Newbie in California

[fishwish]

Greetings! I'm new to this community and I'm just getting into sailing again. I have dreams of sailing around the world, or just SF Bay. Everyone starts somewhere. I started with one ASA class about 15 years ago, and then BAM! life happened. Well, the dream has resurfaced and I'm gung-ho to get learning again. My husband and I are ready to get some experience under our belts. He's a little less enthused than me; his pops took him on numerous deep sea fishing trips and he experienced sea sickness. His face was literally green after the Bodega Bay trip... never seen anything like it. Still caught his limit though! I know he's the perfect person to sail around the world, or the Caribbean with; he can fix anything (no joke, anything), we work well together, he's unnaturally talented at catching fish, (I'm fishwish, he'd be fishwhisperer), and oh yeah, I love him! So I keep trying to sell it...it's rough off the coast of Northern CA, we wouldn't be sailing here, more like the Bay, or the Caribbean, and only in fair conditions, those outfits go out even when they probably shouldn't because otherwise they'd lose money, it's a nicer ride in a keel boat, and on and on. I'm starting to annoy even myself! The truth is I don't really know what I'm talking about because I have only been sailing a hand full of times. So, in order for my dream to stay alive we need to just go out and do it! "Take an ASA course" you say. Well, he wants to get some time on the water "to just see how it feels" before investing in taking an ASA basic keelboat course. So this leaves us with either paying for some time on the water, or, (fingers crossed) someone reading this being open to trading a 12 pack and my world famous banana bread for letting us sail with you for the day. My prayers would be answered! We live a few hours from SF Bay, and have pretty open schedules. Also, between June 8th and 13th we will be in Southern CA, looking to get some sailing in. Basically, anywhere there's someone willing to take us out, we're there!

[Celestialsailor]

Welcome to the forum...may all your dreams be realized.

[Jim Cate]

Fishwish, lots of SF sailors never go out past the bridge. And for many folks, it is the motion generated by large, long wavelength swells that induce sea sickness, not the abrupt "banging' that you get in the wind chop of the bay. And for many of us, there are ddrugs that help a great deal. Ann and I use Stugeron quite successfully, others find meclazine better or perhaps one of t he scopalamine based drugs... there are plenty of choices. And better yet,many find that when they sail more frequently they become more resistant to the affliction.

So, there's hope for your hubby, and by extension, for you!

Spend some time reading about beer can races in the Bay... Latitude 38 has lots to say about them, and they are a very easy way to get out sailing on OPBs (other people's boats). And with luck, some CFer will give you a ride... we would if we were still there!

Good luck!

Jim

[JPA Cate]

Hi, fishwish, welcome aboard CF.

There are many threads here on CF relative to prevention of seasickness. When i was learning to sail on SF Bay, and in the ocean races, I used "Marezine". I do not know if it is still available. I agree with Jim that meclizine HCl works for many people. For me, Stugeron has been the best, and it is reported to be available online from Canada. There is one I haven't tried, "Kwell" that has an increasing good reputation. With anything scopalamine based, you should try it out ashore, when you won't have to operate machinery: it gives some people hallucinations, and double vision. I didn't like it because of the "dry mouth" side effect. At any rate, there is a lot written about the issue.

The best way I know to find the threads to look up is to click on the Search button, then go down the menu to CF Google Custom Search, click on that, fill in the subject line, and it'll get you there...all from CF threads.

Ann

[fishwish]

Thank you Jim and Ann! Drugs...now why didn't I think of that? Dramamine was the only thing that came to mind, and I know it makes people sleepy. I'll definitely read up on the ones you mentioned and do a dry run. I'll also look into the beer can races. I've heard a little, but will dig deeper. Thanks for your encouragement!

[snort]

There are some sailboats in Fort Bragg, but I can't say I've ever seen one go out for a sail. Maybe an owner there would appreciate crew help for a sail on a nice day.
Someone recently was asking about classes on the forum and I discovered that Humboldt Aquatic Center offers very reasonably priced classes. They're a bit few and far between on the calendar though, unfortunately.
For SoCal, I really liked Mission Bay Aquatic Center for "cheap" and excellent quality instruction. That was many years ago, but I bet it hasn't changed too much.

[Stu Jackson]

Buy Kimball Livingston's superb book Sailing The Bay. I sailed SF for 35 years. Welcome, you'll love it, we all did.

[gjordan]

Jim Cates said something very important. The more often you sail the less sea sickness is likely. People that spend years dreaming of sailing and leave on a trip without having sailed recently are far more likely to get sick. Beating your brains out on San Francisco Bay (yes it can feel that way) is wonderful for toughening up the stomach, but going out the gate and spending the night in Drakes Bay or down to Half Moon Bay will do a lot for your sea legs. It is not hard to sail from S.F. to San Diego without going overnight. Night sailing or fog takes some getting used to, but that is the key GETTING USED TO IT. I have a pretty strong stomach, but if I havent been sailing recently I can feel pretty rough for the first 24---36 hours, then things settle in. Give it a GO. _____Grant.

[AmericanVagrant]

If it happens that when you're in southern California I still have my Albin Vega (and I am available), I'd be happy to take you out for a jaunt around the Long Beach harbor. My new vessel is in the Bay Area, so might be able to go out for sail up there as well (once the Vega is sold and I'm able to relocate).

[sailorchic34]

For the SF Bay area, sign up on the latitude 38 crew list. Latitude 38 Crew List

[Don C L]

Welcome and come on down! The Channel Islands have a blend of the cool northern waters and southern Cal weather, and good fishing too, but the swells are tempered when they round the corner at Conception. PM me 'cause I'll be sailing those dates you say out of Channel Islands harbor. Be careful though, there are open slips, affordable boats and some nice cruising nearby, great place to practice for a longer trip.. or you may want to stay!

[gamayun]

Welcome Fishwish A summer afternoon on San Francisco Bay is one of the most exciting places to sail, IMO. It's so much fun and there are so many things to do, that it makes going offshore seem a bit of a chore. I race often, but have some weekends free so just let me know when you'll be in the area and I'll take you and the Fishwhisperer out for a nice sail. We can poke our noses out the gate, too, if you like

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, fishwish,

[Pilou]

Welcome aboard & best wishes.

Btw, Mendocino is my favorite place for mushrooms picking (porcini mushrooms).

[wsmac]

Originally Posted by snort

Someone recently was asking about classes on the forum and I discovered that Humboldt Aquatic Center offers very reasonably priced classes. They're a bit few and far between on the calendar though, unfortunately.

Gotta say from experience... don't try to take the classes during the Winter!
With our rains and winds.... I've had two classes canceled due to weather.

Plus... I learned that even after taking their classes and being allowed to rent their lasers... they can only let me take them sailing out at Big Lagoon... not Humboldt Bay.

The instruction was good, but you won't get any paper from it... so these classes are not like the ASA ratings for hopes of chartering.