View Sausalito/Angel Island in a larger map

Lloyd and Sylvia invited Jason, Steve M, Angel (1 week in the Bay Area), and Emily (5 days in the Bay Area, first time one a sailboat!) on a Jeanneau 32 to give the newcomers a little tour of San Francisco Bay. Winds were 12-16 knots and waves were generally light except for a small bit right before the channel between Alcatraz and Angel Island. The fog burned off by early afternoon and it ended up being a beautiful day. The boat sailed well, although we lost the pin on the shackle for the topping lift only to have Lloyd find it near the rail on the port side beam when we docked at Angel Island! This of course allowed Lloyd to perform his MacGyver impersonation and grab the flying topping lift with the boat hook so he could tie it down under way, but also the satisfaction of whipping out his trusty sailing knife to slice through the line with one swift movement so as to replace the shackle and its associated pin. The Jeanneau had some nice features including lazy jacks and single line reefs. This is a smooth, easy to sail boat. Unfortunately it lacked a traveler, so despite the easy to adjust main sheet, we probably ended up heeling a bit more at times than we would have otherwise liked.

Jason, Steve M, Angel, and Emily had never been to Angel Island (as the long time Bay Area residents sheepishly admitted), so we docked at Ayala Cove and after Jason voraciously consumed a carnitas taco whilst the group tapped their feet to the dulcet tunes of a local live bluegrass band, Lloyd, Sylvia, Jason, Angel and Emily climbed the hill to check out the Chinese Immigration Detention Center. Steve M was so enthralled with the music he decided to stay in the area within listening distance. The trip back was a pretty straightforward close haul and after a little docking practice, Jason managed ignore all of that and bounce his way into the slip (with a little help from Lloyd shouldering a piling).

All in all a wonderful sailing tour, and many thanks again to Lloyd and Sylvia for setting up another blowout sail! Let’s hope Angel and Emily get bitten by the sailing bug, but if not, it was certainly a worthy introduction to San Francisco Bay.

View Sunday May 4th Track in a larger map

Winds were relatively stable today at about 12-15 knots. Steve Moreci and Jason Teller fought a flood current on M-8 all the way out to the bridge. What was interesting was that Jason noticed the waves appeared rougher the farther East they went. Combining this observation with the fact that historically any waves slowed the boat down, he decided to tack every time he noticed increased wave activity heading East. If you take a look at the track (and if you could see the depths…) it’s pretty obvious that wave activity increased as the deep part of the channel became very shallow. So the new hypothesis is that it’s faster to sail inside the deep part of the channel…or at least much smoother.

After they turned around at the bridge they had a really nice set of deep reaches back to the channel. Steve took the power line leg today and came face to face with the cargo ship CSL Tecumseh at the narrowest part of the channel, with leeway carrying them nearer the downwind side. At a very tight close haul they narrowly cleared the bow of the cargo ship and got a really good look at it. Enjoy the video (being the responsible crewman Jason did not feel it appropriate to be filming as they crossed her bow and only started the video once they were safely clear).

Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain taken. There be bounties on their heads…