Is it time?

[JPA Cate]

Dirk, money aside,

If you are counting on SF bay to teach you what you will have to know to sail to Oregon alone, you really, really need to have rapid access to the teacher! Other thinking is fooling yourself.

Consider the average day. Maybe 12 hrs daylight. Tides do what they do. If you have to wait for 8/10ths full tide, you seriously limit your access to the teacher. Yes, I'm repeating myself, but if what you want are the contentious days of the Bay in summer, for practice and whatever, then you truly do need quick access, not at the end of a 5 hr. slog through San Pablo Bay, although, that would also teach you something.

Knew of a guy once, who had a southerly wind all the way from SF to Cape Flattery. Of course, 3 yrs. later, dead of spine cancer. Don't expect "good luck" to be an everlasting trend. I am not meaning to be negative, but to issue a warning. Personally, I consider a 5 ft. draft to be a little shallow for a 33 footer. Windward ability is often characterized by deep draft. Good luck with your trip north, and i hope you are prepared. The gale off Cape Mendocino is legendary.. Timing your trip north can be aided by the guys north of me [I never sailed north of the Farallones and Drakes Bay].



Ann

[Dirk Williams]

Good morning Ann, again thank you for sharing your wisdom. I'll get it figured out. While Petaluma may be my temp home, I don't plan on day sailing, I'll be headed out for a week at a time on the bay. FYI, I have several inquiries out to marina's in the area.

I need to shake this new boat out, learn how she handles. Every boat has quirks, I need to learn them, for my boat.

This distance of 90 miles from moss landing, to the bay is turning into the longest 90 miles I can't seem to sail.

I've mentioned I'm a lake sailor, so sailing isn't the problem, it's learning the finesse of sailing in tides, navigation, etc,etc.

As for " The Teacher" I don't think I'm understanding you. Did you recommend someone, or a specific series of hands on classes in the Bay Area?

Ann, sailing is just a hobby for me, I was given a wonderful boat, and intend to learn and share my boat with family and friends. I don't plan on living on her, or giving up my home on land.

I recognize my novice ideals, I only have so much money, to run my home front, my hobbies and allow my wife to travel in retirement.

ill get it figured out. Thank you again for your input.

Dirk

[JPA Cate]

Okay, Dirk, I get it that when you are in the Bay Area, you shall have planned roughly a week at a time, so you think spending a day getting to the teacher (the SF Bay) is not so much of a problem. Perhaps you're right. And I also get it that you're not a fanatic for sailing, having other pursuits, occupations, and goals. Sorry if you felt that I was raving at you. One really good thing about being up in Petaluma is that usually it is extremely well protected. However, as with all rivers, the story can change pretty fast if there is a serious flood.

It could well be that if you can pre-arrange berthing, a stop relatively mid way would allow you to make the ML to SF trip more comfortably. It's a big ask of yourself to undertake your first ocean voyage single handed, and an overnight passage (for a daytime arrival to happen about the middle of the flood tide). The sail from Half Moon Bay to SF is an easy days sail.

Ann

PS. At his instigation, Jim and I spent a lot of time the autumn before we left to take our PJ 36 to Mexico, going out in early winter storms to learn about things like "where to sheet the jib for heaving to". On that boat, it was necessary to set a snatch block far ahead on the rail to back the storm jib enough to stop the boat. And, in actual fact, mostly in strong conditions, we let her fore reach slowly, rather than heave to. We used to heave to to retrieve the trolling generator far more often than for storm management. I guess the point for you of this paragraph would be, one thing you will benefit from is practicing on the bay in summers strong winds is heaving to. We have had to heave to in order to sleep when we were too tired to continue bashing.

Your trip north to Oregon will involve getting around the Cape Mendocino gale, working your way north against the wind and the prevailing current, and, if you're planning the Columbia Bar entrance, it has the reputation of being one of the world's most dangerous. My folks lost a friend of ours there, back in the late 50's. I mention this not to discourage you, I get it that you said you're an adrenalin junky, but you imho do need to develop some respect for the wind and seas that comprise ocean sailing. I am tiny, and the ocean vast; the wind gods are mischievous thugs, imo, and that's why I'm on about it so, because I have a lot of ocean miles to back me up*, and I had a conservative mentor in Jim.

*a little over 130,000 n. mi., I don't keep track any more, very much

[Dirk Williams]

Hi Ann, I'm pretty depressed, I offered my boat to a fellow member here, for 7 k. The boat I got for free. I've got roughly 7 k in rebuilding her motor, new main and a new used boom, chain, anchors, etc etc.

Owning a classic old boat that's this clean which sits at the dock has zero value to me.

Dirk

[Dirk Williams]

Forgot to mention, I am very much interested in sailing. I've got three other sail boats, and roughly ten white water rafts. Being on the water is a HUGE part of who we " my family are"

I've been in contact with Petaluma, and now Vallejo thank you Snort. I've began the paperwork for Vallejo. I keep getting stuck on all the legalize, contracts, applying marina's ontO MY insurance. it's insane.

Frankly I rushed into this Hallberg RASSY, I didn't want to,see such a wonderful,boat salvaged for scrap. Which was where it was headed.

My young friend either wants the boat or not, no worries. I'm down, I'm not out.

Ann and Jim heck all who have shared advise with me.

Thank you all.

Dirk

[JPA Cate]

It sounds to me like you got a tiger by the tail, Dirk. What does your wife say? Do you want to sell the Mistral, or keep it? Don't answer in the thread, but just think about what really would fit best for you with this boat, and then see how you can make it come about. (no pun intended)

Ann

[snort]

If it's the Hallberg Rassy that's been in Moss Landing for years, I know your boat a little. A half dozen or so years ago, it looked to be in okay shape. If it's the one I'm thinking of. It was in the north bay and right near the beginning of the dock (on the right).

At any rate, I hope you had it surveyed and figured out if it's worth keeping. They're good boats and usually worth hanging on to.

Don't worry too much about ocean sailing. Just pick a good weather window and take someone along who's done the trip, or at least has some good experience.

Practicing on SF Bay will give you a lot of "hang on to your hat" type sailing, which is needed for ocean sailing.