Lighten Up With Richmond Yacht Club Beer Can Racing

What did you do on Wednesday evening? If you were smart enough to sign up for Richmond Yacht Club’s Wednesday evening races, you probably had a better chance of enjoying one of the midweek’s best evenings on the Bay.

We did hear from one participating sailor who said, “I did a Wednesday night race at Richmond. So much fun and laughter, beer and good times! Then we did a Friday night race at Encinal, way too serious and cutthroat … please remind people of Rob’s wisdom, always have fun! Our motto is ‘Fun not Fast!'”

As linked above, “Rob’s wisdom” comes to us from Latitude 38’s former race editor Rob Moore, who wrote the original Beer Can Ten Commandments. They remind folks to take a “chill pill” to make sure the evening races are fun for all. Lots of new sailors get their first introduction to racing in Beer Can races. It’s best to leave the testosterone at the dock so the new crew comes back a second time.

Why do so many sailors stop after their first experience of sailing and racing? Perhaps because so many come to try it out but get turned off by all the tension and yelling. Because many don’t come back, we’re forever recruiting crew for racing. Sailing and racing do have their tense moments when speaking above a normal voice may be required, but everyone knows the most successful boats tend to be very quiet.

Photographer Spencer Allen also sent along an image of the Richmond Yacht Club Beer Can Racing ad.

When you walk into the Richmond Yacht Club you see a sign saying, “This club was built for fun.” They work hard to keep it that way. The Wednesday night race results are discussed at the club afterward but they are not recorded.

Some highlights from the RYC Beer Can Series Deed of Gift read:

‘This Cup is donated upon the conditions that it shall be preserved as a perpetual Challenge Cup for friendly competition between crazy yachtsmen/women/animals/inflatable dolls, etc.”

The club bravely keeps the word “diversified” in the Deed as follows: “Competing yachts or vessels shall demonstrate excessive pleasure, boisterousness, conviviality, enthusiasm and showmanship. Crew shall be diversified with a wide variety of life forms and life styles.”

And it’s duly recorded, “IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the party of the first part and the said party of the second part shall party. THE LIGHTNUP, in the presence of A BUNCH OF PEOPLE.” You can read the full deed here. This was presented by the yacht LightnUp.

You don’t have to be an RYC member to join their midweek Beer Can series. By spending the $30 to sign up for RYC Beer Can racing you will find yourself more committed to taking your boat out of the slip and enjoy evenings like those in the image above. Generally, the only boats on the Bay midweek are those that have signed up for Beer Can races. You can join the fun by signing up here. If you’re looking to sign up for midweek sailing at a club closer to your boat you can find series from Stockton to Redwood City to Monterey listed in our calendar here.

While we’re talking Richmond Yacht Club, we should let you know they are having a fundraiser for a Jocelyn Nash documentary. On Thursday, May 8, at 7 p.m., you can watch Oleg Harencar’s excellent Ron Holland documentary with a minimum donation of $10 at the door.

Thanks again to drone pilot and photographer Spencer Allen for giving us a bird’s-eye view of midweek racing with RYC. If you have photos of your club’s evening Beer Can races, send them to [email protected].

If you are struggling to find crew you can find more at our online Crew List here. And make sure you and your crew all have fun.