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Please read the NORs and SIs for every race
This page is meant provide general information which will help orient racers who are new to the SSS. Please *ALWAYS* read the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions documents for every race. If there is a discrepancy between the information on this page and the NOR/SI for a particular race, the NOR/SI is authoritative.
Cheers and have fun on the water!
General Race Information
2024 Race Schedule
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Race: Three Bridge Fiasco -- January 25, 2025
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Race: Corinthian -- February 22, 2025
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Race: Round the Rocks -- March 29, 2025
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Race: Sort of Singlehanded North Bay -- April 26, 2025
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Race: Singlehanded Farallones -- May 17, 2025
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Race: SHTP - Singlehanded TransPacific Yacht Race -- June 21, 2025 - July 12, 2025
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Race: YRA/SSS Drake's Bay (Day 1) -- August 16, 2025
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Race: YRA/SSS Drake's Bay (Day 2) -- August 17, 2025
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Race: Half Moon Bay -- September 13, 2025
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Race: Vallejo Day 1 - Singlehanded -- October 4, 2025
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Race: Vallejo Day 2 - Doublehanded -- October 5, 2025
**This list is auto-generated from our Events Calendar
General Notice of Race
There is a general Notice of Race (NOR) which applies to all SSS races throughout the year. Each race will have supplemental instructions available on Jibeset. Some races, like the LongPac and SHTP, will have special requirements.
Obtain a Rating for Your Boat
In order to enter a SSS race, you’ll need a rating for your boat.
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- If you have a monohull boat, please obtain a NC PHRF certificate from the YRA (Yacht Racing Association of San Francisco Bay)
- If you have a multihull boat, you’ll need to contact BAMA (Bay Area Multihull Association)
Please use the appropriate button to navigate to YRA or BAMA
Stay Clear of Restricted Areas
Be sure to read the NOR & SI for every race to understand and stay clear of restricted areas on or near the race course.
Ocean Racing Requirements
Northern California Offshore Racing Council Equipment List
The SSS requires a certain level of compliance for ocean racing. Ocean races are defined as any race with sailing course marks outside of the Golden Gate Bridge. For instance, the singlehanded Farallones, Half Moon Bay, and Drakes Bay races are all SSS ocean races.
The requirements are defined by the Northern California Offshore Racing Council equipment list. SSS entrants and crew must comply with the equipment list and crew must meet the minimum training requirements detailed within, i.e. Safety At Sea. (SAS) training.
Certified Safety as Sea (SAS) classes come in three levels, half day, one day, and two day. Your certification is good for five years. SSS coastal races require the half day certification as a minimum. The SHTP requires the half day class as a minimum, taken within 5 years of a race.
Sportboats - Do you have one?
Per the SSS General NOR, sportboats are monohulls with displacement‐to‐length ratio (DLR) of ≤ 112 per the formula:
The DWL number is found on your PHRF certificate for your convenience. Examples of sportboats include, but are not limited to:
1D35
Antrim 27
Azzura 310
B25
Black Soo
Dogpatch 26
Esse 850
Express 27
Farr 30
Flying Tiger 10M
Henderson 30
Hobie 33
J/90
JS 9000
Laser SB3
Melges 20
Melges 24
Melges 30
Melges 32
Moore 24
Mumm 30
Olson 29
Olson 30
Open 5.70
Santa Cruz 27
Synergy 1000
Thompson 650
Ultimate 20
Ultimate 24
Viper 640
Wylie Wabbit
Racing FAQ
Just one page of sailing instructions for each race?
No way! Each of our races has a unique course and other rules, so it has its own Additional Sailing Instructions. But you also need to familiarize yourself with the 4-page Notice of Race and Standing Sailing Instructions. In general, our races operate a little differently from what you may be used to, and most of those differences are spelled out in the NOR/SSI.
Do I need a PHRF certificate?
Short answer: Yes.
Slighlty longer answer: Yes, you do 😉
Please see our General Race Information above on this page for more information on where to obtain a PHRF Certificate or BAMA Rating for your boat.
My emergency contact is my mother, and she lives in Costa Rica. That’s cool, right?
Give us a break! We aren’t asking whom we should send flowers to if you drown. We want someone who can help us track you down. That means somebody who lives with you … who has access to your marina … who knows your favorite hangouts … who has phone numbers of most of your friends … or as much of the above as possible.
I’m chasing Doublehanded season points. I’ve entered the upcoming race, but my crew got sick / broke up with me / is in jail. Can I sail by myself and still be scored as Doublehanded?
Yes, but just once per season, not including Vallejo 2. See the NOR for new rules.
I’d like to help on race committee / organize a cruise-in / give a presentation at a meeting. Whom should I talk to?
Why, bless your heart! For race committee, contact the Race Chair. For anything else, the Commodore is probably your best bet. Really, any member of the Board will steer you in the right direction. See the Contact page.