Welcome,

We run about 25 races of varying degrees of intensity per year. Most of our races start and finish right in front of the clubhouse and are run from the deck off the main dining room.

We have five primary series and regattas:

The Sunday Brunch Series kicks off after brunch on the first Sunday in January and runs for five races in the Estuary. This may be the most laid-back racing on the bay, and we attempt to use it to appeal to people who have not raced before. The winds are generally mild, the water is always flat, and we try to schedule classes of interest to both experienced and novice racers in connection with the races. Prizes are awarded at the bar after each race.

Around St. Patrick's Day, we put in the Rites of Spring, a race in the Central Bay for single- and double-handed racers, with drinks and dinner available at the Club after. The race is famous for good racing and t-shirts of the most shocking colors. In 2006, we had more than sixty entries.

In May our most ambitious project kicks off – the Sweet Sixteen-- sixteen Wednesday evening races in the Estuary in May, June, August and September. This is summer beer can racing at its best, with no fog, generally moderate breezes, and the start and finish at the club. Beer, supper and prizes follow each race.

The Schreiber Cup is a memorial to Robert Schreiber, late Commodore of Treasure Island Yacht Club, and is hosted in alternate years by TIYC and Oakland Yacht Club. The race is open to any seaworthy craft, and under the right condition, some not so seaworthy ones. There have been motorboat divisions and a rowing division (the dinghy was carried around the course by another boat, launched at the finish line and rowed across). The course runs from the mouth of the Estuary around Treasure Island either way and finishes at OYC. The handicaps are adjusted after the race at the whim of the race committee, and only hideous junk is awarded as trophies. A party follows at the hosting club.

In early October we put on the event that draws the most serious competition. The Wallace Cup is a glamorous old trophy that has been raced for more than 60 times and represents the sailing championship of the east bay. Each east bay yacht club can send as many as three entries of any handicap rating, and they all race in one fleet in the south bay. The only prize is first place, and the winner's club gets to keep and display the beautiful old trophy for a year. There are typically 12 to 15 entrants.

OYC also participates in the Interclub YRA, an organization of half a dozen clubs, and each club runs one race in the central or south bay. Ours typically is in June, starts in the central bay and finishes at the club. A dock party often follows.

And, there’s fun for power boaters too! OYC is a member and sponsor of the Predicted Log Racing Association. It is not really a race but a contest in which each contestant tries to predict accurately the time required to cover a given course in their boat. Race instructions are issued by the host club or association, specifying the start, finish and several intermediate points. In San Francisco Bay, the course is usually 12 to 15 nautical miles in length, divided into four or more legs. Each contestant turns in to the race committee their prediction as to how long it will take to cover each leg and the time of their start. If this activity interests you, please visit our website and click on the Predicted Log Racing Association for details.