The Etchells World Championship in San Francisco will be a special one for Tim Patton who is competing with his son Campbell for the first time at the event.

Patton, a multiple national champion, said: “It’s a great sport that a father and a son can compete in together and I have been involved in his sailing development for many years and it’s wonderful to be able to share a competition with him.

“It’s a bit of a shame he cannot skipper the boat because I suspect he’s a lot better than me.”

Also competing on Patton’s boat Thrash is Shaun Priestly who is his son’s Laser coach.

Another local boat in the fleet is Tiburon, jointly owned by Mark Watson III and Dirk Kneulman. Watson has been ruled out after injuring his left knee.

Among Tiburon’s crew is Grant Simmer, the general manager of 35th America’s Cup defender Oracle Team USA.

Also competing is Olympian Jesse Kirkland who is the tactician on board American Scott Kaufman’s boat America Jane II.

Kaufman and crew have plenty of momentum, having won the Etchells North American Championship in San Diego last month. The World Championship is being hosted by the San Francisco Yacht Club and will take place at the venue of the 34th America’s Cup from September 22 to 30.

The opening ceremony takes place on Monday with the first two races to be held the following day. Another notable sailors competing is Iain Murray, the regatta director for the 35th America’s Cup.

“Campbell and Shaun were a little shocked just by the people they were meeting on the dock,” Patton said. “There’s just legend after legend and after legend here.”