Did you know there isn’t a “standard” definition of a Small Craft Advisory (SCA)?\u00a0\u00a0The criteria used to issue a small craft advisory\u00a0is dependent upon\u00a0geographical location and may include wind, wave, and\/or ice conditions.\u00a0 According to NOAA’s National Weather Service, in California (including San Francisco Bay) the criteria is “Sustained winds of 21 to 33 knots, and\/or wave heights exceeding 10 feet (or wave steepness values exceeding local thresholds.”\u00a0 If you have ever taken Advanced Coastal Cruising, you know Tradewinds won’t allow you outside the gate if wind is 34 knots or higher, wave heights are greater than 12 feet, or period (steepness) is less than 9 seconds.\u00a0 The above NWS guideline is why.\u00a0 A 42 foot boat may seem big, however, it is still considered a small craft.<\/p>\n
Here on the bay, we are spoiled by daily winds in the range of 25 to 30 knots from May through September.\u00a0 Which means if we wait for a day that is not a SCA\u00a0 we have to wait until October to\u00a0go sailing!\u00a0 If you are like me, you don’t wait.\u00a0 You relish those days of guaranteed consistent\u00a0wind, sheltered from the waves and swells that normally accompany big wind!<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, sailing all summer during Small Craft Advisories tends to lessen our appreciation of what it really means, leading to an “I sail in SCA days all the time, I can easily handle\u00a0 it.”\u00a0 And then we run into a winter SCA!\u00a0 Small Craft Advisories in the winter ARE NOT the same animal as during the summer.\u00a0 Winter storms bring sustained winds in the\u00a0SCA range with gusts often times well into the Gail Force range (34 to 47 knots).\u00a0 In the winter, conditions can easily escalate in a matter of minutes.\u00a0 I remember one time on Windfall cursing the fact I had under 5 knots.\u00a0 Less than 15 minutes later, unable to control a boat under full sail with over 35 knots of sustained wind and much higher gusts I was genuinely afraid for my life (and that of my then 14 year old daughter!)\u00a0 I also remember another SCA winter day that I made the decision to keep the boat in the slip, drink coffee, and fellowship with some good buddies on the boat, while listening to mayday calls all day long.\u00a0 In one of the calls, a schooner had lost both masts and was being driven toward Red Rock.\u00a0 The USCG got to them minutes before the boat would have been driven onto the rocks.<\/p>\n
So here is this week’s tip.\u00a0 Go ahead and brag about your skills by saying things like “If I waited until there wasn’t a SCA I wouldn’t be able to sail until October.”\u00a0 But, when winter rolls around and you see a SCA in the forecast, consider staying inside by the fire instead of going sailing!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Did you know there isn’t a “standard” definition of a Small Craft Advisory (SCA)?\u00a0\u00a0The criteria used to issue a small craft advisory\u00a0is dependent upon\u00a0geographical location and may include wind, wave, and\/or ice conditions.\u00a0 According to NOAA’s National Weather Service, in … Continue reading