March 4, 2025 Update: Modern Sailing's Level 2 Racing got a "lift!" Now called Level 2 - Development Race Teams, see our updated Development Race Teams and schedule here.
Modern Sailing's Club Race Team Program provides an avenue for sailors with prior racing experience to work together as a team over an entire season and to develop their skills towards more advanced racing. Modern Sailing Sausalito has entered Team Chao Pescao in the SYC Chili Midwinter series, and our Berkeley location is home base for Team Resolute in the BYC Midwinter race series. Both teams have recently made their debuts in their Midwinter races - with promising results!
Team Resolute made their BYC Midwinter Series debut on November 12, 2023 finishing fifth in their class.
"Overall, I’d say the progress as a team has been great. This past weekend we did a 'practice' in the BYC Chowder race and the light air gave us time to do a significant amount of spinnaker work including multiple hoists, douses, and gybes. We are coming together both as a team and getting comfortable in each of our positions. Communication is also getting crisper and maneuvering sharper. It’s great to be able to get to know each other as well beyond sailing. What a great group! As an added bonus, the team hoisted me up the mast to recover a wayward spinnaker halyard at the dock - a great trust-building exercise! Overall an A++ experience!"
- David Morris, Resolute Owner and Club Race Skipper
On December 3, 2023 Team Chao Pescao made their entrance into the local competitive sailing scene in the Sausalito Yacht Club's Chili Midwinter race, tackling light, shifty winds and tricky currents.
Navigating a three-legged race course that stretched from Point Knox on Angel Island to Harding Rock and back via the Sausalito Channel Mark 2, the team of six aboard J/105 Chao Pescao, helmed by owner Paolo Juvara doubling as skipper and tactician, put in a solid performance for their debut race. Jon Shapiro took the helm, while Jim Chie served as the main trimmer. Travis Ramsey handled the jib and spinnaker, with Olivier Rozay managing the pit and Guy Robinson on the foredeck.
The start wasn't without a bit of drama - a mishap involving the attempted recovery of an overboard handheld VHF nearly derailed their efforts, but ultimately the team sailed a very clean race. Their understanding of the local currents played to their advantage, catapulting them from a delayed start to a respectable 5th place finish among the competitive Division A fleet of ten.
This performance wasn't just about the numbers; it was a testament to the crew's synergy and shared ambition. For a team on their maiden race together, the result was noteworthy. The buzz along the docks is clear: Modern Sailing's Club Race Team isn't just participating – they're sailing to a new standard. Eyes are now eagerly turned to their next race, as they prepare to make waves and challenge the established fleet.
Check out this this 360-degree video that Paolo uploaded to YouTube that not only shows the action aboard and all around Chao Pescao, it also shows direction, true wind speed, apparent wind speed, speed over ground, heel angle, and more. Wow - high tech!
This fun image of Chao Pescao also appeared on Foredeck Union, a Facebook group just for racers.
