Getting sailors out racing and cruising together on Southern Puget Sound since 1971.
The Island Series of SSSS sailboat races features 4 different courses designed to circumnavigate some of the numerous islands in the south Puget Sound. These races are held on Saturdays, with the 1st start at 9:35 am. Be prepared for almost any weather condition- light wind, strong wind, wet, and/or cold (sometimes even a warm sunny day with good winds).
For sailing instructions, please see Appendix A, Buoy Races, in 2021-24 PHRF Sailing Instructions (pdf)
Fall Series Races are longer buoy races in Budd Inlet. The first race starts at 12:00pm. All Skippers must be current members of a recognized yacht club and have paid their racing fees to the SSSS Club. All sailboats participating must have a PHRF rating or a temporary Club rating. All racers must check in before the race with the Race Committee and must call in to the RC Boat if they withdraw before the finish line.
Each boat that intends to race should volunteer for RC duty on Transition one time during the 2024-2025 season. Volunteers should include 2 members of your crew. Plan to meet at the RC boat well ahead of the first start.
Please add your name to the volunteer roster. Or, email the race chair at to let us know what date you want.
Thursday night dinghy races, May 2 through August 29, 2024. Click the tabs in the boxes below to see the race results for each evenings’ races as they are completed.
Jump to: Series 1 > Series 2 > Series 3 > Series 4 > Fall Regatta
The Budd Inlet “Star” Sailboat Fleet Announces the Summer Racing Season!
Join us as a crewmember, a skipper of your own “Star”, or as a race committee volunteer from April to September
The Budd Inlet “Star” Sailboat Fleet is kicking off its Summer Racing Season at the end of April. For more than 2 decades, “Star” sailboat skippers and crew have enjoyed spirited racing in the two-person, 22-foot open vessels. The supportive fleet atmosphere cultivates improved sailing and racing skills on the beautiful waters of Budd Inlet. Experience the thrill of these former Olympic-class boats and the camaraderie of the Star sailors on Mondays from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. For more information, please visit https://www.ssssclub.com/stars/ and submit the brief “Budd Inlet Star Fleet Interest Form” to join the fun.
A bit more about Stars
A Star is 22 feet 3 inches long, with a beam across the cockpit of six feet six inches, and a draft of 3 feet.
The entire boat, including mast and rigging, weighs a class-allowed minimum of 1460 lbs. Most boats weigh in close to that minimum. 900 lbs. of which is in the cast iron keel. The keel has a bulb on the bottom which weighs over 500 lbs. Yes, the keel accounts for well over half the displacement. A third of the total weight of the boat is in the keel bulb.
The mast stands 31 feet tall yet weighs only 28 lbs. including the standing rigging. There are 285 sq. ft. of sail area, only 25 sq. ft. of which are in the jib – the rest is in the mainsail. It’s no wonder these are quick boats!
There are no reef points on the main. What you leave the dock with is what you have. There are no instruments to tell you how to sail, other than a compass. This is all seat-of-the-pants sailing. Come experience the thrill!