is great camaraderie between the two clubs and many members belong to both.

For the club’s full history, click here .

St. Francis Yacht Club Honors Hall of Famers

The St. Francis Yacht Club honored their Hall of Famers at a dinner on October 28, 2014 with 200 people attending.

Those honored included National Sailing Hall of Famers Tom Blackaller, Paul Cayard, Stan Honey and John Kostecki, plus America’s Cup Hall of Famers Lucy and Fritz Jewett. Another Hall of Famer, National Sailing Hall of Fame President Gary Jobson, was the Master of Ceremonies.

Here are some photos of the event, courtesy of photographer Igor Capibaribe, and a short video tribute that was played during the dinner.

L-R: St. Francis YC Commodore Bruce Munro, John Kostecki, Stan Honey, Lisa Blackaller, Lucy Jewitt, Paul Cayard, Gary Jobson, St. Francis YC Commodore George Dort

Video: Tribute to the St. Francis Yacht Club Hall of Famers (4:15)  :

Quick Links

Getting Here

The Sailing Museum & Hall of Fame

365 Thames Street

Newport, RI 02840

401.324.5761

[email protected]

Smooth Sailing: The 5 Best Yacht Clubs in San Fran

San Francisco is known for its beautiful coastline and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. It's no wonder that the city is home to some of the best yacht clubs in the country.

These clubs offer a variety of amenities and services to their members, from sailing lessons to social events to fine dining.

Yacht clubs in San Francisco range from traditional and exclusive to more laid-back and welcoming. Each club has its own unique atmosphere and caters to different interests and lifestyles.

Some clubs focus more on racing and competition, while others prioritize leisurely cruises and social gatherings.

In addition to the sailing opportunities, yacht clubs in San Francisco offer spectacular views of the city skyline and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Many of these clubs are located in prime waterfront locations, providing members with easy access to the bay and all the exciting activities it has to offer.

Whether you're a seasoned sailor or a beginner looking to learn, there's a yacht club in San Francisco that's perfect for you.

Joining a club is a great way to meet new people, enjoy the beauty of the bay, and take part in a timeless tradition that has been a part of San Francisco's culture for centuries.

1. St. Francis Yacht Club

The St. Francis Yacht Club is a stunning venue for yachting events, with amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The club has sailing lessons for kids and hosts many water sports events throughout the year.

The staff and members are open, friendly, and helpful to all visitors.

The restaurant serves excellent food with a great wine list, and the workout facility on-site is fantastic. The club is a San Francisco institution that is well worth a visit.

2. Golden Gate Yacht Club

Golden Gate Yacht Club is a fantastic destination for yacht enthusiasts. The club boasts a stunning view of the San Francisco Bay, including Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.

The staff is professional, helpful, and friendly, making the experience enjoyable for all.

The food and drink are of high quality and are served with great service.

The club hosted the America's Cup on the Bay, making it a must-visit location for sailing enthusiasts. The club is also a great venue for private events and parties.

3. Treasure Island Yacht Club

Treasure Island Yacht Club is a top-notch club that offers a great location for yacht enthusiasts to dock and explore.

The club's Port Captain, Bill, is a pleasure to work with and makes planning cruise ins a breeze.

The club's annual New Year's cruise is a must-attend event, complete with delicious clam chowder.

If you're looking for a great yacht club to visit, be sure to stop by Treasure Island Yacht Club.

4. Mariposa Hunters Point Yacht Club

Mariposa Hunters Point Yacht Club is a local gem that offers a laid-back atmosphere with reasonable prices. The club has a bar, kitchen, stage, and outdoor patio with a great view of the bay.

They offer sailing classes for kids and host numerous events and parties. It's a members-only club, but guests of members are welcome.

The club is located within walking distance of AT&T Park and the Chase Center. It's a great place for private parties and a good spot to tie up for a few hours.

If you're looking for a fun and friendly yacht club, Mariposa Hunters Point Yacht Club is definitely worth checking out.

5. South Beach Yacht Club

South Beach Yacht Club is a must-visit for boaters in the area. The club boasts well-appointed facilities and a lively atmosphere that is sure to impress guests.

With stunning views of the Bay Bridge from the expansive second-level deck, the club is an ideal spot to spend the day or evening.

While the food may be a bit bland, it is nicely prepared, and the friendly members make up for any shortcomings.

If you're lucky enough to get an invite, a visit to South Beach Yacht Club is definitely worth your time.

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Leading Yacht Clubs • Working Together • Sharing Experiences

St. Francis Yacht Club Announces Action-Packed 2024 Regatta Season

St. Francis Yacht Club

January 18, 2024

Mark your calendars and make your plans to compete at one of the top sailing venues in the world in 2024. St. Francis Yacht Club has released a 2024 regatta schedule that’s comprehensive in its inclusion of various types of sailing—from board sports and dinghies, to keelboats and classic yachts, to team and match racing. Local, national and international sailors will have a plethora of opportunities to test their skills on the challenging waters of San Francisco Bay.

“Our mission is to be a leader in yachting and inviting the most talented sailors in the world to our shores and to our club is our highest calling. We’re looking forward to another stellar season of racing on San Francisco Bay,” said Chris Perkins, incoming Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club.

While sailors of various disciplines will have multiple opportunities to challenge each other in weekly series and seasonal regattas, St. Francis Yacht Club will also host several high-profile events, such as the US Sailing Wingfoiling Championship (August 2-4), the International Knarr Championship (August 31-September 7) and the 60th anniversary of their signature Rolex Big Boat Series (September 11-15). The club will also host stops for the US Match Racing Championship (October 4-6), the Women’s World Match Racing Tour (May 1-5) and SailGP (July 13-14).

“With over 100 days of racing on the calendar, we run a very busy racing schedule, and from a race management perspective, we are always looking for ways to improve. In 2024, we’re focusing more on quality versus quantity, by combining some events to deliver a top-level experience from the moment a sailor arrives at St. Francis Yacht Club, through their time on the water and after racing, enjoying the parties and amenities ashore. We want an outstanding experience at all points,” said Felix Weidling, Race Director of St. Francis Yacht Club.

DINGHIES Small-boat sailors can look forward to Spring Dinghy (May 18-19) and Fall Dinghy (October 26-27) running repeated courses during both events to provide an opportunity to improve on the same playing field as the year progresses. The Elvström/Zellerbach Regatta will be combined with Spring Dinghy to draw a larger pool of competitors in the invited one design classes. The club’s popular Opti Heavy Weather Slalom & Regatta also returns (June 21-23) to test the smallest boats in the big summer winds of San Francisco Bay.

BOARD SPORTS After the success of the inaugural Wingding Regatta in 2023, the event will return in early August of 2024 as the Wingding US Sailing Wingfoiling Championship, the first national wingfoiling event in the United States for this board sport. Foiling enthusiasts will enjoy the weekly Thursday racing series, which began decades ago when windsurfing was the hot new sport, and which now draws a loyal following of foiling kites, wings and windsurfers. For those looking for a full-send experience, Ronstan Bridge to Bridge is scheduled for August 29, when the westerlies are typically strong enough to sail a foilboard from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Bay Bridge faster than a bird flies—will someone make it in under 10 minutes this year?

KEELBOATS Keelboat enthusiasts will be busy this season, beginning with Spring Fest & Stone Cup (April 6-7) and the start of California Race Week’s CA 500 (May 25) and Spinnaker Cup (May 26). IODs, Folkboats and Knarrs can look forward to the Woodies Invitational (June 28-30), and the Knarrs play again August 31-September 7, at the 52nd International Knarr Championship, just ahead of Rolex Big Boat Series, which also hosts a Classic Yachts division.

In past years Phyllis Kleinman Swiftsure Regatta and Aldo Alessio were held the same weekend, to serve as a tuneup to Rolex Big Boat Series. This year, the two events will split, with Swiftsure remaining in the tuneup position (August 17-18) and Aldo Alessio held as an offshore return race for Rolex Big Boat Series competitors (September 21). J/Boat fleets will be busy all year, and the J/105 Women’s Skipper Invitational (May 11) will be run for the third time, encouraging greater helm time for talented female sailors.

The J/105 class will likely be the largest fleet competing at Rolex Big Boat Series (September 11-15), which will celebrate its diamond anniversary with a week of world-class competition and stellar post-race celebrations. Various one design classes, ORC-rated boats, and classic yachts will be invited to compete, with registration opening in early 2024.

MATCH RACING With its fleet of J/22s now expanded to 13 boats, St. Francis Yacht Club remains a prime host for match racing events, including stops of the California Dreamin’ Series (March 16-17) and the Women’s World Match Racing Tour (May 1-5). The US Match Racing Championship also returns to San Francisco Bay (October 4-6).

TEAM RACING A highlight in the 2024 season will be the Cornerstone Cup (August 23-25), a four-way international team racing event between New York Yacht Club, Royal Yacht Squadron, Royal Thames Yacht Club and host St. Francis Yacht Club. Last run in San Francisco in 2015, the event features top-level competition and interclub camaraderie. Team racers can also look forward to an inaugural San Francisco Sailing League Regatta (June 8-9), which will import a popular European format to the West Coast for the first time.

Make your plans to compete at St. Francis Yacht Club this upcoming regatta season.

VIEW THE 2024 REGATTA SCHEDULE

St. Francis Yacht Club

Stories from the St. Francis Yacht Club

St. Francis Yacht Club 700 Marina Boulevard San Francisco, CA 94123-1044 (415) 563-6363

Website: www.stfyc.org

ST. FRANCIS YACHT CLUB BECOMES NSHOF FOUNDING MEMBER

St. Francis Yacht Club Honors Hall of Famers

The St. Francis Yacht Club honored their Hall of Famers at a dinner on October 28, 2014 with 200 people attending.

Those honored included National Sailing Hall of Famers Tom Blackaller, Paul Cayard, Stan Honey and John Kostecki, plus America’s Cup Hall of Famers Lucy and Fritz Jewett. Another Hall of Famer, National Sailing Hall of Fame President Gary Jobson, was the Master of Ceremonies.

Here are some photos of the event, courtesy of photographer Igor Capibaribe, and a short video tribute that was played during the dinner.

L-R: St. Francis YC Commodore Bruce Munro, John Kostecki, Stan Honey, Lisa Blackaller, Lucy Jewitt, Paul Cayard, Gary Jobson, St. Francis YC Commodore George Dort

Video: Tribute to the St. Francis Yacht Club Hall of Famers (4:15) :

BACK TO YACHT CLUB STORIES PAGE

Published on March 24th, 2023 | by Assoc Editor

Big Boat Series: Registration open

Published on March 24th, 2023 by Assoc Editor -->

The Notice of Race is posted and registration is open for the 2023 Rolex Big Boat Series, hosted by St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco, California.

Considered the most prestigious regatta on the West Coast and a premier event since 1964, Rolex Big Boat Series brings competitors from around the country and the world to San Francisco Bay for four days of racing. Scheduled for September 13-17, 2023, when conditions are optimal for big breeze, the regatta attracts the highest level of competition, with perpetual trophies and Rolex timepieces awarded to select fleets.

The following are invited to compete in this year’s regatta:

• One-design boats of the J/105, J/88 and Express 37 classes. Other classes with a minimum number of boats can be considered with application to the Organizing Authority.
• Monohulls with an LOA ≥ 30 feet. Boats with a General Purpose Handicap (GPH) of 560 or lower are required to have an Offshore Racing Congress (ORC) International certificate. Boats with a GPH higher than 560 may compete using either an ORC International Certificate or ORC Club Certificate.
• Classic boats built prior to 1955 with an LOA ≥ 48 feet and a current ORRez rating certificate.

“We are thrilled to be hosting the 2023 edition of the Rolex Big Boat Series and once again we anticipate a terrific turnout,” commented Beau Vrolyk, 2023 Commodore of St. Francis Yacht Club. “Rolex Big Boat Series has been the place to be for West Coast sailors for many years and we are pleased to continue our long and successful relationship with Rolex. The parties are legendary and the sailors’ favorites will all return this year. Don’t miss it!”

Vrolyk intends to race Mayan, his famed Alden schooner in which he has competed in Rolex Big Boat Series since the Classics division was established in 2019.

“The growing Classics Class of beautiful woodies will return, along with the premier West Coast ORC handicap racing fleet and several top one-design fleets,” he noted, adding, “I’ve been racing in this event since the 1970s and look forward to it every year.”

In 2023, post-racing socials and the trophy ceremony will be hosted under the Rolex Tent against the stunning backdrop of San Francisco Bay, while the Rolex Owners Dinner and Crew Dinner will be inside the clubhouse with its unbeatable views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge.

Felix Weidling, Race Director of St. Francis Yacht Club, is looking forward to participating in his second Rolex Big Boat Series event after competing in 2014 aboard the J/105 Godot. This year he trades racing for running on-the-water operations for this world class regatta, one he is well-equipped to manage given his experience hosting multiple Rolex-sponsored regattas in his former role at Kiel Yacht Club.

“I am especially looking forward to working with the many volunteers onshore and on the water who donate their time to make the event a success,” Weidling said. “I am always delighted by the passion and commitment that the volunteers bring, and this year will be no exception. Looking ahead to next year, we will be hosting the 60th anniversary of Rolex Big Boat Series, which will be a highlight event. Stay tuned!”

Dave MacEwen, this year’s Vice Chair of St. Francis Yacht Club’s Executive Race Committee, owns a J/90 and a Rogers 46, both named Lucky Duck and both of which he has raced in Rolex Big Boat Series. Last year, he raced the J/90 due to the Rogers 46 being temporarily out of commission and found it quite the challenge.

“I’m excited to get my bigger boat back!” MacEwen said. “The J/90 is fast for a 30-footer but it’s just hard to sail that boat competitively. While I thought we sailed super-well, we ended up near last in our division because it’s so difficult to race in typical Big Boat conditions on the J/90.”

MacEwen has sailed in five Rolex Big Boat Series and looks forward to the regatta all year.

“I just love Big Boat. I’m excited for the big breeze, the excellent competition and the shoreside activities are always first-rate,” he said. “On Lucky Duck, we have great competitors. I’m encouraging our friends on Groundhog Day (formerly Bretwalda3) to come up from Southern California and race with us.

“We’ll also have the Fast 40 Adjudicator, which is always super-hard to beat and won their class last year. And, you never know who else may show up! Transpac is early this year and it would be great if boats are delivered back to the Bay Area instead of Southern California so they could stay around for Rolex Big Boat Series.”

For monohulls not racing in a one-design fleet, St. Francis Yacht Club will be governing the 2023 Rolex Big Boat Series using rating rules established by ORC and fleet splits will be posted on the Tuesday prior to the start of the regatta. The Classics division will race with ORRez rating certificates.

For those interested in participating, an ORC discussion moderated by Dobbs Davis will be held on Friday, April 7, at St. Francis Yacht Club and on Zoom, from 5:00pm – 6:30pm.

Event website: https://rolexbigboatseries.com

Tags: Big Boat Series

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Drink in tales of San Francisco Irish resistance at this legendary bar

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More than 5,000 miles separate the Bay Area from Dublin and Belfast, but the ghosts of Ireland’s past never feel very far away here.

San Francisco has a long Irish history, dating back to the Gold Rush. City records estimate a third of San Francisco’s workforce was of Irish descent by the 1880s. An Irishman, Jasper O’Farrell, of O’Farrell Street fame, also designed the city grid, meaning that the very fabric of San Francisco is, in effect, Irish.

But history lessons can be a tad dry. They always go down better at the bar of the Dovre Club, washed down by multiple pints of the black stuff served up by bartender Brendon “Elvis” McElhatton, who’s been pulling them there since 1999. I wanted to know if some local shenanigans I’d heard about were authentic Irish history or blarney, so I made my way down there and claimed a stool.

The Dovre Club is steeped in San Francisco Irish folklore. The walls are adorned with newspaper clippings about the bar and its former owner, Patrick “Paddy” Nolan. Hunter S. Thompson is said to have drunk there with journalist Warren Hinckle, a friend of Nolan’s. Photos of Nolan hang alongside Irish memorabilia and a banner reading “Free the H-Block 4.” (More on that later.)  The Guinness is creamy, delicious and served the proper way. One raucous tale I sought to verify had to do with piglets and a posh hotel. As the legend goes, Nolan, a staunch advocate of Irish Northern Aid, a major faction in the movement to unite Ireland into a single nation, was behind a prank that involved backing a truck full of live piglets up to the entrance to the Westin St. Francis and releasing them into the lobby. 

The stunt, it’s said, was in protest of the presence at the hotel of Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth’s sister. The pigs referenced a remark allegedly made by the princess during a dinner with Chicago’s mayor in the late 1970s. The rumor that she had denounced the Irish as pigs caused international uproar during a bloody time in Northern Ireland. 

Sadly, I could find no newspaper archive clippings to verify this squealing act of resistance against the British monarchy. Still, Irish protesters did gather outside the Fairmont Hotel on Oct. 22, 1979, where the princess was attending a dinner-dance at the Venetian Room alongside guests such as Bob Hope and Tony Bennett. At least one of the 200 angry Irish protesters brought a live piglet—named Jigs, San Francisco Examiner archives show.

Nolan never had children and died of throat cancer in 1996, leaving his storied Mission District bar to Brian McElhatton, who died of brain cancer in 2008. Elvis is Brian’s younger brother, and probably one of the only men alive who might know the truth about the piglets. But when I asked about them, he simply laughed and said, “That’s classic gossip!”

Potato bombs from the Golden Gate?

Another tale claims that when the late Queen Elizabeth visited San Francisco in the 1980s, Irish protesters stood on the Golden Gate Bridge with a sack of potatoes, hurling them at the royal yacht Britannia from above. 

This one, too, merits a fact-check. For one thing, “it was pig’s blood,” Elvis said. “We’ve got to keep our potatoes. We don’t waste that shit.” 

It also never made it past the plotting stage. Police caught wind of the scheme, but many of the cops, being Irish themselves, refused to intervene, according to Elvis.

The plan never came to fruition, as the Golden Gate Bridge walkways were closed, he said. FBI documents allege there was a plot to kill the queen that involved dropping something off the bridge toward the royal yacht during her 1983 visit. The files name the Dovre Club as a gathering place for Irish Republican Army sympathizers.

A related legend claims Nolan and friends loaded boats with rotting fish and tailed the royal yacht so that seagulls would flock over the Queen’s fancy floater and play havoc with its sophisticated radar systems—or perhaps just cover it in poop. Alas, no newspaper clippings could be found to corroborate this tale either. But news clips do show a tight cordon was enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard to keep private vessels away from the royal yacht. 

I asked Elvis about this tale, too. “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story,” the bartender said after serving me another Guinness.

Rumors of a secret IRA safe house

Dovre Club’s former home, at the corner of what is now the Women’s Building, is rumored to have harbored Irish political prisoners in a secret basement before the club moved to the corner of Valencia and 26th streets in 1998.

The basement exists. I went to see it for myself, guided by the building’s facilities manager, Julio Artiga, who had no idea his storage room may once have been a refuge for IRA members and the like. The bar above is now a day care center, but old metal doors that lead to the street can still be seen from below, as can an ancient-looking washbasin and urinal—what more does a wayward Irish son need below a bar?

I was dying to know whether it really did stash prisoners. But when I asked Elvis about it; the color drained from his otherwise rosy complexion, and he shook his head.

“I’ve already got enough enemies, and I’m not trying to make any more,” he said. 

The legend of the H-Block 4

San Francisco Irish history is forever entwined with the story of the H-Block 4, four prisoners who escaped from Long Kesh, the infamous British prison in Northern Ireland—known as the Maze—in 1983. No tale of Irish San Francisco is complete without mentioning the escapees.

The men found sanctuary in the San Francisco Bay Area; one was extradited, one was deported and two stayed behind. One, Terry Kirby, lives in the East Bay. A phone call to Kirby’s home was answered by a woman with a faint Irish accent who said they weren’t interested in talking about Irish resistance in San Francisco before the phone slammed down.

The youngest of the four, Kevin Arrt, lives in San Francisco. I found an address for him and visited the street, but the door number didn’t exist. One door number up, a man stood outside a house. 

“I’m looking for a man named Kevin,” I asked him. He froze and then spoke back in a Northern Irish accent. “What do you want him for?”

I explained my quest. “I know Kevin, but he doesn’t live on this street. Give me your number, and I’ll have him give you a call.” A phone call from a blocked number came a day later, and Kevin—who was the man I'd met on the street—apologized for his deception. He said my British accent had scared the life out of him, thinking I was an assassin. (Do assassins wear corduroy trousers, too?)

Kevin did not want to comment for this story, stating he’d prefer to stay under the radar after clearing his name in Northern Ireland in 2020. He now wishes to retire in peace and said all the men with direct knowledge of any resistance acts in San Francisco, humorous or otherwise, were likely all dead.

Still, if you want to drink among some real San Francisco Irish history this St. Patrick’s Day, Dovre Club is open from noon until 2 a.m., with corned beef hash served around 3 p.m.

Writer's note: I grew up in Manchester, England, but feel it’s important to say my dad grew up in Roscommon, Ireland, in this very farmhouse , which is about as Irish as you can get. I’m an Irish citizen (thanks, Brexit). And if Ancestry’s DNA test is to be believed, my mother is about 20% Irish, too. Erin go bragh.

Joe Burn can be reached at [email protected]

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