Fleet Week Boating Safety | Modern Sailing

Fleet Week Boating Safety

San Francisco Fleet Week is an annual celebration of our nation's Armed Forces. With air shows and flight demonstrations, the Navy Parade of Ships and public ship tours, and many other attractions and events to enjoy both ashore and on the water, Fleet Week is grand finale of summer and one of the Bay's biggest events of the year. This year's celebration will be held October 5 to 12.

Year after year, Modern sailors are enthusiastic to get on the water during San Francisco Fleet Week. Viewing the air shows and Parade of Ships from aboard sailboat on the Bay is an amazing way to experience the spectacle! If you're sailing on the weekdays during Fleet Week, you have a good chance to see the Blue Angels running practice sessions overhead.

There are Coast Guard rules and regulations and some safety tips you need to know if you're out sailing during these events. Here's the essential information and advice to follow when you're out on the water during Fleet Week.

Maintain Proper Lookout

We expect the Bay to be very busy during during Fleet Week, so we strongly encourage (as always), that skippers and crew remain mindful of Coast Guard Rule #5: 

Every vessel shall at all times maintain a proper look-out by sight and hearing as well as by all available means appropriate in the prevailing circumstances and conditions so as to make a full appraisal of the situation and risk of collision.

Know the Rules of the Road

Be sure you fully understand the "Rules of the Road" and know when to maintain course ("stand on") and when to change course ("give way") to other approaching vessels.

Here's a helpful video by Practical Sailor that explores the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and uncovers the nuances of right of way between sailboats and other types of boats.

Monitor the VHF Radio

At all times when underway, monitor VHF channel 16. If necessary, you can utilize channels 12 and 14 to get details on traffic or to call SF Vessel Traffic for information.

US Coast Guard Restrictions 

If you've chartered a boat to experience the spectacular US Navy, Marine Corp, and Coast Guard practice sessions, exhibitions, and festivities from the water any time during October 5th through the 12th, please be informed that some areas of the San Francisco Bay that will be rigorously restricted by the US Coast Guard during the Air Shows and Parade of Ships.

Below, find the text and images adapted from the US Coast Guard's Fleet Week Letter to Ferry Companies 2024 (PDF)

FLEET WEEK 2025 BOATING SAFETY

This year’s on-water Fleet Week activities will be held October 8th through October 13th. To ensure the safety of participants and spectators on San Francisco Bay, the U.S. Coast Guard has enacted regulated areas, published in the Federal Register and advertised by Local and Broadcast Notice to Mariners. During Fleet Week activities, Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary and law enforcement vessels will be patrolling the regulated areas to ensure all events are conducted safely.

Please refer to the Boat Safety page on the Fleet Week website for important information about boating regulations, enforcement, and safety during Fleet Week.

ACTIVITIES AREA CLOSURES

IMPORTANT: As the rules may be subject to change, please be sure to check the official Federal Regulations page for updates before you head out of harbor to spectate Fleet Week activities. To see the official federal rules regarding Fleet Week navigation, visit: 

Code of Federal Regulations § 100.1105 San Francisco Bay Navy Fleet Week Parade of Ships and Blue Angels Demonstration

NAVY PARADE OF SHIPS

Regulated area “Alpha,” which is depicted on “Chart 1,” will be enforced during the Parade of Ships. Traffic will be restricted throughout most of the Central San Francisco Bay from the Golden Gate Bridge, south of Alcatraz, to just south of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. This is to accommodate the Navy Parade of Ships as they pass under the Golden Gate Bridge to their assigned moorings in San Francisco. No vessel will be permitted to cross the parade line or interfere with the safe transit of the parade participants in any way. A 100-yard protective zone will also be enforced around each naval vessel the entire time they are in the port.

The free event: Navy Parade of Ships, will run Friday, October 10, 11:00am to 12:00pm. For more information, please see the Parade of Ships page on the Fleet Week website.

AIR SHOW / FLIGHT DEMONSTRATIONS

Federal Aviation Administration regulations require that regulated area “Bravo,” which is depicted on “Chart 2,” remain clear of all vessel traffic during the specified times for scheduled air shows.

Air demonstrations will run around the following times:

  • Friday, October 10th 11:30am to 3:30pm
  • Saturday, October 11th 11:30am to 3:30pm
  • Sunday, October 12th 11:30am to 3:30 pm

Please see the Air Show page on the Fleet Week website for more information.

WATCHING THE SHOWS

The best areas to observe the air shows and the Parade of Ships are:

  • North of the “Alpha” box for the parade and North of the “Bravo” box for the air show
  • East of Blossom Rock Buoy
  • From the shore

For schedules and additional information on Fleet Week 2025, please contact the San Francisco Fleet Week Association at info@fleetweeksf.org , or visit the San Francisco Fleet Week website.

CHART 1

Regulated Area “Alpha” for the Navy Parade of Ships on Friday, October 10, 11:00am to 12:00pm.


CHART 2

Regulated Area “Bravo” for U.S. Navy Blue Angels Activities

  • Friday, October 10th 11:30am to 3:30 pm
  • Saturday, October 11th 11:30am to 3:30 pm
  • Sunday, October 12th 11:30am to 3:30 pm

Temporary buoys for the Air Show Box will be installed by October 8th and will be removed on the 13th. The buoys at the center and northwest corner point will be partially obstructing the east bound traffic lane and the buoys at the northeast and southeast corner will be partially encroaching upon the precautionary area east of Alcatraz Island. The locations of the temporary buoys are listed below:

Air Show Box
SW Corner: 37°48.612 N / 122°26.786 W
NW Corner: 37°49.113 N / 122°26.868 W
NE Corner: 37°49.389 N / 122°24.354 W
SE Corner: 37°48.888 N / 122°24.272 W
Center: 37°49.008 N / 122°25.590 W

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  • Alisa Driscoll, Dual Site Member

    Here are some snaps of Our Saturday, August 20, 2022 Modern Sailing Expedition with Captain Robert Bivin, who was outstanding. Please convey photos and thanks to him. He is an outstanding individual, leader and sailing instructor. His knowledge and experience made us all feel safe and our Farallones Day Trip educational and just amazing. 

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    I try to get out on the water every week: out the Gate, around Angel, up Raccoon - I love it all. After 18 years as a member of OCSC in Berkeley, I learned to sail the bigger boats at Modern by taking ASA 103 and 104. My ASA 104 instructor Dave Russell was terrific. Also, Captain Bill Moreland has been very generous in giving informal advice whenever I’ve asked him. Thanks to Bill, I no longer have any anxiety about docking!

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    Captain Jeff Cathers is really cool. I had such a great time on the Farallones Day Trip. It was actually my very best day of 2020. Thank you so much for coordinating the trip.

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