|

Board Contacts       MMB Foundation       Membership       Clothing

Master Mariners Regatta History

In 1867, Boatmen’s Protective Association made an impressive contribution to the Fourth of July celebration by staging a race between the large coastal schooners and the sailing scows of the San Francisco Bay Area. It was so successful that it was repeated in 1868 and again in 1869. At that time, they reorganized under a new title, Master Mariners Benevolent Association.

It became a part of the Fourth of July festivities, and San Francisco Bay’s reliable summer afternoon wind guaranteed an active race. Thousands of spectators watched from the top of Telegraph Hill where the bay spreads out in a magnificent panorama (below is a photo of Makah flying the Master Mariners jack, July 4th, 1884 – click on photo to enlarge). Some of the fleet was nearly always visible to the spectators. The original races started between Goat Island and the foot of Telegraph Hill, headed towards Hunter’s Point, then in a reach off toward the mouth of Oakland Creek. Beating back toward Telegraph Hill, out to the Gate, and ending the race in a pleasant run back. The boats were timed as they left the starting line, and again when finished, so starts could be delayed without penalty. Thirty to forty schooners participated, many guests were invited aboard, spirits were high, and the bottle was passed around from one to another as they fought to win the race.

Makah, 1884

Right-of-way encounters, and individual duels were usually settled by bare knuckles, the throwing of coal, or with buckets of sea water, but there seems to be no record of a committee who sat in judgement of carefully drawn protests. These rugged workmen of the bay came forth not for the trophy, but to put on a show for their city, display their pride in their country, their boats, their companies, and to exhibit their skills as seamen.
The climax was the evening ball where winners were announced and prizes distributed. Losers were awarded the more tangible prizes, winners gained custody of a silken, gold-tassled, red, white and green banner decorated with a strutting gamecock and the word “CHAMPION” emblazoned across it.
In 1878, the first time since 1867, there was no regatta. In 1879 it was revived, but not again until 1884 and 1885. In 1891 only 13 vessels showed up for the start. The spirit of the Fourth had changed. Engines were appearing on the scene, and the workboat skippers had lost interest in sailing for fun.
In 1965, the Master Mariner’s Regatta was again revived in honor of National Maritime Day. Where the boats in the 19th century races were big lumber schooners, hay scows and other workboats, today most are traditional pleasure yachts. Sponsors, rather than owning the boats, were drawn for the entrants at an annual luncheon held at the St. Francis Yacht Club. In 1971 and 1972 the evening dinner was held at the Sausalito Yacht Club where the trophies were awarded and the drawings were held for the donated gifts. In recent years the annual luncheon has been held at the Golden Gate Yacht Club, and the post race festivities have been at the Encinal Yacht Club.
The House Flags, furnished by the sponsors and flown by the vessels, the classic lines of the entrants, and the general spirit of fun and good will all enhance the feeling of stepping back in time to the Master Mariners Regatta.

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

DISCLAIMER NOTICE:  This website is for MMBA Members’ use and pleasure, and is not to be used for commercial purposes.  This website provides a resource to members.  Our list of members is not available for sale under any circumstance, and members are asked to respect the privacy rights of the rest of the group.  The photos, articles, links, and other information posted here are the property of MMBA and/or the members and entities who have provided them.  Articles, links, and information shared are not intended to replace the advice and services of professionals.  Any information shared is the opinion of its author and open to discussion.  Material, text and photographs alike, contained within these pages belong to the members and photographers who produced them and are not to be used elsewhere without the express permission of the MMBA and/or photographers.  Please contact MMBA via email for any permission requests, mastermariners@hotmail.com.

|

MMBA Photos

Here are some photo galleries from the 2013 MMBA Regatta:

From onboard the Sausalito YC’s Race Committee boat MERCURY taken by Roxanne Fairbairn, ROXSHOTS

Erik Simonson, H2O Shots

Regatta and Sponsor/Skipper Lunch photos HERE

and MORE Regatta Photos by Louis Benainous

2012 MMBA Regatta:

Erik Simonson – H20 Shots

Tom Zinn Photography – onboard Pursuit

Micah Setnik Photography – onboard Bounty

Tom MacDonald, Golden Gate Pics – onboard Bounty

Ariane Paul, from onboard Sausalito YC’s Mercury, Race Committee

Here are some of our Member Vessel photos (more are being added soon).

MMBA photo albums on Picasa/Google+           MMBA on YouTube

Here is a list of Master Mariners 2013 events and related outside activities. Additional details on each event will be added as they become available.

Please plan to attend as many as possible and enjoy the activities and camaraderie.

Message Board    MMBA Facebook Posts    News, Extras, Media    MMBA Forum    WoodenBoat Forum

The Shellback

Ariane Paul is the Editor of our member newsletter The Shellback.  Please contact Ariane whenever you have good MMBA event photos, articles, tall tales, info. to share, etc. so that she can add to an upcoming issue.  For notices to share in between newsletters, please send to our general email or post on our Facebook page.  Please also send any photos that you would like shared on the website to the email below.

Ariane Paul, Editor:   mastermariners (at) yahoo.com

MMBA on Facebook

Shellback Files are VERY large and will take significant time to load.  If you use a phone connection, trying is not advised.

Below are links to PDF copies.  Shellbacks are now also available in the Issuu online viewer from which they can be easily viewed, printed or downloaded.  Many other publications use this site as well.

Here is the link:  Shellbacks on Issuu

April 2013 issue

  Online PDFs:

MMBA Membership Information

The MMBA is a non-profit California Corporation. Our stated purpose is ”to foster participation in yachting and the preservation of well designed, properly constructed and well maintained classic and traditional wooden sailing craft…” The MMBA was originally founded in 1867 and continues to be one of San Francisco’s premier yacht associations. To accomplish this goal, the MMBA sponsors annual events listed in the calendar. If you have a traditionally designed wooden sailboat, built with traditional methods and materials, you may be eligible to join the MMBA. To help members stay informed about coming events, the MMBA publishes a newsletter The Shellback. Members are encouraged to participate in any and all events; however, you need not sail your boat to every event to participate. With so many activities, volunteering at events is an excellent way to meet some good people with like interests and become part of San Francisco’s history. We are members of the PICYA and qualifying boats are also eligible to apply for a favorable member discount boat insurance policy through Hackworth & Co. Insurance.

The membership process includes: Filling out an application form, submitting a current photo of your boat under sail, paying the application fee, inspection of your boat by a Board member or delegate, and the approval of the MMBA Board.  We also have a “Friend” level membership for people who don’t currently have a traditional boat but would like to support and participate in the Master Mariners’ activities.  If you are interested in finding out more about joining the MMBA, please contact us and we will send you an application form or you can download it below and mail it with a check to our Membership Chair, Dick Wrenn (his address is on the form).

MMBA Membership Application

Vessel Spec Form

2011 Member Survey for Regular voting members (vessels)

Dick Wrenn, Membership Chair:   membership (at) mastermariners.org

Master Mariners Regatta Sponsors

This year’s MMBA Sponsors’ Luncheon will be on Friday, May 17th, 2013 at the St. Francis YC. During the regatta we have the support of the St. Francis YC (starting line), Sausalito Yacht Club (race committee boat), and Encinal YC (post-regatta party & raft-up). Listed below are the companies who sponsored our vessels in 2012. Without their help our regatta would not be the fun and successful event that it is every year.  Local companies sponsoring the MMBA goes back to the regatta’s inception in 1867.  Please let us know if your sponsor company has a website that can be added to the list below.  The Sponsors/Skippers Luncheon is also your first chance to buy the new year’s T-shirt featuring one of our member vessels with artwork done by noted maritime artist Caleb Whitbeck.  Caleb’s paintings also grace the cover of the special MMBA tidebooks provided by our long time supporter Frank Hoburg of The Tidebook Company which are given to members and sponsors each year.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Sponsor next year, please contact Steve Hutchinson at:

steve (at) hutchinsonmarine.com    or     mastermariners (at) yahoo.com

2013 Sponsor Brochure

2013 Sponsor Letter

2013 Sponsor Form

Sponsor Flags Info Sheet

2012 Regatta Sponsors

Please Support our Sponsors!!!

 PDF of 2011 Sponsors

Master Mariners T-Shirts & Clothing

Each year one of our member vessels is secretly chosen to be the “cover girl” of our world-famous annual T-Shirts (see slideshow below) which are unveiled at our Sponsors/Skippers Luncheon a week before the Annual Regatta.  Our good friend Caleb Whitbeck has been creating the artwork for our shirts since 1988.  Caleb is a well known maritime artist, with several of his paintings on display at the St. Francis YC.  You can see more of his artwork on his website, www.calebwhitbeck.com.  Barbi, who is Caleb’s daughter, has also helped our members dress in style by helping pick out the colors and various other clothing items we have for sale each year:  hats, sweatshirts, polos, sweaters, women’s Tees, etc.  These items are available for sale in person at our three main events:  The Sponsors/Skippers Luncheon, the post regatta party at Encinal Yacht Club, and the Wooden Boat Show at the Corinthian Yacht Club.  As we are a volunteer club and do not have an actual clubhouse facility, we are not set up at this time to handle mail order of our inventory or special orders.  We now have an inventory of clothing in stock available at the link below.  If you would like any of these shirts please email mastermariners@yahoo.com before Wed. May 22rd and we will hold a bag for you at the regatta party at Encinal YC on Sat. May 25th in the pm, and Sun. May 26th in the am.

The MMBA Officers have come up with a nifty item.  The Blazer item shown in this photo is available, and we are taking orders.  The emblem will be displayed again at the Encinal Yacht Club MMBA Regatta awards dinner on Sat. May 25th, 2013.  It comes either as a magnet or with pins.  The magnet version requires a holder that slips into the Blazer pocket. We already have 6 in stock.

To purchase one for $25.00 please place your order specifying which type you would like by sending an email to:   Bill Belmont, bearasc@eartlink.net

click here -> Clothing Inventory Available <- click here