Beer can race born from a bar bet

When the question was asked as to when and where the first beer can race was held, there were several virtual hands raised with the same answer: Balboa Yacht Club’s Thursday evening BeerCans Summer Series.

A 1988 story in the Los Angeles Times recalls a bar bet 25 years earlier that got it started, which would put the 2024 season as the 62nd edition. Here’s what they’ve been doing inside this Southern California harbor for a long time:

They knew their sailboats were far too big for a practical race inside Newport Harbor. But 25 years ago, over a summer afternoon cold one, the crew of the 60-foot Hilaria boasted about their maneuvering ability.

So they issued a $1,000 challenge for a race the length of the harbor back. Days later, the match between two of the area’s best known racing yachts drew a crowd of more than 200, many with their own side bets. In the end, Jack Bailie’s Hilaria won.

And for the rest of the summer, one evening a week after work, Bailie said, he was called upon to defend his record. – Full report

Editor’s note: Is this ground zero for beer can racing? If you know of an older weekday series, send an email to editor@sailingscuttlebutt.com.