Familar with Fremont CA Area?

[capcook]

Ahoy....

Does anyone know an affordable decent location in the south part of SFO Bay to keep a Catamaran? Fremont CA is popping up as a potential relo spot and I would like to put the boat near there... Are there any low bridges in far south part of the bay that a 70' mast would not go under... Half Moon Bay is very affordable, but would be a bit of a trip and where would you go from there....

Thanks all

[Celestialsailor]

Why so far south? I had my Ingrid 38 in San Leandro, slightly north. Very cheap, good yacht club and a few friendly liveaboards.

[snort]

I agree with Celestial: San Leandro.

[capcook]

"Why so far south? "

Thanks.... It has to do with High Schools and Housing.... there are some really good HS's around Fremont and housing is relatively less... with the emphasis on "relatively". We are also looking at the Dublin area and if we do that then the San Leonado / Alameda area is a great choice... I was just wondering if there were also some good choice on the South part of the Bay...

Thanks again

[Celestialsailor]

One thing you learn about this area of Ca. is that you commute. Home to work or home to boat. Up to an hour commute is the norm around here.

[sarafina]

Best option for that area is position the house and work near BART and don't drive. And then plan on san leandro or north for harbour. The fremont end of the bay is pretty much salt flats and marsh.

Welcome to the Bay!

[zeehag]

so the alviso yacht club is out of the question??

[snort]

Originally Posted by zeehag

so the alviso yacht club is out of the question??

Here is the Alviso of today: Ghost Marina of Alviso

Supposedly, plans are to dredge and allow for the flow of the Guadalupe River to re-create an actual marina, but I suspect that won't happen for quite some time.

[zeehag]

when i lived up there, until 1979--alviso was a salt flat no mans land....this i s an improvement.....

[Stu Jackson]

If you take a look at a map or a chart of The Bay, the closest marina is San Leandro. You will also note it is right below the runway to Oakland Airport. If you like 0700 wakeup calls... SL also has a terribly long and very narrow channel to get in and out. The City may eventually diss the amrina entirely.

From Fremont, Alameda is a much better location with gobs of options and easy to drive to. Oakland Marinas are simply not as nice as Alameda. We've sailed here since the mid-80s and know the area.

You don't want to go to Emeryville or Berkeley either. Why? 1) Traffic - you have to go through The Maze - the entry to the Oakland Bay Bridge; 2) the wind and more narrow channels. You almost have to leave your dock before noon or else it's an upwind motor slog to get out and windy when you come home to dock. Just had a friend move his Catalina 36 from Fortmann Marina on Alameda to Berkeley and his first post was "How Do I Dock My Boat in the winds?"

We're in Grand Marina, Alameda Marina is less expensive but has older wooden docks, Marina Village is huge and more expensive.

Happy hunting.

[capcook]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

If you like 0700 wakeup calls... SL also has a terribly long and very narrow channel to get in and out.

Thanks Stu and all...

Appreciate the info... I "flew" over the south bay in my iPad (google earth) and noted the lack of any commercial shipping etc.. so figured it was pretty shallow...

Alameda it is... that was my first choice, but wife was looking down south and so thought I better check it out...

We are actually trying to decide where to land between Miami (my choice) and SFO (hers)...I just want the boat to be close to the house... but it sure isn't as warm in the winter in SFO (but nicer in the summer).... However, we both do really like the town...

Thanks again....

Cheers

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Stu Jackson

You don't want to go to Emeryville or Berkeley either. Why? 1) Traffic - you have to go through The Maze - the entry to the Oakland Bay Bridge; 2) the wind and more narrow channels. You almost have to leave your dock before noon or else it's an upwind motor slog to get out and windy when you come home to dock. Just had a friend move his Catalina 36 from .

What do you mean by Maze? It seems a short 1/4 mile jaunt in and out of Berkeley harbor. And I've never noticed any more wind there than any where else on the Bay. Of course, I'm on the Delta now where it blows 25 all day!

[tbodine88]

Originally Posted by snort

Here is the Alviso of today: Ghost Marina of Alviso

Supposedly, plans are to dredge and allow for the flow of the Guadalupe River to re-create an actual marina, but I suspect that won't happen for quite some time.

From the website mentioned I like the line:

The boat remains in the grassy marina on account of neglect. What could be more important than taking care of your boat?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by snort

I agree with Celestial: San Leandro.

San Leandro is a dying marina and will probably be closed in the near future:

Silt could force San Leandro Marina residents out – - Mercury News Media Center


BTW- here is the current state of the Alviso Marina

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

What do you mean by Maze? It seems a short 1/4 mile jaunt in and out of Berkeley harbor. And I've never noticed any more wind there than any where else on the Bay. Of course, I'm on the Delta now where it blows 25 all day!

LOLOL

The Maze is the tangle of freeway at the 80/980/580/24/Bay Bridge intersection... That you have to DRIVE (not sail ; -) thru to get to Berkeley or Emeryville.

The egress from the Berkeley marina does bend thru some twisty bits depending on where you are berthed. I know a guy, absolutely crazy, wouldn't sail with him again, but he sails in and out of the east end of the marina with no motor assist on a regular basis... amazing skill.