LAYC 2024 Opening Day Race

SAN PEDRO— Racing is slowly making its way back onto the waters of Southern California as the Los Angeles Yacht Club (LAYC) has announced its opening race day, on Jan 27.

This series will be governed by the rules as defined in The Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) and the US Safety Equipment Requirements (USSER) and US Nearshore Race level, except as modified by notices of race and sailing instructions.

This race is open to yachts possessing a current Southern California PHRF handicap and the Area C Random Leg rating will apply. Cruising or Wooden Hull class yachts with a SoCal PHRF certificate will use their applicable PHRF rating, Area C and Random Leg. A minimum of four entries will be required to establish a class. Entry fees are $75 and a current PHRF certificate must accompany all entries. Entries must be received by 6 p.m. Jan. 25th. Late entries will only be accepted with the approval of the Race Committee Chairman. Late entries will not be considered without a current PHRF certificate, completed necessary entry forms and entry fees. Entries must be made by completing an LAYC Race Entry form through the Regatta Network.

Trophies will be presented as soon as possible after the completion of racing. Take-home trophies for the event will be awarded in each class on the following basis:

• Up to four entries; one trophy
• Five to seven entries; two trophies
• Eight or more entries; three trophies for corrected time finishes

Perpetual trophies to be awarded are as follows:

The Keating Coffey Flagship Trophy will be awarded to the highest finishing present Commodore or representative Flag Officer who helms the entered boat for at least 75% of the measured distance of the race, including the start, each mark rounding and the finish. Only those entries indicating “Present Commodore / Flag Officer Driver” on their entry form or indicating such status to the Race Committee before 11:50 a.m. on the day of the race will be eligible for the Keating Coffey trophy. Boats competing for this trophy will sail the course with the code flag “one” and their yacht club burgee visible on the backstay.

The Craig Trophy will be awarded to the highest LAYC finisher who did not also win the Keating Coffey trophy.

The Vanderbilt Trophy will be awarded to the highest non-LAYC finisher who did not also win the Keating Coffey trophy.

As one of the oldest yacht clubs in California, the LAYC was founded in 1901 as South Coast Yacht Club. In 1920, it changed its name to Los Angeles Yacht Club. The Los Angeles Motor Boat Club and LAYC consolidated their membership in 1922 and moved into a facility shared with the California Yacht Club. In 1937, LAYC moved from the California Yacht Club facility into a “temporary” New England-style clubhouse in Fish Harbor, San Pedro, where it remained for the next 56 years. Finally, LAYC moved in 1993 to its present location at Cabrillo Marina in San Pedro.