Hello from San Francisco!!

[aquadreams]

I'm a sailor in the San Francisco Bay area, Caribbean charterer (7 so far plus Croatia), and working my way toward buying a boat in next two years and leaving Silicon Valley far behind.

Currently a member with two local sailing clubs - Club Nautique and OCSC and love to get out on the bay or out the gate for weekend coastal trips.

I've taken US Sailing classes through coastal passagemaking, coastal nav, and celestial nav. Thinking of becoming a sailing instructor this summer (US Sailing basic keelboat, which is like ASA 101).

I'm spending the next year figuring out what boat to buy in the $150k range, 45-52', <15 years old for shorthanded sailing down to the South Pacific, Caribbean, and across to the Med. Any suggestions welcome. It's been great to use my sailing club and the charters to try out different boats and figure our what works/doesn't work for me. Recently sailed a Jeanneau 52.2 and really liked it.

I'm also a scuba diver (about 2500 dives) so plan on putting a compressor on board.


Cheers,
Joe

[tkeithlu]

Welcome to the forum, Joe. Do step in when you spot a topic to which you can contribute, and ask when you want to hear from others with one sort or other of expertise.

[Don C L]

Welcome here. But only 150K? And 2500 dives? That is really novice level... sorry.
Ok, I am kidding.

[aquadreams]

Thanks for the welcome. And thanks Don - I know, $150k really won't get me much but I've got to start somewhere :-)

BTW Don, a lot of my early diving was out your way in the (California) Channel Islands. I did at least a dozen liveaboard trips with Truth Aquatics out of Santa Barbara. What a blast! Haven't dove the cold waters of California since '95 though and not sure i will again anytime soon.

[Don C L]

Originally Posted by aquadreams

Thanks for the welcome. And thanks Don - I know, $150k really won't get me much but I've got to start somewhere :-)

BTW Don, a lot of my early diving was out your way in the (California) Channel Islands. I did at least a dozen liveaboard trips with Truth Aquatics out of Santa Barbara. What a blast! Haven't dove the cold waters of California since '95 though and not sure i will again anytime soon.

Yep pretty nice out here, especially with a nice full, thick wetsuit. Though lately summer temps have been almost tropical!

[gamayun]

Welcome neighbor! That's great you're already associated with two very active sailing clubs. Lots of different boats in the bay and many people to talk with to find out what might work for you. I was just talking with friends tonight about a buddy boat trip to Channel Islands, perhaps in late May. The water is sooo much warmer down there!

[aquadreams]

Thanks Gamayun! Great to hear fomr someone local.

I hope your buddy boat plans work out. Any plans on doing the Baha-haha?

I'm tied a bit to the bay for now since I'm chartering by the day or weekend from Club Nautique or OCSC. OCSC has about 800+ people on their crew list but older, smaller boats not equipped for outside the gate, CN has better boats but not as active a crew list. I'm planning to switch back to OCSC and see about being an instructor there this summer. Meanwhile I've already paid for a six day offshore course with Club Nautique.

i read in your profile that you do a lot of single handing. Is that due to not finding crew or just preference?

I haven't got into the local race scene. I live/work in the South Bay (Santa Clara) so it's a real problem getting out on weekdays.

Thanks again for the welcome!

Joe

[southwave]

Originally Posted by aquadreams

I'm a sailor in the San Francisco Bay area, Caribbean charterer (7 so far plus Croatia), and working my way toward buying a boat in next two years and leaving Silicon Valley far behind.

Currently a member with two local sailing clubs - Club Nautique and OCSC and love to get out on the bay or out the gate for weekend coastal trips.

I've taken US Sailing classes through coastal passagemaking, coastal nav, and celestial nav. Thinking of becoming a sailing instructor this summer (US Sailing basic keelboat, which is like ASA 101).

I'm spending the next year figuring out what boat to buy in the $150k range, 45-52', <15 years old for shorthanded sailing down to the South Pacific, Caribbean, and across to the Med. Any suggestions welcome. It's been great to use my sailing club and the charters to try out different boats and figure our what works/doesn't work for me. Recently sailed a Jeanneau 52.2 and really liked it.

I'm also a scuba diver (about 2500 dives) so plan on putting a compressor on board.


Cheers,
Joe

Welcome

[SF Bay Dude]

Is it a full contiguous six days offshore? Where do you go, and how much if you don't mind me asking. Good luck! …and with $150k you'll have no problem finding a nice boat.

[aquadreams]

Hi SF Bay Dude,

Yes, the US Sailing Offshore Passagemaking is a full six day offshore. "minimum of 250 miles at more than 50 miles offshore, and will log over 600 nautical miles. Each student will skipper the vessel for at least one day, covering a minimum of 100 miles." STandard for any US Sailing school.

Offshore Passage Making Certification Class - Club Nautique

So here in northern cal that means out beyond the Farallons. Emphasis on things like celestial nav (classroom cert is a pre-req), drogues, etc. Syllabus is below.

Club Nautique quotes $3000 for the class, but they have a package for Coastal and Offshore Passagemaking that they always have on special during the spring and at the Strictly Sail boat show in April. i think I paid $1800 for both.

I also highly recommend the Safety At Sea seminars put on by US Sailing. Required for Transpac and other open ocean races. They actually deploy a liferaft and you get to see what it's like jumping in, flipping the raft over and climbing in with full gear on. Among many other things over two days.

US Sailing Safety at Sea Seminars
Safety at Sea Seminars – United States Sailing Association
Find a Seminar Near You – United States Sailing Association


US Sailing Offshore Passagemaking Syllabus

Topics Covered Include

• Voyage planning and preparation
• Vessel preparation
• Development and utilization of effective watch systems
• Advanced weather forecasting
• Effective navigation including electronic and celestial methods
• Proper use of a Single Sideband radio
• Decisive command presence
• Safe boat handling in a variety of sea conditions
• Use of storm sails
• Heaving-to and running off before the wind (scudding)
• Deployment and use of sea anchors/drogues
• Deployment and use of liferafts
• Choice of, and successful completion of appropriate crew overboard maneuvers and recovery systems
• Handling emergencies at sea such as fire, water intake, dismasting and loss of steering
• Diagnosis and repairs of various boat systems (rigging, mechanical, electronic and plumbing)
• Planning and completing landfalls in unfamiliar harbors