Home	StFYC Opening Day on the Bay 4/26/15

(If you like, you can skip down through the prose and go straight to the pictures below!)

Here's a view of Opening Day On The Bay as presented by St. Francis Yacht Club in conjunction with the Pacific Inter-Club Yachting Association. This annual event is the traditional start of the summer sailing season on San Francisco Bay. The day begins with a blessing of the fleet in Raccoon Straits near Corinthian Yacht Club in the morning, then a waterfront parade from St. Francis Yacht Club to Pier 39 starting at noon.

It's always fun to get dressed up, and getting boats dressed up is done with flags - lots of flags. If you're a race or event winner, fly those brag flags too! Of course the American Ensign (the marine version of the American Flag) is always in style, as are club burgees and private signals if you have one. (Yes, anyone can register their own with Lloyds of London -- for a price.) Here's a link to the PICYA list of parade participants: PICYA List.

Past Islander 36 fleet champion Peter & Louisa Szasz (Midnight Sun) invited Rick & Sandy Van Mell (Vanishing Animal) aboard a friend's 40' Hatteras powerboat that Peter was running for the event. Here are some pictures of a first class event, and like the participating boats, every has personally "dressed ship" with lots of white pants and blue blazers on display. In addition to the parade, each StFYC boat was presented with a special tray of cheeses and meats to take aboard. Many also had pitchers of gin fizzes too. When we arrived back dockside, waiters carried trays of jumbo shrimp up and down the docks and pink champagne to wash it down. Then many adjourned to the clubhouse where there were multiple eating areas and a room filled with three buffets: Salads; Entrees; and Desserts. Throughout the morning and lunch a great Dixieland band played a the base of the stairs. Then, from 1600 - 1900 it was time for the Raccoon Straits jazz band made up of StFYC members to entertain. It was a knockout session with many professionals, even including Katie Turley who performed on the TV show The Sing Off. What a hoot!

The weather was perfect with blue skies, 70 degrees and about ten knots of wind with an easy ebb. So enjoy the fun, and if your own club doesn't do an "Opening Day", or "Fleet Review", maybe this gives you an idea for those areas where sailing is just getting under way!

Pictures by Rick Van Mell. Click on images to enlarge, click "Back" to return.

StFYC decorated ...	sign in please ...	bounce house for kids ...	flags are flying.	StFYC Opening Day ...
here's the plan ...	LOTs to do.	The boat ...	is a 40' Hatteras ...	Rebecca
Peter says ...	time for nibbles ...	special cheese & meat ...	Ellen's devine salmon ...	Louisa's crumb cake ...
something to wash it down ...	so let's enjoy it!	There is a ...	dock full of ...	(that's us) ...
dressed ships ...	of all types ...	and sizes ...	ready for...	the parade..
Even the RC boat & dighies!	Figures??!!	The fleet ...	is ready.	Come aboard ...
Rick & Sandy are ready.	Picture time.	Cockpit chat ...	dickside crowd ...	more coming ...
Everyone here?	time to shove ...	Carmalita crew ...	shoving off.	Fireboat visit ...
Parade list.	Under way!	Bridge gathering ...	RC boat ...	Yacht Potomac
Show your numbers ...	get in line.	1200: Fireboat starts ...	all bunched up ...	line sorts out ...
leaders under way ...	Power approach to SFYC ...	we approach StFYC ...	We look Great!	headed for Pier 39.
Afternoon jazz fest ...	The Raccoon Straits

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