Emerald Sea [Last Post]: San Diego to the San Francisco Bay

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Jeff Hare

By Jeff Hare, Tradewinds Instructor and owner of Emerald Sea

After being away for 6 months you are going to have to imagine what coming in under the Golden Gate Bridge really means. It feels as if our sailing season ended far too soon – it was such a rush in terms of adrenaline and perceived shortness of time. It’s over, but we are home! Sadness, exhaustion, contentment, accomplishment, and joy all mix together – but I am getting ahead of myself.   Let’s rewind a little to San Diego Bay.

San Diego:  February 20, 2025
The easiest way to re-enter the United States is to use the CBP Roam (as in Customs and Border Protection) application for your smartphone or tablet. You can check-in online and if they don’t request your going to the Customs Dock in San Diego, you can even skip that port and continue on as you wish. We opted to come in the old-fashioned way and motored directly to the Customs Dock for inspection, which was quick and painless. The only complication is that we had forgotten to toss raw fruits and vegetables overboard outside the 3 mile limit, so these were deposited in the special receptacles on the dock (I will not admit to whether or not we smuggled in a few dozen eggs from Ensenada – we saw news reports about how expensive these were in the USA at this time). We had reserved a slip at the nearby Transient Dock for a few days of getting used to being back in the United States – we enjoy having a refreshing beverage in front of a fire pit at the Bali Hi Hotel, eating American food at the Point Break, and getting exercise taking long walks long the waterfront. See the previous entry with regard to the crashed fighter jet that was blocking the entry and exit to this area of the bay, and the creative high-tide-only navigation around it.

Catalina:
Entering the United States is uneventful if you use the CBP Roam application, so we make it eventful on purpose as sometimes you have to make a mental transition. From there, we motored overnight in the typical Southern California calm to Avalon Harbor and stayed another few days. We have some very good friends who have a vacation cottage in Avalon and they were able to join us for a few days. This friend introduced me to the joys of “Manhattan” beverages and I am not so embarrassed to say we indulged…. At one point having lunch at an outdoor venue, an aggressive seagull stole my Wife’s tartar sauce cup from her plate of fish and chips – we tried to get that back for hours! After much negotiation with the bird, and many beverages, my Wife got the cup back and all was well…..

That evening the Avalon Casino was supposed to be showing Casablanca, which would have been wonderful, but my “good friend” got the dates mixed up and we were forced to watch a Disney Movie instead – my patience with my friend was tested. While we were invited to stay in their guest room, we took the very good water taxi service back to the boat and departed the next morning (disappointed the movie was not Casablanca as promised)….

The very smart bird well skilled in stealing food.

A couple of the many Manhattans enjoyed on Avalon….

Catalina Island north of Avalon as we were departing – there are several private resorts on the eastern shoreline.

Point Conception / Cojo Anchorage:
While Southern California up to this point is normally calm and flat, rounding Point Conception is not for the faint of heart – make sure the weather forecast is calling for a minimum of 12 hours weather acceptable to you and your crew before rounding it. At this point we were anxious to get home and after navigating through the offshore oil platforms, we got as close to the point as possible in the Cojo Anchorage. There are 3 mooring balls here reserved for Coast Guard vessels to also wait out for a calm passage – this anchorage offers good holding but is very rolly and uncomfortable in high seas – you get all of the wind. On the positive side, this is one of the best surfing spots in Southern California and you see people come out along the beach in anything from Motorcycles, to Jet Skis, to fancy boats to get as close to the point as possible and surf. Beware of dark spots on the surface as these indicate kelp so stay alert and avoid those – do not enter at night as you risk getting tangled in kelp.   We stayed here for two days with one of our buddy boats (Folie a Deux) but did not gather face-to-face as it was still too rough for a dingy launch…. On the good side, the surfers, Amtrak Trains, and even SpaceX and Space Force launches will keep you entertained.

Long story short:  I recommend anchoring here only if the weather is expected to calm soon – you won’t sleep well in strong winds and heavy surf.

Speaking of buddy boats, at this time our other buddy-boat, Dolce Vita, was still experiencing some mechanical issues and while back aboard with spare parts, had still not started toward Ensenada.

We departed the Cojo Anchorage at noon just a few hours before the weather was predicted to calm – we put up with 14 foot seas and a 20 knot headwind for several hours – by the time we reached Morrow Bay, which is the next safe stop on the journey to SF Bay, we felt well rested and the weather looked really calm, so we kept going.

Photo of the SpaceX launch complex at Vandenberg Space Base

Morrow Bay to San Simeon Point and Monterrey:
I note these three stopping points because my own standard is having a full 48 hours of favorable weather between Morrow Bay and Monterrey as there is no place to hide should the weather get rough. San Simeon is the only option in an emergency, but it is small and can accommodate only about 3 boats.  In our case the weather remained favorable, we felt good, and opted to continue on nonstop.

When Emerald Sea is light handed with only two crew members, the on-watch crew is allowed to rest in the cockpit next to the helm – we take advantage of the long bench seat.

If you look at any chart, the area between Morrow Bay and Monterey Bay offers no shelter at all, so I insist on 48 hours of a favorable weather forecast before I transit. I have once had a following wind and it offered the rare pleasure of sailing north, but in most cases the prevailing wind is north-to-south, so just make sure you have taken on enough fuel to motor through it.    Emerald Sea does not perform well head to wind and as a sailor her Captain does not like burning diesel, but you gotta do what you gotta do to get home. In this area I like to stay 20 to 40 miles offshore – you miss the scenic nature of Big Sur, but you avoid overnight fishing boats, floating fishing apparatus, and huge globs of kelp that seem to be more frequent as we progress north.

As we approached Monterrey 30 some hours later, we still felt good, we saw heavy weather forecasted in a couple of days, so we still continued on knowing we could stop if needed in Half Moon Bay.

We continued on. Overnight between Monterrey and Half Moon Bay we found ourselves directly in the path of a very bright pale-yellow’ish light with no navigation lights. It appeared on radar but was not broadcasting AIS. My Wife correctly woke me and after radioing the object several times to no response, we gave way to starboard to get around it – we have no idea what it was (fishing vessels will often have bright lights on their deck so they can see their apparatus at night, but this object had no observable navigation lights at all.  

Only 3 times in this six month period did we encounter vessels that did not give way:  

1. Once while in the Baja HaHa fleet at night while I was on watch, I observed a vessel on AIS and then visually on a direct collision course with Emerald Sea.   That Skipper had accidentally (probably half asleep) hit a button in their autopilot and turned completely in the opposite direction!   After giving way appropriately and negotiating on the radio, his course was corrected and they continued on normally.

2. South of Ensenada, again at night, a Fishing Vessel (not fishing at the time) out of Sitka Alaska (according to their AIS information) with proper and observable navigation lights and AIS was observed on a direct collision course while Becky was on watch.   She woke me and we called on the radio several times – that crew was either asleep or fully committed to fishing, but they did not respond to radio calls in English (for a while, I thought perhaps this was a vessel recently purchased by a Mexican National and maybe they did not change the AIS transponder – we were never sure).  We gave way to avoid collision.

3.  As noted earlier this mysterious yellowish very bright lights was directly in our path. It was very late at night but we feel as if the object made maneuvers to get in our way – we veered dramatically to starboard, and then more, and then dramatically more to get out of it’s way. It was very odd and we passed very/uncomfortably close by – it was too dark and the light was too bright to see any shape or profile – it was a very strange encounter….

Monterey
Again at Monterey, the forecast showed a strong storm coming in and the weather was good, we felt good having fallen into a comfortable rhythm of sleep, watch, helm, so we continued directly to San Francisco Bay.  The weather built for our entry on February 28, 2025 but after the turn into the shipping channel it gave us a nice beam reach (in addition to a flood tide) and we were able to properly sail from the outer marker and through the channel.

Home.

When you are used to 80 degree temperatures in Mexico and come home in February, the helm needs to be equipped with a propane heater (or two) and very warm sleeping bags. It’s darn cold up here!

The February 28, 2025 Weather forecast – if we did not make it home on this day, we would have to wait another week In Monterrey for the expected storms to pass.

Thank you for reading this rather verbose blog, but I can not over emphasize the mixed emotions you experience after having been gone for several months and finally arrive home.   Our Golden Gate Bridge represents so much; beginnings, endings, home, comfort, and renewal. The sense of accomplishment sets in first, and as I write this memory the anticipation of going to do it again is growing. As I tell my students:  Sailing is a different sport. To many it is a comfortable day sail in familiar waters. To others it gets under your skin…. In your blood…. It owns you…. You can’t wait to do it again! Sailing is a virus for which there is no cure, so be careful. Don’t take my class because some of my students (who I know are reading this) have caught it (you know who you are)….

As a final note I am pleased to report that our 3rd buddy boat, Dolce Vita, after suffering mechanical issues and delayed by storms while bashing north, arrived in the Bay Area just a few days ago.  There will soon be a reunion of (at least) the skippers of Dolce Vita, Folie a Deux, and Emerald Sea, and you can safely bet we will be discussing our next sailing adventures.

There are only a couple of opportunities to take the TWSC Sailing Catamaran Class left! The Lagoon 450F is the most popular sailing Catamaran in the world, and you are sure to encounter this model in your family chartering! Register while there is opportunity.

And we will see you out there!

Jeff and Becky Hare
Sailing Vessel Emerald Sea
Tradewinds Sailing School and Club Instructor

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Emerald Sea [Post 8]: Ensenada to San Diego

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Jeff Hare

By Jeff Hare, Tradewinds Instructor and owner of Emerald Sea

Reaching Ensenada is a big milestone when bashing home – a lot of sailors rush past this wonderful location all in a rush to get home. We are the opposite – we like to stay a few days and mentally prepare for the faster pace of the USA. Our Buddy Boat stopped at the public marina and quickly checked in and out. Becky and I enjoy spending a few days at Marina Coral enjoying the hotel amenities. We have been cold since leaving Cabo San Lucas, so a few hours soaking in the hot tub was welcome, although it feels somewhat artificial when compared to the pristine waters of the Sea of Cortez. We explored the city, ate the last of our Mexican fresh foods (you can not take any fresh fruits, veggies, or proteins back to the USA) mixed with visits to finer restaurants. Marina Coral is not inexpensive, but the staff here is first-rate. Included in your marina rate is a chauffeured drive to Customs to “check out” of Mexico. Once you do, you are required to vacate the country within 48 hours.

When we entered the country several months ago it was with the Baja HaHa fleet with nearly 300 people. We did not notice that our passports were not stamped. We had all of the other necessary documentation that supported our entry, just not the stamp. After paying a small fine and the entry fee again, we officially checked in and out the same day (none of the other marinas we visited, where you must show passports, noticed the stamp was missing).   Everything fixed with the help of Fabiola (marina manager at Marina Coral) and her staff as they aided in the negotiation with Mexican Customs, we grudgingly departed Ensenada and Mexico for the (approximately) 65 mile motor to the Customs Dock in San Diego. This trip was somber and uneventful – a milestone marking the end of our 5 months in Mexico.

We arrived in San Diego with all the realities mayhem and business of the port of San Diego.   The week before we arrived a military aircraft had lost engine power and crashed right into the channel leading to the customs dock – I thought they would have removed it, but apparently they were using it as a training opportunity and let the Navy Seals perform mock recovery missions on the wreck – they seemed in no hurry to remove it and the entire channel was blocked with the barge and crane that would eventually lift the remains of the jet. After chatting with the guard and checking to make sure it was high-tide, we motored past the channel about 1/4 mile and cut directly into the sea wall, turning left again and following it closely back into the channel behind the barge – if you check a local chart you can get a pretty accurate view of this back-channel and the depth it provides. We arrived at our reserved slip and stayed there another three days. During that time US Customs performed their inspection and we checked back in to the good old US of A!!!

Keeping track of our two other buddy boats at this time; Folie a Deux had passed through San Diego and stopped in Santa Barbara for a few days as that owner had a wedding to attend.   Dolce Vita was still anchored in Punta Baja being watched by some local fisherman while her owner and crew traveled home to consult with some local mechanics regarding her ability to motor the remaining distance.

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Emerald Sea [Post 7]: Bahia Tortuga

Posted on March 4, 2025 by Jeff Hare

By Jeff Hare, Tradewinds Instructor and owner of Emerald Sea

Bahia Tortuga / Turtle Bay is a planned stopping place for nearly every brasher for many reasons.   First of all, it represents half-way home (at least to San Diego from Cabo).  They have restaurants, fuel, and a couple of good grocery stores.  The biggest reason to stop is that they are a fully enclosed bay with full protection from weather coming from any direction.  You can sleep in the bay to rest and recover for as long as you wish.

Also while here, SpaceX was nice enough to launch some Starlink Satellites and we took a rather spectacular video of the launch and direct flyover of this bay.

Our buddy boats, Folie A Deux and Dolce Vita had arrived a few days before us.   Both having professional crew, Dolce Vita took off early as they had some timelines to meet. Unfortunately they met with some mechanical issues and parked their boat in Punta San Carlos for a couple of weeks while the crew returned to their homes and the owner was able to get back to the United States for Parts.   (Today February 25, the owner is back aboard with a crew member and parts with plans to depart tomorrow).

Emerald Sea and Folie a Deux left as a pair on February 12 while the weather was still harsh.   With big waves and a very strong headwind we motored at the fullest speed possible to the lee side of Isla Cedros and spent the next few hours continuing slowly as the winds died down.   On the Eastern Side of Cedros the winds were still strong so we sailed as close-hauled as we could as far northeast as possible.   The winds died down to their predicted 10 knots and we sailed on to a bay called Punta Colonett with a total distance traveled of 204 miles from Bahia Tortuga.  

Bahia Colonett is just south of Ensenada and a good place to stop if you are coming in to Ensenada a little earlier than your slip reservation.   We stayed their one night and continued to Marina Coral for a few days of Hot Tub soaking and restaurant food.

Here are a few sunrise photos…

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Emerald Sea [Post 6]: Punta Abreojos

Posted on February 18, 2025 by Jeff Hare

By Jeff Hare, Tradewinds Instructor and owner of Emerald Sea

Tuesday February 4 at Noon.

Emerald Sea has just arrived at the little town of Punta Abreojos as I write this – the anchor and anchor alarm is set and I like to sit up for at least an hour to watch it before falling asleep for a well deserved rest – writing to you is occupying a little of that time. With just the two of us, we sailed nonstop from Puerto Vallarta (Marina LaCruz) across the Sea of Cortez to Cabo San Lucas, waited there for a few days as all 3 of our buddy boats gathered, and now sailed up the Pacific Coast of the Baja Peninsula to this town, another 314 miles nonstop over 74 hours.   We are a little sleepy, so who knows what I might write in my barely conscious state…..???

We are joined by boats Dolce Vita and Folie a Deux who all intend to remain in our little fleet all the way to San Francisco Bay.   Both of these other boats have flown their Significant Others back home and brought in experienced delivery crew – only Emerald Sea has just the two of us novices.   So far, so good – we only have another 400 miles to Ensenada, 450 to San Diego, and about a thousand to San Francisco.   Not overwhelming at all!

This being our 2nd year spending several winter months cruising Mexico, we enjoy it immensely!   The Mexican people are honestly interested in getting to know you.   The Xpats, both Canadians and Americans who live here seasonally or full time are always ready to give advice, help in any way, translate, or advise.   The anchorage areas offer uncrowded bliss, remote vistas, and crystal emerald water.   When you need a marina or boat work, these are also top-notch.    We had Emerald Sea’s exterior detail-cleaned and she has never been so spotless (Thanks Aaron and team)!!   Of course with a few hundred miles and offshore hours, she needs to be cleaned again….  Maybe after my nap.

I am very pleased that just the two of us seem to have been able to handle these longer distance segments.   We impose shifts of 4 hours with the off-shift crew person staying right in the cockpit and acting as Watch.

Our little fleet will be anchored here for a few days as the rain you are all getting in California now, will bring high surf and eventually high winds here also – we will try to move the 100 miles north to Bahia Tortuga, but may also be stuck here up to a week while the storm eventually passes.   I’ll update you one way or another.   We will need a 3 day stretch of calm to cross the Bahia Sebastian Visciano to the north.  (The white dot is our current location, the green dot is near Bahia Tortuga, the blue dots are other important weather locations I keep handy and all the red stuff is very bad for sailboats and sailors)…..

If you get your hands on a copy of the February issue of Latitude 38, please see our early cruise summary inside the Bahia de California (the Sea of Cortez) – we hope to spend an entire season there soon.

Also make sure to check the schedule for Cruising Catamaran on the Tradewinds Calendar.   Time is running out, as Emerald Sea will soon be cruising more distant waters…..

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Emerald Sea [Post 5]: “Gulfo de California”

Posted on February 4, 2025 by Jeff Hare

By Jeff Hare, Tradewinds Instructor and owner of Emerald Sea

Greetings from Emerald Sea in what is still called the “Gulfo de California” (at least I think it’s still called that anyway)….  

After enjoying several months in the warm climate of Mexico, Emerald Sea and her crew of two are starting our “bash” back home with an expected arrival of sometime in March. On February 1st we will be meeting two other boats in Cabo San Lucas to form a small fleet for the trip north where we will share experience, resources, and networking for the thousand mile climb north to San Francisco Bay! I expect to make a few more log entries on the way, so stay tuned!  

What a time we have had! We very much enjoyed the remote living and crystal clear waters of the Sea of Cortez and can’t wait to return! Unfortunately there were not many whale sharks this year because the water is colder than normal. We did enjoy Kayaking and swimming these very same waters while we hiked these remote islands in absolute splendor! If you are or have been a YouTube Sailing Channel patron, you may recognize the name Brady Trautman formerly of Sailing Delos. While at Puerto Escondido just south of Loreto we heard a dingy approach and voice shouting “want some chicken?” – while I tend to decline such offers of random chicken, recognizing Brady who was just completing a charter and sharing their unused frozen food was cheerfully accepted (although the meeting of a YouTube celebrity was more fun than getting the food)… Unfortunately the camera was not easily available and there are no photos.

Later on in the trip, having learned from the mistake to meeting Brady Trautman without a camera, this skipper ran into another television celebrity not once but twice! If you are a fan of Gold Rush, Alaska you may know the name Tony Beets. We met at the airport while I was picking up a visitor and got a photo of him at least.

Check the calendar for Cruising Catamaran classes this summer and book your spot. Our decision to sail longer and further is coming soon as we gain more and more blue water experience!

Did you see the next club trip to Tahiti for 2026?

Think of the possibilities!!!!

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Emerald Sea [Post 4]: “Wish you were here!”

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Jeff Hare

By Jeff Hare, Tradewinds Instructor and owner of Emerald Sea

Sailing Vessel Emerald Sea sends her greetings from Gulfo de California!

We have enjoyed exploring several islands in the Mexican National Park system and highly recommend anyone visiting to just go buy the annual pass at this website as it apparently covers all parks. Because you can’t get it all done in a day, save yourself the annoyance and get the annual pass! The water here is an inviting emerald and you just don’t want to get out of it. Hiking the islands offers vistas that are difficult to describe. I cant tell you what a joy it is to meet other cruisers and swap sea stories. You might hear about the strong north winds – be prepared to hunker down for these as they may last a day or so (this is why we bring books to read), but the calm days between the wind storms allow you to move north toward your next adventure at a new and interesting place.

The wise words of the Grand Poobah are not wrong; “Wish you were here!”…

Another bit of advice: We allocated a month to explore the northern areas of the Sea. That’s not enough! Expect to spend an entire season because there is so much to do and see. Come with patience as you will have to occasionally tuck into a protected anchorage for the high winds coming from the north, but you will be rewarded by several days of mild weather, pristine air and water, and sea life many people only see on television – your next new place to explore is only a few hours away! The air here in the north is cooler in the evening, so we had to occasionally wear long pants, long sleeved shirts, sleep with a blanket, and even real shoes (I hate shoes!)

The attached photo encapsulates what I am talking about – Sailing Vessel Emerald Sea on the Emerald Sea of Cortez! While I already quoted the Poobah another appropriate quote from Warren Miller comes to mind (when I used to enjoy winter sports): “Do it! If you don’t do it this year, you will be one year older when you do”.

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Brooks Island Coastal Beach Cleanup Day

Posted on October 3, 2024 by RWeibleTWS

By Chris O., Tradewinds Instructor

I pass Brooks Island many times as I teach sailing classes admiring the beauty of this mysterious place, at the same time I cringe at the pungent smell of bird poop coming off the windward side which signals to me a healthy thriving bird population on the island. Through my numerous days of sailing on the Bay I only come to its shore once a year.

2024 is the 4th consecutive time I was able to participate in the Coastal Clean-up Day organized by Tony Johnson, one of our own TWSC Sailing Instructors, Matt A., the Island Caretaker, the Regional East Park Service, and Tradewinds!

On a cold September morning, a rag tag team of dedicated TWSC sailors and their friends gathered at the Richmond Marina Dock G where we met Matt and proceeded to the island on a zodiac and two motorboats from TWSC.

A light breeze from the Golden Gate made the air crisp and enjoyable, waking up all remaining sleepy heads who did not have their daily dose of caffeine. Thanks to careful planning by Matt, the Tide Gods were on our side this time around allowing us to pass the treacherous shallows as we approached the island dock. Timing is everything and if you don’t pay homage to them, you will run aground and wait until They decide to let you go… if they decide favorably that is.

The island is a bird sanctuary and a breeding ground for many species of birds migrating between North and South coastal territories. Based on Archaeological excavation the island was inhabited by Coastal Native Tribes as early as 3000 B.C.

Our group of volunteers were determined to make a difference and clean up the accumulated plastic debris making this swath of land a safer, cleaner place for all its inhabitants. Due to tidal range, we only had a few hours on the island to do our job before low tide settled in for the next 6 hours. By the early afternoon we had removed approximately 30 large 60-gallon bags of plastic trash and debris from the island. Due to Brooks Island location and prevailing winds on the San Francisco Bay, all floating trash generated by people usually ends up here on the shore. It’s a never-ending struggle to keep the island beachhead plastic free, but there are those that will take on the challenge annually.

So, what did it take to make this endeavor happen… a thought.

A few years back Tony had a thought, an idea; he turned this idea into an organized plan with the help of Matt and the good folks at REPS and TWSC, there was no shortage of folks wanting to volunteer and participate in the plan to make a difference, myself included.

Over the four years Brooks Island beachhead has turned around from a place filled with floated garbage to a local jewel, a quiet beautiful quaint beach nestled in the busy San Francisco Bay.

So, what’s in it for me you ask…

For me, the next time I teach my students tacks, jibes reefing sails, COB’s maneuvers next to Brooks, the ever so pungent smell of bird poop from the windward side will remind me that I was part of a greater difference, which allowed birds and nature to return and flourish, making the San Francisco Bay that much nicer to sail and enjoy as a sailor…and the smell, well you get used to it after a while. 😊

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Sailing Odyssey

Posted on September 9, 2024 by RWeibleTWS

Since Odyssey joined the Fleet, I immediately thought: “Nope! That’s just too much boat for me.” From the multiple masts and lack of jib, to the sturdy dodger and the slew of lines in the cockpit, it seemed beyond my capacity. On top of that, I had heard and seen a few instances where getting into the slip was a challenge. Naturally, because that’s how the universe works, I found myself on the schedule to teach its next checkout. So, I reached out to the owner and fellow instructor, Carlos, for a private checkout of my own. And, let me tell you, it was nothing like I anticipated and a truly wonderful sailing experience.

To start, we walked through the checkout sheet together. If you haven’t been below on this 1986 Freedom 39, she is beautifully outfitted with swivel chairs, spacious berths, and a roomie banquet/table. And the engine compartment has easy access from the galley and aft locker.

Once the checkout was complete, I could feel my nerves increase knowing that our slip departure was imminent. With some great tips from Carlos, however, I took us out. Similar to most boats in our fleet in a downwind slip with wind from the southwest — starting on the starboard stern, we worked our way around the boat and cast off our lines, taking the forward spring line to the bow to keep us centered in the slip, and stared out. Now, you might be asking yourself the same question I had which is: “If you start your turn when the mast clears the end of the slip, what do you when you have TWO masts?” Well, the answer is: between them. In fact, a good indicator on the boat is the traveler for the main mast (the forward mast). The traveller for the mizzen mast (aft mast) is when the mainsheet just behind the helm. One important thing to note is that Odyssey is heavy and doesn’t respond quickly under power, so having a little extra throttle to come out of the slip is key. As you clear midships and turn the wheel full to port, you might feel as though she won’t turn. Be patient. She will. And she did!

And now for the best part, the whole reason we all sail…the sailing part! Each sail has two reefs, a halyard, vangs, and a sheet. Pretty standard. So, we approached windy corner and started hoisting. Order of operations? Main first, then mizzen (reverse to drop sails). Now, here is the only slightly challenging part of the charter. It’s a lot of sail and you have to be careful not to get the battens stuck in the lazy jacks as you hoist. However, once they are up and you set them, you get to sit back, relax, and enjoy everyone you pass looking at your vessel in awe. The best part? Tacking is SO EASY! You never have a jib to contend with. And, when it comes to being on a run, with no shrouds, you can easily set yourself wing on wing.

Coming back in was what I had feared the most. As it turns out, it was just like any other docking experience I’ve had. Pro tip: if you need a little help getting the stern to port to line yourself up better coming in, give it a little kick in reverse and the prop will set you up for a perfect landing.

All in all, my experience was nothing like I had anticipated. It was a lot of fun, way easier than I had imagined, and not scary at all. I highly recommend you do a checkout on Odyssey and enjoy this stunning cat-rigged ketch.

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Safe To Go

Posted on September 1, 2024 by Tony Johnson

There is really no such thing as safe to go; if you want to be safe, don’t go. Said Saint Thomas Aquinas seven centuries ago: “If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.” Actually, even that won’t work. And that’s not why we build ships.

Now, of course there are easy sails, many blissfully so. The problem is that in advance, you just don’t know which ones they are. I’ve gotten into terrifying trouble right at Point Potrero, or next to my mooring in Tomales Bay, saved by what I like to flatter myself is seamanship, but equally credited to a benign nod from Poseidon. You’ve chosen to be a sailor, and that means that although safety is a priority, you don’t choose to be safe and comfortable at the expense of a mundane and prosaic existence. You’re willing to take some calculated risks for the sake of adventure and challenge. But if you’re going to seek adventure, it’s a good idea to bring your brain along, just in case.

Compared many things we do all the time, sailing is quite safe. You’re many times more likely to have a serious accident driving to the marina than on the boat. And among various types of boating, sailing is among least risky. According to the Coast Guard, canoes are more dangerous:

Nevertheless, the prudent mariner takes nothing for granted with regard to safety. Now I’m not superstitious and do not adhere to the precautions of sailors of yesteryear, like prohibiting bananas or never leaving on a Friday. But still. When I get ready to untie the lines I’m reminded of the great Jerry Rice, who dressed meticulously before entering a football field to do battle and get muddy. If I’m about to go face the sea, an adversary much more formidable than some mere flesh-and-blood competitor, I’m gonna get myself ready.

The best way to be a safe skipper is a bit of a catch-22. You do it by sailing. The more you sail, the better you will be able to manage the boat without becoming overwhelmed when things go all ahoo. Spending time with every seemingly minor detail you are taught by Tradewinds contributes to your being safe to go.

More specifically, Tradewinds requires completing a checklist prior to departure represented by our acronym, “safe to go.” But if you charter elsewhere, you may not have such a list to jog your memory, and that’s when having memorized “safe to go” comes in handy. Many of these are mechanical items, often checked off perfunctorily. But is the skipper safe to go? Does he or she understand how to use all these things quickly in an emergency? Of all the gear on board, nothing is as important to the safety of the boat and crew as the mind of the captain. It’s also the most likely to malfunction.

……………………

S is for safety gear. In over 40,000 miles, I have used few of these; but I’m certainly glad I had them aboard. As Brandy’s dad Butch, a great sailor, is fond of saying in a phrase worthy of Captain Ron, “It’s not a problem until it’s a problem.”

We are required by the Coast Guard to have certain gear. In addition to those sensible items, the competent skipper will check the boarding ladder, first aid kit, wooden plugs, radio, anchor, boat hook, extra lines, charts and the tools to use them, and compass. It is not sufficient to merely check a piece of gear off the list. You need to be able to clearly explain it to your crew when things get dodgy and your mind is flopping around like a wounded snake. Panic in the face of the skipper is not a look that inspires confidence. Two examples of things you should inspect, in case their deployment is not as obvious as you may assume, are the main anchor and the emergency tiller, so be sure to familiarize yourself with these. When things go pear-shaped, these will have to be deployed without hesitation. That is not the time to be figuring out how they work.

A is for atmosphere. In San Francisco Bay we have two major weather patterns, summer and winter. Fall and Spring are a mix of the two. It’s easy enough to check the weather for any given day, but knowing the reasons behind the weather in the forecast may help visualize what is happening and respond to predictions. This can be confusing with regard to a small craft advisory. In the summer, our prevailing wind in the Bay is caused by the heating of the Central Valley, which creates a thermal low when hot air rises after the ground heats up in the afternoon. This sucks air through the Golden Gate, the only gap from the ocean through the coastal mountains, and into “the slot,” and when this is strong it triggers a small craft advisory. In the summer, while the breeze at the city front may be in the mid-twenties, you may see only ten knots in the Oakland Estuary which is hidden from the venturi around the Golden Gate. The great thing about this is that in the summer, you can pick your conditions. Not so in winter, when the Central Valley doesn’t get hot. The weather we see will be part of the larger, synoptic pattern, so the results are not so easily managed. In the map below you see a front extending from Alaska to Mexico, which will bring wind and rain to the entire Bay as it heads east. There will be no escaping to Oakland; the small craft advisory will pertain to the entire area.

If you charter abroad, your charter company will almost certainly help you with local weather.
If you cruise privately, however, you’re left to your own devices. You should learn how to read a weather chart like the one below. If you have Starlink, these can be viewed online but if you don’t, there are other ways to do it. You may have to rely on local VHF weather, which may be in a foreign language. You’ll have to do some homework on your alternatives in each area.

F is for floorboards. This means checking automatic and manual bilge pumps, and locating each thru-hull valve so that you can find them in the dark. I don’t wish to alarm you, or maybe I do, but if one of these is left open and the hose somehow fails, you need to check them all immediately. If enough time has passed so that there is water in the boat submerging the valves, you won’t be able to see them and it will take too much time to try to figure out all the locations by looking at the manual. You need to have a map of them in your mind before you leave the slip. All but the valves for engine cooling, and for the packing gland if fitted, should be closed when underway and not in use.

E is for engine and here I also include electrical. Do your engine checks, safely disconnect shore power, and make sure the VHF is on and set on channel 16. A cautious skipper will inform his crew, briefly, how to use the radio in an emergency in case the captain is injured or occupied. Nowadays, the Coast Guard may ask for a mobile number to continue a call. This gives you the advantage of being able to move around the boat and attend to things instead of being stuck by the VHF.

T is for tides and currents. Know how to use the tide book to adjust tide time and height for Richmond, or for where you plan to sail, particularly if this is to shallow Richardson Bay, Ayala Cove, or Clipper Cove. Adjustments are found at the beginning of the tide book, on pp. 11-13 in the current edition. For currents, check pp. 50 and following for min-charts of the bay. These show, graphically, the flow of the current for every hour during the tidal cycle. You need to be familiar with using a tide book, even if the app on your phone is your preferred method. The way our book works is the same way they work in French Polynesia and the Mediterranean. If you have no Internet, the book is your fail-safe.

O is for on-deck rigging. Make sure you know which lines are which, particularly the reefing arrangement. At least one person besides the helmsman will be required for this procedure, so make sure your crew understands the lines, and that you understand them well enough to describe the procedure step-by-step to crew if you need to stay at the helm.

G Check the fuel level.

O Check the steering, and find the emergency tiller. Don’t just locate it; install it. They are all a bit different and some are counter-intuitive. On Papagayo, for example, the tiller is reversed, so you’ll have to steer backwards from what you’re used to. Try to avoid putting yourself in a situation where you have to back up the boat using this arrangement, as with a truncated tiller you won’t have the necessary leverage to control the rudder.

Being safe to go isn’t just about mechanically checking off these boxes. It is centered in the knowledge of the skipper, who is satisfied that all the necessary preparations to keep the boat and crew safe have been attended to. The confidence that results will be clear to guests, and will give more comfort to those unfamiliar with boats. The lack of confidence that comes from a hasty and ill-planned departure will also be recognized by them. They will not be put at ease by it.

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Let ‘Em Fly…Or Not!

Posted on August 11, 2024 by RWeibleTWS

In the footsteps of Don Gilzean, Craig Walker, and Tony Johnson, I’m stepping up to share some important tips as we see the need from our clubhouse vantage point. And the biggest thing we’ve noticed lately involves…furling! 

So, let’s start at the beginning. Letting out your jib (OR furling main). The key to both is back-pressure or “tailing” of the furling line as you ease out the sails, but let’s go back a little further. 

Unfurling the Main: You’re head to the wind, you have your boom vang released completely, you have some slack in the main, and you’re ready to start pulling on that outhaul. Right? Wrong. Most furling mains (you should always check) wrap counterclockwise in the mast (see image below), so the best angle to the wind is a few degrees to port to let the wind help the main out. The other equally important component is the backpressure/tailing mentioned before. As you are pulling on the outhaul, have someone else apply just a little tension on the inhaul. That way, the main won’t come loose in the mast and get stuck, which is never fun. Doing it this way should be easy to do by hand – no winches! Never force a stuck sail by grinding away on a winch. 

Furling the Main: reverse the above, but with one difference. This time, look at the sail and put equal tension on the foot and the leech. If one of them is looser than the other, the sail will have wrinkles in it while it is rolling into the mast. Adjust the boom vang or mainsheet as needed to keep equal tension on them. 

And now the Jib! What we see and hear consistently is that you have to get your main and jib out at the same time, head to wind, to sail. Not true! There’s a classic saying in sailing that goes, “Raise sails aft to forward, dowse them opposite.” Get your main up, bear away ideally to a beam reach, and then let your jib out. The wind will help, and you won’t be too overpowered – as you might be on a close haul.  

The key thing to remember here, again, is tailing/back pressure on the furling fine as you pull on the working jib sheet. This may involve finding something to wrap it on, like a cleat, so that the pressure doesn’t pull it from your grasp (or burn the hands of your crew!) 

Lastly…furling the Jib: often, the response to the steps of jib furling is “head to wind.” But, if you head into a good, stiff, summer breeze to furl the jib it will take the wind pressure off, but it will also turn into a flag and flog relentlessly. When the jib is flogging, we are reducing its life. Jib sheets are also flogging and can break dodger windows, are hard on blocks & rigging, and are a danger to crew. Instead, head down-wind, almost on a run. Have you ever tried to steer downwind and found yourself heading back up to keep your jib from collapsing? This is because the main is “blanketing” the jib from the wind. On this point of sail, you’ll be able to furl the jib with very little effort.  

And now, reverse the tailing process – applying back pressure on the working jib sheet while pulling on the furling line! 

So, can we answer the question in the title of this post? I think so. 😊 

Happy sailing!

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