Sailing SF Bay

[dmksails]

I'm new to the Bay area, coming down from Puget Sound. I was wondering where you sail to when you want to be away from the dock for a few days.

[Paul Elliott]

For a few days? Angel Island, the Delta, Drakes Bay... Plenty of other places. Here are a couple of good resources for learning about sailing in the area:

https://www.latitude38.com/features/BaySailingGuide.pdf

http://www.amazon.com/Sailing-The-Ba.../dp/0966380800

[mrichmon]

Originally Posted by Paul Elliott

For a few days? Angel Island, the Delta, Drakes Bay... Plenty of other places. Here are a couple of good resources for learning about sailing in the area:

https://www.latitude38.com/features/BaySailingGuide.pdf

http://www.amazon.com/Sailing-The-Ba.../dp/0966380800

"Sailing the Bay" gives very detailed coverage of currents, tides, and sailing conditions in the bay. Kimball is an engaging author, but this book may be too in-depth for a someone looking to plan a few days of sailing.

The "Cruising Guide to San Francisco Bay" (also available from West Marine) gives you an overview of the different sailing areas in the bay and surrounds. Much of the book provides one to two page descriptions of individual anchorages, mooring fields, and marinas. The descriptive pages for each location includes small-scale maps showing approach channels, layout of the field/docks, and pointers to highlights around each location.

[gamayun]

Ditto on Angel Island. Great place to explore. If you don't mind motoring and watch your depth, Petaluma is nice. If you belong to a yacht club, then the possibilities open up enormously

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by mrichmon

"Sailing the Bay" gives very detailed coverage of currents, tides, and sailing conditions in the bay. Kimball is an engaging author, but this book may be too in-depth for a someone looking to plan a few days of sailing.

The "Cruising Guide to San Francisco Bay" (also available from West Marine) gives you an overview of the different sailing areas in the bay and surrounds. Much of the book provides one to two page descriptions of individual anchorages, mooring fields, and marinas. The descriptive pages for each location includes small-scale maps showing approach channels, layout of the field/docks, and pointers to highlights around each location.

Kimball's book is wonderful. Even if you're only here for a week, it's still worth the read. Covers the ocean between here and Southern California, too.

The Mahffey book is great for anchorages, not so much for background like Kimball's.

You could also do a search here on San Francisco and read a lot of previous answers to the same question.

Have fun, I'm going out today to do just that!

[sailorchic34]

Anchorages include

Clipper Cove, Very protected, busy on weekends
Paradise cove (rolley due to ferry wakes)
China camp, good protection from west, lee shore from north and east.
Richardson bay, Join the anchor outs. Actually plenty of space, plus a few dinghy docks and restaurants
Aquatic park SF (sailboats only- motoring ok, watch for swimmers)

The Delta has tons of anchorages but its a long day sail away. Lovely in the summer, Hot so take deck shades. Can get a tad moist on the slog back with summer winds.

There is an anchorage off Benecia, but the bottom tends to be foul. with old timbers and winds and counter currents will get the boat dancing.

Outside the bay there is also drakes bay (Rolley), Half moon bay and tomales bay (enter early morning before winds get honking). Watch the bar crossing.

Benecia, Vallejo, Petaluma, napa have marinas and or downtown docks (petaluma and napa) Napa river is being dredge now, so will be better. Petaluma river has a few high spots, one 1/3 mile north of green channel mariking (only one) and at haystack landing at 101 overpass at the new RR drawbridge. Hold to right (east) side of river in both locations for depth.

Petaluma and Napa have nice downtown with tons of restaurants, shops, theaters, etc. Napa downtown dockage is small.

There are also other city's with docks, Suisun city, Richmond, pittsburg and Antiock, Rio Vista. Trains at pittsburg and Antiock (noisey) and Pittsburg is heavy industry, Marina's OK and overnight slip is $15. Good downtowns.

[Paul Elliott]

China Cove on Angel Island is a nice place to drop the hook, but watch out for the ruined dock underwater. Let me know if you find my anchor, OK?

[markpierce]

There are lots of great destinations in the SF estuary, as mentioned. Number one could be Ayala (formerly Hospital) Cove on Angel Island. Check out the state park's website. The fore-and-aft moorings have since been recently upgraded.



Don't overlook Sam's restaurant in Tiburon either. They have a dock, but get there early.

[markpierce]

Be aware that some desirable destinations require bridge raisings which have limited hours, and a small minority require advance notice/reservations, in particular is D-Street bridge at the entrance to the turning basin in downtown Petaluma. One can easily google the needed information. ... Lots of restaurants and other points of interest there.