Coyote Point in a Small Craft Advisory

Pete on rail, Bay Bridge in the background


August 30th


It was a near thing. Lau and I were having a difficult morning, I was in half a mind to call the day off. Scott, Pete and I had arranged to go sailing, planned the day a week before. Finally, some peace was managed and I felt better about getting out.

Friday, I was sitting around in the morning, I had gotten up earlier than everyone else and it suddenly struck me that I hadn't seen my rudder for a while. I looked in "Isabel", the garage, the driveway, the truck....looked a second and third time. It was nowhere. The last time I could specifically remember seeing it was when i handed it to Dave in RWC. We were on the dock after having the epic Aug 1st sail. I knew that this kind of thing might happen, which is exactly why I had the boats name and my home telephone number laid into the fiberglass on the side. I decided to drive up and have a look around the docks up in Redwood City and ask the harbor master if anything had turned up. We drove up and I was surprised to actually find the rudder leaning up against the side of the Sequoia Yacht Club's sailing school. I was very happy to see it there, though was less than happy to see that the tiller and connecting steel hardware had been removed. Less than fathomable, at least the pintles were still on it. That way I could spend an hour and $20 to make a new tiller and get it attached for the next day.










Yours Truly at the tiller


It was a an uneventful drive up to Coyote Point, one wrong turn and $8 entry feel to the park (including the launch fee). I went to talk to the harbor master and he was less than enthusiastic about boats going out. The small craft advisory flag was up (meaning the winds were hitting 25 knots) and it was supposed to blow at least a bit harder. I already knew that the tide was at slack and would start going out shortly. This results in larger waves and can be quite nasty. In the SF bay the wind and tide waves can be very "square" meaning the are straight up and down, lots of pounding and they can lift the outboard motor typical of smaller sailboats out of the water as the stern rises making them inefficient at maneuvering a boat in heavy weather. He suggested heading south, back to RWC for warmer, smoother sailing. We talked a bit more and we both agreed that reefed main, a small jib and all crew wearing their life preservers. We got the boat set up in short order. My brother, Scott, had wanted to go with the small jib and the main up full. I opted for the reefed main and it turned out well that we did. We had a wild ride out, wet and blowing stink. It was wild, a great time. Pete, the third member of our group, had sailed only on lakes and flat water. His comfort level was quickly reset. It is fortunate that he doesn't get motion sick.

We were doused, water running down the gunnels and for the first time the port rail actually went into the water. Scott took up the position on the windward rail to help hold the boat more level. He took the brunt of the water that came over the bow. A good sport. We kept Pete in the cockpit, the safer position in the rough water.


We headed east out of the harbor and raised the sails, trimmed in tight and headed northish. We tacked back toward the northwest after a mile or so. We were catching one boat and leading another (at least for a while until they bore off toward the east).

It was actually quite sudden, we were a few miles out in the bay and heading toward Hunters point when the wind pretty much died. We were all dumbfounded. Crazy wind to nothing. Just drifting in Zephers. We believe it was the wind shadow of Mount San Bruno. Shook out the reef, not too much difference. Growing impatient and thinking we could see wind further north and also seeing other sailboats to the north with full sails, we fired up the motor and headed out. Ultimately, we did find some wind. As we approached the Bay Bridge and Treasure Island. there were a couple of large ships hanging at anchor that we passed (The Maersk Jewel, I think) and another that I couldn't see the name. As we got closer to the island we could see a container ship coming in and the ferry moving across. We got a few hundred yards from the bridge when the ship and ferry traffic made me come about and point ourselves south again. The tide was still going out so we pretty much crawled our way south. We could see the the military ships off in the distance. These were the ships stationed at the Alameda Naval Air Station. For the longest time we just headed what we thought was south, but it was also east. We were way out and it took a long time before we saw the San Mateo bridge. We had been running hard on the wind and reefed again, when the wind died. That wind shadow. Again, fired up the engine and motored with the sails up until the wind hit us again. Coyote Point must be in a wind gap. Blowing pretty hard on the way back in. Took awhile to figure where the harbor mouth was. By the time we dropped sails and made it in, i was pretty relieved. There is a jetty and a concrete breakwater on either side. I still don't have it quite set to be able to have the main ready to raise if the engine were to fail, that would be a disaster, wind would pin you against those pilings and destroy the boat, that would suck.

We got it in and on the trailer. The boat ramps are very slimy. I hadn't noticed putting in, but was spinning tires all the way up trying to get out. Scott actually pushed, and it likely made the difference.

So, that's the specifics. Aesthetically, it was a great sailing day. A little bit of everything. Hard winds, exciting rides, wet and cold, dry and warm. Nice views of the city and all sorts of ships to look over. Kite and wind surfers running all over the place. Hungry and tired by the time we got back. Really enjoyed my bed and the sleep of exhaustion that night.

Scott pointed out what I noticed a little earlier, that the deck above the starboard chainplate was deforming. It's going to require my reinforcing/rebuilding the bulkhead. Either rotational energy is torquing it up or the actual wood is failing, regardless, has to be fixed.