Tradewinds Sailing School and Club More Experience. More Time on the Water. More Fun.

From the Helm

Happy August! The wind is blowing,

the sun is out, and we are having a great sea-

son. On the schedule for this month are all of

the usual culprits: Saturday Night Sail, Intro

to Sailing, Friday Night Races, and Brandy

has thrown a Pancake Feed into the mix just

to keep us on our toes. If you missed the July

Social, you missed something special! The

music was outstanding and we’d like to thank

everyone who brought their instruments out

and joined in. Special thanks to Craig Walker

for setting it up and leading the event. If you

did miss it, don’t worry, we are going to do a

repeat in September and add something spe-

cial - check page 8 for the specifics.

Brandy is also pulling together the de-

tails for the 2012 San Juan Islands trip. There

will even be an option for folks who would

like to try a power-boat! If fishing and explor-

ing in the Northwest isn’t your style, check

out David’s 2012 adventure to Grenada.

All of our newest specialty classes are

on the calendar over the next couple of

months. Don’t miss the opportunities to get

your ASA certs for weather, radar, and cruis-

ing catamaran. They may not be available

again for a few months.

Enjoy the summer sailing, see you on

the docks!

-Matt K

Contents

Events & Announcements 2 Sailing Classes 3 Checkout Schedule 3 Nautical Terminator 4 Tradewinds is turning 50 4 Friday Night Races 5 Boat of the Month 6 ASA 120, 119, 114 Endorsements 6-7 Open House, September Social 9-13 2012 Charter Adventures 14-16

August 2011 W indwords www.TradewindsSailing.com Email us: staff@tradewindssailing.com Phone # 510-232-7999

What’s that behind you?

Starboard! Oh, never-mind...

2

More Time on the Water.

Welcome New Members

Witold Woroniecki Mindy Hollar Chris Glubka Ron Solis Emre Okar Mark Stuart Martin Spear Anthony Baker Jerry McCullar

Nicholas Kahle Todd Olson

Events & Announcements

Date Event - Click: Event Calendar

Aug 6 11am-3pm

Open House - Free Sailboat rides! Invite your friends to come and check us out. Visit with the Tradewinds Staff and explore our facility at Marina Bay Yacht Harbor. We will be providing free sailboat rides from 11am to 3pm—first come, first served. Space is limited.

Aug 7 Noon-4pm

Introduction to Sailing - Join us for a sail on The Bay! All welcome. A typical 4 hour Bay sail from Marina Bay includes a trip through Raccoon Straight, around Angel Island, across the “Slot”, down the San Francisco city front, and a leisurely down-wind sail back home. The route may change according to conditions, of course! Free for Members, $50 for Non-Members. For boat assignments and openings, visit: ITS Schedule

Aug 13 9:30am-11am

Pancake Feed - Join us for a pancake breakfast at the clubhouse! We'll start grilling cakes at 9:30am. Bring any breakfast side-dishes you like and plan to be well-fed and heading out on the bay to go sailing before noon!

Aug 16 Noon-4pm

Introduction to Sailing - Join us for a sail on The Bay! All welcome. A typical 4 hour Bay sail from Marina Bay includes a trip through Raccoon Straight, around Angel Island, across the “Slot”, down the San Francisco city front, and a leisurely down-wind sail back home. The route may change according to conditions, of course! Free for Members, $50 for Non-Members. For boat assignments and openings, visit: ITS Schedule

Aug 19 7:30pm-9:30pm

Friday Night Race Series & BBQ - The races start about 6pm. If you are not racing, you can find a good viewing spot at Miller/Knox park. Join us after the races for a Bar-B-Q and cheer on your favorite team! Click for Current Series Standings

Aug 27 12pm - 4pm

Introduction to Sailing - Join us for a sail on The Bay! All welcome. A typical 4 hour Bay sail from Marina Bay includes a trip through Raccoon Straight, around Angel Island, across the “Slot”, down the San Francisco city front, and a leisurely down-wind sail back home. The route may change according to conditions, of course! Free for Members, $50 for Non-Members. For boat assignments and openings, visit: ITS Schedule

Aug 27 6pm-12pm

Saturday Night Sail - Join Brandy & Matt for a night-time sail around the bay. Learn how to navigate at night, experience the bay in the dark, or just come out and enjoy a nice romantic evening on the water. Free for members, $75 for non-members. For boat assignments and openings, visit: SNS Schedule

Aug 30 12pm-4pm

Introduction to Sailing - Join us for a sail on The Bay! All welcome. A typical 4 hour Bay sail from Marina Bay includes a trip through Raccoon Straight, around Angel Island, across the “Slot”, down the San Francisco city front, and a leisurely down-wind sail back home. The route may change according to conditions, of course! Free for Members, $50 for Non-Members. For boat assignments and openings, visit: ITS Schedule

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Classes

The following classes have at least one opening at the release of this newsletter. Check our online Course Sched-ule for real-time data. Call the office if you have any questions or if you are ready to sign up. Prices listed are normal full-price courses. Check our specials page for all current specials!

Basic Keelboat ($695) Aug 6,7,13 Aug 17,18,19 Aug 20,21,27 Aug 26,27,28 Sep 9,10,11 Basic Keelboat All-Women’s($695) Sep 17,18,24 Basic Coastal Cruising ($795) Aug 15,16,17 Aug 20,21,27 Aug 26,27,28 Sep 9,10,11

Bareboat Chartering ($895) Aug 14,20,21 Sep 9,10,11 Sep 18,24,25 Coastal Navigation ($325) Oct 14,15,16 Advanced Motoring & Docking ($225) Sep 10 Advanced Anchoring ($225) Aug 27 Sep 24

Advanced Coastal Cruising ($1,295) Sep 30 & Oct 1,2

More Experience.

Boat Checkouts

Remember, checkouts are free and the more boats you are checked out on, the easier it is for you to go sailing on any given day! There are openings in the following checkouts. Remember to call the office and schedule it if you can attend. For up-to-the-minute schedule & openings, click: Checkout Schedule

Date Time Boat Number/Name

Aug 6 9am Mauna Kea (Silver)

Aug 7 9am Megalina (Gold)

Aug 9 6pm Redeemed (Gold)

Aug 11 6pm Toba Leah (Gold)

Aug 13 9am Black pearl (Gold)

Aug 14 9am Asilo (Silver)

Aug 16 6pm Lucy (Gold)

Aug 18 6pm Pink Slip (Gold)

Aug 20 9am Amazing Grace (Silver)

Aug 21 9am Vested Interest (Gold)

Aug 23 6pm Valhanna (Platinum)

Aug 25 6pm Asilo (Silver)

Aug 27 9am Pain Killer (Gold)

Aug 28 9am Kallisto (Silver)

Aug 30 6pm Galen (Platinum)

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More Experience.

Nautical Terminator By Tony Johnson, Tradewinds Instructor

The attempt to understand the term “Corinthian” as “amateur,” which is its contemporary meaning

with regard to sailing, has left me puzzled about its connection to the ancient city. In antiquity Corinthians were not

known as amateurs, but licentious idlers, and the Isthmian Games in Corinth were no more amateur than any others.

We find a clue in Shakespeare. In Henry IV, Pt. 1, Act 2, Scene 4, Prince Henry tells us that “They take it

already upon their salvation that though I be but Prince of Wales, yet I am the king of courtesy, and tell me flatly am

no proud jack, like Falstaff, but a Corinthian, a lad of mettle, a good boy—by the Lord, so they call me…I can drink

with any tinker in his language.” In this passage, Henry asserts that although he is royal, he is no braggart or snob,

but can amiably converse and imbibe with the common man. The Seawanhaka Yacht Club gentlemen, founders of

the tradition of Corinthian sailing, would have known their Shakespeare. So it was Henry’s rebellion against social

boundaries that they found emblematic of their revolutionary style of sailing, unfettered by the existing designations

of class.

Three centuries after Shakespeare, there occurs another telling use of our term by William Makepeace Thack-

eray. In 1854, only 17 years before the founding of the Seawanhaka Yacht Club, he writes: "The Corinthians were in

the habit of drinking a great deal too much in Tom Cribb's parlor: they used to go and see "life" in the gin-shops...they

attended cock-fights….Besides these sports...our patricians, of course, occasionally enjoyed the society of their own

class." Here, Corinthians were a segment of the upper classes that went slumming with the common folk, not always

with perfect civility, like the swells in New York City in the nineteen-twenties who ventured uptown to the Cotton

Club to see Duke Ellington.

The desire to descend from the exclusive clubhouse to join the working class sailors, not amateurism, was the

trait associated with the word when it was adopted by the first “Corinthian” sailors in the nineteenth century. Today,

this Shakespearian connotation has been lost along with the social rigidity of the times, and “Corinthian” refers to

sailing done for sport alone, with no remuneration. Why Shakespeare chose the ancient town of Corinth to represent

an egalitarian impulse remains a mystery. Calls and tweets to him were not returned.

My thanks to John Rousmaniere, author of Fastnet, Force 10 and The Annapolis Book of Seamanship, for his

kind help sorting out this and the previous column on “Corinthian.” Mr. Rousmaniere should not be blamed for any

of the ideas presented above, however.

5

Friday Night Races

More Fun.

Team May 20 June 17 July 15 August 19 September 16 Overall

Bronze Fleet

Bay Bombers 2 1 3 6

Keelhauled 1 3 2 6

Flying D’s 3 2 6 11

Quetzalcoatl 6 4 1 11

Crazy Eights 5 6 5 16

Alias 4 7 4 15

Channel Surfers 7 5 7 19

Silver Fleet

2 to 1 Shot 1 1 4 6

Chickenjibe 4 2 5 11

The Rookies 3 3 1 7

The Even Keels 2 5 6 13

Dread Knots 5 4 2 11

Breezin’ 6 6 3 15

Membership Cards & Discounts

If you haven’t yet picked up your membership card, be sure to ask for it next time you are in the club-

house. Some local businesses have offered discounts to Tradewinds Members and we are working on invit-

ing more. Find local listings on our webpage under the heading “Our Community”

6

Boat of the Month

‘Home Free’ Catalina 36

Home Free is 36’5” of awesome sailing! From the

mirror-finish on the floorboards to the cabin-top,

she has a beautiful interior. Combine that with

just over 30’ of waterline and you have a 7+ knot

boat that is also great to spend the weekend on or

impress your guests with. We enjoy taking her out

on Intro to Sailing and Night Sail events. We also

like to use her for Open Houses and free boat

rides at various events around the bay. If you are

certified to the Platinum Fleet level, don’t miss an

opportunity to take her out for a spin around the

bay. If not, use the message board and catch a

ride on her with someone who is!

More Time on the Water.

Are you thinking of purchasing a radar, want to better utilize the unit

you have or just learn what radar is and is not, if so why not enroll in the

Tradewind's ASA –120 radar class? Experience [beyond reading the class ma-

terial] is not needed to gain a wealth of information on operating your radar,

plotting targets and navigation.

DID YOU KNOW: (1). Think radar is only to be used in fog or at

night? The Rules of the Road can also require the use of radar on clear days.

(2). When two vessels [one a power boat and the other a sailboat under sail] are

in close proximity in heavy fog which vessel

is the stand on? [Nope not the sail or pow-

er.] (3). How may Rules of the Road address

the proper use of radar? Seven rules address

radar. (4). Do you know how to make your vessel " paint" a good target on

another vessel’s radar screen? (5).Think your radar is too old to be use-

ful? Might be the operator. The above are a few of the items that will be dis-

cussed during the class.

The class is two days in length consisting of 1.5 days of lecture using

Power Point and a radar simulator. The remainder of the time will be filled with

a multiple choice test, target plotting and hands-on radar practice. Upon success-

ful completion of the class you will be ASA radar certified.

Like all Tradewind's classes the radar course is designed to have a goal of S.A.F.E. Safety, Advance

your maritime skills, Fun and Educational.

Your instructor has a good working knowledge

of the subject and is licensed by the FCC to repair elec-

tronics such as radar, holds a USCG Unlimited Radar Ob-

server endorsement on his Masters License, and operates

passenger vessels on the Bay frequently using radar for

navigation.

ASA 120 - Radar Class $325.00 incl. text & workbook

August 20,21

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ASA 114 Cruising Catamaran Class

August 27-28, September 24-25. Cost $695 per per-

son. During this two-day, four-student course, you will

learn to maneuver a large cruising catamaran under both

sail and power. Docking, anchoring, man over-board, systems, everything you

need to know to charter a cruising catamaran on your next vacation. ASA 104-

BBC is a pre-requisite for this course.

This class is taught on ’Caprice’ a Seawind 1160 (38’) that of-

fers sailing in absolute comfort with a spacious salon and the

best feature: it doesn't heel, so everyone stays dry and warm

while sailing even in strong winds. This is the perfect intro-

duction to cruising catamaran sailing that is so popular in the

Caribbean and Mediterranean.

Which ASA Endorsement class will use a cold bottle of beer, a carousel, and a hot air balloon as teach-ing props? Tradewinds presents its Marine Weather Endorsement Course on September 23,24,25 led by Instructor Larry Myers.

The carousel is a great way to introduce the Coreolis effect, which explains why winds circulate clockwise around Highs and counterclockwise around Lows in the northern hemisphere. It can also explain how you might get a lift from a gust when you’re sailing the weather leg in a race.

The hot air balloon exquisitely illustrates the relationships between densities and temperatures of air parcels and it leads directly into the important adia-batic process. Armed with this knowledge and the latest radiosonde data from the Oakland weather balloon, you can predict the elevations of cloud bases and whether we’re likely to see convective cloud formation as the ground warms up. This class blends textbook theory with hands-on lab work so that you not only understand weather processes but also can make useful forecasts based on your own observations and publicly available data—both on land and at sea.

Almost forgot: Remember that cold bottle of cerveza? It will nicely demonstrate the concepts of relative humidity, dewpoint, and latent heat. And it just might be a tasty way to wrap up our first day of class.

ASA 119 - Marine Weather $395.00 incl. text & workbook

September 23,24,25

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More Fun.

Get Ready Early! Mark Your Calendar! September 24th

We had such a great time at our July social, we decided to add music to our September social! The

impromptu band was amazing, and we’d love to do it again. Originally, the September social was sched-

uled as a beer, wine, and food making social and we are still going to do that.

If you haven’t started your homebrews yet, there’s still time - get them going! We have many members

who brew beer, make wine, cheese or otherwise create drinks or dishes, and we’ll be tasting and sampling

them. Let us know what you plan to bring. The social is potluck appetizers, as always.

We aren’t helping

you unload this….

If yer gonna play it

Texas... Electric, acoustic…

just bring it!

Invite your friends to our Open House

on Saturday, August 6 or September 24

from 11am-3pm

Come by and check us out at beautiful Marina Bay Yacht Harbor!

Enjoy free drinks, snacks, and Bar-B-Q hot dogs.

Check out our facility, mingle with our staff and members.

Take a free ride on a luxury sailing yacht!

Enjoy open house discounts on classes.

9

The Return of Whale Song – a trip up the coast of California

July 10-17, 2011

The journey began with a flight from Oakland, Ca. to San Diego departing 7:50 Sunday morning. Plans had changed several times. Initially

we were to board Whale Song, a Juneau 43, in San Diego and return the boat to Marina Bay in Richmond, Ca. Due to weather delays, the

prior crew left the boat in Ensenada, Mexico. We were told that the genoa was blown out and the auto helm was inoperable. So, on arrival

San Diego, we were met by a van and driven to Marina Coral, Ensenada.

After a flawless run through Mexican customs, we arrived in Ensenada about 11am and began immediately to carefully examine the boat in

preparation for departure on the next leg to San Diego. The Genoa was unfurled and it was definitely damaged along the leech. We lowered

it and set it to dry on the dock. Considerable time was spent looking for the standard jib found hidden behind some water bottles. After

lunch, we raised the new jib and retied the sheets. We packed many bags of clothing left by the prior crew in various hatches and at the

same time surveyed provisions, fuel, and water and safety gear. Two navigation lights were inoperable so Skipper Brian Taugher went to

the small marine store at the marina to find replacements. One-hundred dollars lighter, Brian returned with 2 new bulbs which we installed.

We moved the boat over to the fuel dock and filled the tanks. Customs wasn’t open on Sundays so we worked with the marina office to pre-

pare all paperwork to clear customs Monday at 9am.

We left in the van for the customs office and upon arrival proceeded to wait about 1.5 hours

while the various officials inspected the paperwork and requested various fees. At 1045 we

finally received clearance and stopped by the yard to fill a propane tank before departure.

We finally got underway at 1130 just 30 minutes short of our deadline for takeoff. The

skipper had determined that we would go if weather was good and we could depart by 1200.

Skipper Brian Taugher and crew Dieter Engelmann and Wayne Matzen were off for San

Diego in sunny weather with a 10 knot wind off our port bow. We established a 1 hour

watch rotation with helm, lookout, and off watch which we followed throughout the day.

We were able to raise sails after about an hour and keep them up most of the day with the

wind at about 40-60 degrees apparent on our port bow. This produced speed of over 7

knots. Passage time was about 9 hours and we tied up to the police dock at Shelter Island in

San Diego to clear U.S. customs at about 2030. Customs arrived within 20 minutes and

cleared us quickly, allowing us to have some dinner at a nearby restaurant. We had no dock

reserved for the night but had been told there were public docks next to the police dock. No

one was available by phone so we walked the dock and talked to several men on a boat who

indicated we could probably use one of the empty slips. We turned in knowing we had to

move the boat to Harbor Island for our 0700 repair appointment the following morning.

We cast off lines at 0545 and headed out to the main channel for Harbor Island. Our as-

signed slip was identified and we were in place at 0645. The day dragged on as we had vari-

ous techs diagnose and replace various parts of the auto helm. Each time it seemed that the

next required part would have to be ordered requiring another day. Our 4th crew member

Chris Jarrett arrived Tuesday morning and we made a provisioning list and took a cab to the grocery store. By Wednesday morning we had

a new computer (auto helm), a reconditioned clutch, and determination that the motor/hydraulic arm unit needed to be replaced. The techs

were finally able to find a replacement locally and install it by 1630. What should we do now? After a quick crew meeting, we decided to

do another test run and if all was well, sail for Avalon (Catalina Island) that night. We were underway by 1930 while we still had some

light.

Just as we were abeam of Pt. Loma, we noticed a considerable amount of

vibration. After checking the motor and drive shaft and finding no prob-

lem we began to wonder if we hadn’t picked up some kelp. We reversed

hard then did a 360 degree turn and noticed some kelp in our wake. The

vibration lessened and we were on our way. For the night trip we moved

to a 2 hour watch system with 2 hours on lookout followed by 2 hours at

the helm then off 4 hours. Since my watch started at 2400, I tried to get

some sleep. We had an uneventful run to Avalon with little traffic sighted

and an overcast sky. We arrived at Avalon harbor at about 0600 and were

shown to a mooring. After a breakfast ashore, 2 of us went back to the

boat to sleep while 2 explored the island.

More Experience.

From Harbor Island, San Diego

Whale Song at Marina Coral, Ensenada

10

We now started looking at the rest of our trip with the loss of several days in San Diego. After dinner aboard, we finally decided to skip a

night at Two Harbors (Catalina) and go directly for Santa Cruz Island the following day. A check of our fuel level indicated we were down

to about 1/3 tank and 30 liters in a jerry jug on deck. Fuel docks were closed and didn’t open until 0800 in Avalon but 0700 at Two Harbors

so we planned our departure to be in Two Harbors at the fuel dock at 0700 requiring a 0530 departure. We filled the tanks and an additional

30 liter jug for emergency and set course for Anacapa passage. Traveling just outside the main traffic lanes from Los Angeles harbor we

sighted several ships that eventually crossed our course but at distance. We again were blessed with good weather and were able to motor

sail part of the way until the wind shifted more to the northwest in the afternoon at which time the

swells also increased. We dropped from 7 knots to less than 5 at times. We finally crossed thru Ana-

capa channel and rounded the southern point of Santa Cruz Island and continued up toward our desti-

nation at Prisoner cove. We set anchor at about 1800 near a Catalina 50 and 2 fishing boats. We test-

ed the anchor and set an alarm. After dinner, we turned in and were asleep quickly.

We had decided to set up 2 anchor checks at 2330 and 0130. If no movement had occurred, we felt

we would be good for the night. I awoke to an air horn blast at 2300 and rushed on deck. Two gentle-

men on the Catalina 50 indicated we had come within 10 feet of their stern and felt we were dragging

our anchor. The GPS anchor alarm didn’t agree but strangely enough we were pointed the opposite

direction of the other 3 anchored boats. With all hands now on deck we started the engine and chal-

lenged the anchor again. It dragged but we were pulling at a 90 degree angle to that at which it was

set. We picked up the anchor and reset it about 100 yards away and went back to sleep. I checked it

at 0130 and it was holding but we were being buffeted by both wind and swells all night making for

an uncomfortable anchorage. We pulled anchor at dawn and headed out from our renamed anchorage

“Take no prisoners cove”. Upon departure we saw an even better anchorage just around the corner

with 7 sailboats anchored. This is something to keep in mind for another trip.

Our next destination was Cojo anchorage just short of Point Conception. This required crossing the

main North/South traffic channel. The wind was a repeat of the prior day starting out at 10-12 knots growing to 20-25 in the afternoon with

gusts as high as 31. The swells were 4-6 feet but at about 5 seconds leaving us with a bumpy ride. The weather was sunny and otherwise

nice. We continued to receive Securite messages on channel 16 throughout the day notifying us to be aware of swimmers crossing the chan-

nel from Anacapa to the mainland. We were very happy to be in a boat versus swimming in the water. We arrived at Cojo anchorage at

about 1630, identified the railroad trestle and culvert marking the best anchorage and set anchor in 18 feet of water. The wind continued to

blow at over 20 knots but there was no swell so we rode smoothly. We were the only boat in the anchorage other than a work boat at a

mooring ball.

Now came the scary Pt. Conception rounding. The guide book suggested a 2400 departure to cross at a time with the lightest winds. Skip-

per Brian felt 0430 would be early enough to cross Pt. Conception and Pt Arguello by 0800. Two of the crew got up to use the head at mid-

night and found the winds up at 25 knots so we were happy to see only 10-15 knots upon our 0430 departure. We soon ran into patchy fog

which varied from 3 miles visibility down to ½ mile. We continued to keep our running lights on and were monitoring the radar. By mid

day, the fog lifted and we experienced nice weather for the rest of the run to Morro Bay arriving by 1600. We spotted several whales spout-

ing and a number of dolphins and seals. There were also considerable jellyfish in the water.

The fuel dock in Morro Bay was set up for commercial traffic consisting of pilings

supporting a platform at least twice as high as our deck off the water. We deployed

our fenders sideways to protect the boat and took on fuel. Our destination of the

Morro Bay yacht club further down the channel had a sign indicating the dock was

closed except for race boats. After a call to the harbor master, we determined the the

dock would be clear by 1700 or we could use a public dock with public restrooms.

After several days without showers we chose the yacht club and tied up outboard of

an old wooden sailboat skippered by an equally old feisty and generous woman. We

made the showers in record time and were at dinner by 1800.

This is where I took my departure. I scheduled an Amtrak ride for the following day

and bid the skipper and crew farewell to continue on for the rest of the trip to San

Francisco. We had a great trip even though challenging at times. It was a great

learning experience as we watched the skipper use an iPad program for navigation. It

is so much easier to set waypoints and watch the program continually calculate ETA

and course adjustments. While they don’t call this run the Baja bash for nothing, we

had a lot of million dollar views along the way.

Wayne Matzen

Crew

More Experience.

Wayne Matzen At Helm

Skipper Brian, Crew Dieter, Wayne, Chris

11

Return of Whale Song, Morro Bay to San Francisco

July 18-21, 2011

After saying goodbye to Wayne, with great regret, we added some provisions from the Albertson’s in Morro Bay and headed out the next

morning for San Simeon, a 22 + mile run. It was a pleasant motor sail with winds, as usual, picking up in the afternoon to over 20 knots.

We arrived in mid afternoon to a lovely anchorage, well-protected from the prevailing NW winds with only one other boat, a single-hander

who looked to be there for a while.

San Simeon Anchorage, Hearst Castle On Hill

A five am departure in variable fog the next day took us briefly into some kelp beds around the point, then into the longest (85 nautical

miles) and most challenging leg of the journey, up the Big Sur coastline. In patchy fog all morning, by early afternoon the wind began

building. The forecast winds of 15-20 knots, gusts to 25 turned out to be almost 50% higher, 25-30, gusts to 35 for three hours in the after-

noon, and of course directly on our nose. At one point, Chris Jarrett on the helm spotted a whale and the rest of the crew turned just in time

to see the perfect whale fluke just yards from the boat. The radar worked well, the boat handled the seas effectively, and the Big Sur coast-

line is even more beautiful seen from the sea, but we were still tired when, 15 hours later, we finally turned into Monterey Bay.

Monterey is beautiful seen from the ocean approach, and looks very different than seen from the familiar highways on shore. The Big Sur

coast and bay are filled with seals and other sea mammals, making that area of California almost as pristine as it must have been in Richard

Henry Dana’s day.

We left Monterey early after failing to get access to the marina’s showers either at night or in the morning. Leaving the sleepy harbor in a

fog, we were puzzled by the mini-echoes on the radar: what could all those little returns be in the bay? It was gratifying to learn that they

were actual little fishing boats, all out working for fish, tagged for us on the boat’s reliable radar. Threading through them, we moved into

patchy fog, then under clearing skies for a fast motor-sail up to Half Moon Bay, where we were unable to raise a harbormaster of any kind,

finally having to hunt one down on the docks.

Dieter Engelmann and Chris Jarrett In Half Moon Bay

More Experience.

12

Dinner at the world-famous Princeton Seafood Company was followed by another collapse of skipper and crew into bunks and an early de-

parture for San Francisco. Oddly, the wind was initially from the south, but so weak that it could barely match our forward movement under

motor. It gradually shifted to the west, so that by late morning we were ripping northwest under motor sail, and sometimes just sail, at over

8 knots toward San Francisco. The swell, however, was still from the NW, so we had to be cautious about turning into the Golden Gate to

avoid too much broadside to the swell, still sizeable at 5-6 feet, and at times higher.

Coming into the Bay we had the wind from the aft quarter and a flood picking up speed, so we zoomed into Raccoon Strait, sometimes hit-

ting over 9 knots.

It was a great coastal experience, with good weather, good calls and a great crew.

Here are some points we would emphasize after lots of first hand experience:

International See if you can pin down the costs of departing Mexico with your marina before going to Mexican customs.

American customs in San Diego gives personalized, very gracious service. Have fun keeping the crew in quarantine while the skipper

gets to walk around the police dock.

Repairs Always do a sea trial after repairs in port, especially if to a boat system you will rely on. We had fun watching the boat do a sudden 90

degree turn when failing the initial sea trials after the auto helm repair.

Don’t be surprised by the cost of parts you need along the way, like $50 for a nav light bulb!

Watches Daytime watch schedules of one hour on watch, another hour on the helm and then some time off (depending on the number of crew

members) works really well.

A nighttime watch schedule that gets you 3 or 4 hours of sleep is greatly appreciated!

A watch schedule that everybody pays attention to provides great structure to long hours at sea, so each member of the crew can plan

what will be done while on and off watch. It may be the best thing you decide to do!

Boat and Navigation Systems Modern small boat radar systems are very effective at spotting even fiberglass small craft, and very worthwhile in the inescapable north-

ern California fogs. They should also reduce anxiety you may have about getting caught in fog; there are effective ways to deal with it.

Everybody on board should know how to operate the navigation system. The iPad (with either iNavX or the Navionics US West apps)

makes a great primary or backup system, is easily protected in a ziplock bag and is intuitive for people to quickly learn. It is also much

easier to use than the chart plotters on most boats.

The iPad also offers an app called ShipFinder that is an AIS system. It will identify ships in busy channels and help out in fog. It is also

great fun to see the names of the ships, where they are going, the ship details and what speed and direction they are moving, apart from

it’s safety advantages. While it requires a cell connection, you usually have one in busy channels.

Every crew member enjoyed tracking the navigation on their own iPhone, using the Navionics app US West. All navigation decisions

were double checked 3 times!

Bring an inverter and, if possible, a charging unit to recharge your mobile devices – boats tend to not have enough 12 volt outlets.

Check the engine (oil and coolant) in the evening if you depart during the night or in the early morning.

In The Galley The Starbucks instant coffee pouches were great for reasonably good coffee on early departures with little fuss.

Almond milk cartons were a great replacement for milk: no refrigeration needed until one was opened, lower calories, great tasting, closed

tight and didn’t spill in the frig.

Docking (Ahhh. . .Docking!) The single most valuable dock departure technique is holding the bow fast with a dockline slipped over a dock cleat and a fender cush-

ion in place and motoring forward while steering toward the dock, thus moving the stern off the dock. This you will use in all kinds of

conditions involving wind, currents and tight spaces.

Likewise, one of the best dock approach techniques is the familiar (for Tradewinds-trained sailors!) midship cleat with the dockline

tossed over the dock cleat. You are then ready to use it as a temporary holding line or a fore or aft spring line, depending on what you

need.

When tying up to vertical pilings where there is no dock, turn your fenders horizontal, tie them at the bottom, and attach them to the

lifelines or deck stanchions. Be ready to adjust them to match the pilings.

Use a rolling hitch when snubbing off your anchor line in the anchorage. You may need it for docking too!

More Experience.

13

More Experience.

In General Don’t try to lock into a schedule when sailing, you may have to wait for a

part, or a harbormaster or weather change.

A somewhat dated, but still very useful guide to the trip along California’s coast is

The Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California: Golden Gate to

Ensenada, Mexico, Including the Offshore Islands by Brian M. Fagan

Be sure to take a full set of foul weather gear and additional warm cloth-

ing. During our trip up the coast, we had two days with 30 knot winds with gusts

to 35 knots and ambient temperatures in the upper 50s or low 60s. During the

early and foggy mornings we might wear a short-sleeve cotton t-shirt, a long-

sleeve cotton t-shirt, a fleece jacket, and foul weather gear, shedding the fleece

later in the day. You may start off the trip in Mexico with warm weather but you

will definitely need layers as you get further north.

An overnight sail, especially on a full moon, can be a spectacular and beauti-

ful experience, particularly in new waters.

Going north (into the wind) isn’t like going south (wind at back.)

And Finally A bowline knot is a really

good thing to know.

Good luck trying to make

sense of the slip numbering

systems in marinas.

Brian Taugher

July 27, 2011

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San Juan Islands June 15-22, 2012

Join Brandy, Matt & Family on this magnificent charter!

How does this sound for a summer vacation?! Day 1 - Sucia Island. A brisk sail across Bellingham Bay to Lummi Island, up scenic Hale Passage, to the most popular of the marine parks. (18 NM) Day 2 - Stuart Island. Cruise through Dahl's Porpoise territory southwest along Orcas Island to Prevost or Reid Harbors. Both are state parks, with fascinating trails. (14 NM)

Day 3 - Victoria, BC. Sail south via Haro Strait through Killer Whale waters. Clear customs and moor in front of the Empress Hotel and Parliament. (23NM) Day 4 - Roche Harbor. Catch the flood tide up Haro Strait to this tranquil old money resort on San Juan Island. (22 NM) Day 5 - Friday Harbor. Head east to Jones Island, where deer eat apples from your hand. Sample Deer Harbor, meander carefully to this A island center. (20 NM)

Day 6 - Inati Bay. Via stately Rosario Resort in East Sound (Orcas Island), then sail east through Obstruction Pass, drop anchor 1~R here on Lummi Island. (21 NM) Day 7 - Bellingham. A morning sail across Bellingham Bay completes your circuit, though truthfully you have tasted but a tiny sample of the delights of the San Juans. Itinerary subject to change upon impulse with only delightful consequences. (7 NM)

Cost per cabin is $3400 for Tradewinds Members and $3800 for non-members on Sailboats. Cost per cabin is $4400 for Tradewinds Members and $4800 for non-members on Powerboats. This rate includes your cabin, provi-sions (minus beverages, and the cost of fuel), bus and flight from Oakland, CA to Bellingham, WA. The initial deposit to reserve a cabin is $1400 ($2400 for powerboats). We expect to fill all of our cabins quick, so don’t delay. The final payment of $2000 for members and $2400 for non-members is due February 1, 2012. Please pay close atten-tion to the cancellation policy below.

The Fine Print: The price listed includes all taxes and fuel surcharges as of August 1st, 2011. If the airlines add new fuel surcharges or invent new taxes, we may have to pass these on to you. We don’t expect it to get worse, but we have to warn you just in case. Cancellation Policy: 6 months before departure, full refund. 6 months to 120 days, loss of deposits. Less than 120 days before departure, no refund.

15

Grenada Oct. 4-13, 2012

Best of the southern Caribbean!

Grenada, the Spice Island, way down at latitude 12, is home to beau-

tiful beaches, spice plantations, rum distilleries, and colorful coral

gardens. Relatively undiscovered, the new charter base here has

been open for less than a year. Bordered by white and black sand

beaches, this verdant island has for centuries been a major source of

nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cinnamon and cocoa. The nearby Windward

islands of the southern Caribbean offer superb tradewind sailing

conditions, year-round temperatures in the 80’s, crystal clear warm

water, world-class snorkeling and a sea-turtle sanctuary in the Tobago Cays, and a variety of enchanting islands to

discover and explore.

We will first fly from a gateway city down to Grenada,

where we’ll spend two nights in a luxury hotel, recovering

from the flights and acclimating to the tropical island life-

style. Explore the waterfalls and crater lake at Grand Etang,

tour a spice plantation or rum distillery, maybe indulge in a

local organic chocolate factory, or just relax on the beach

and swim in the warm waters.

Next, we´ll transfer to the charter base and board our wait-

ing, luxury yachts. Most everything we could need or want is

already on board, from snorkeling gear to a fully equipped

galley to linens for the beds to a dinghy and outboard. A few

minutes by dinghy takes you to a nice supermarket for provisioning. After that, the itinerary is up to you- as long as

you bring the boat back after a week, as hard as that will be!

You may sail to the islands of Bequia, Mayreau, Car-

riacou, Canouan, Petit Martinique, and Union Island,

part of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Enjoy the towns

and shopping and night life one day, then the pristine

beach and coral reef of a deserted island the next. Dine

at local restaurants, or maybe organize a lobster and fish

BBQ, as October is lobster season. No matter your pref-

erence, you are sure to enjoy every minute of these fan-

tastic, far reaches of the Caribbean.

Your time here will feel like a world away, the long sun-

ny days stretching into warm starry nights. Peace, tran-

quility, a warm interaction with nature, good food and

new friends... This is what a sailing vacation is supposed

to be!

16

So what’s the deal? We’re still a long way out, so some of the details, like flight specifics, just can’t be nailed down yet.

The trip costs just $2,295 per person, and includes pretty much everything:

Round trip airfare from a gateway city (details in November)

2 nights in a luxury hotel

8 days and 7 nights aboard the yachts

All ground transfers

A special ASA dinner celebration

The only thing you’ll need to buy is food and drink, and maybe a sou-

venir.

How does it work? You are welcome to participate in sailing the boat, or you can just

relax and enjoy the ride. If you have your ASA Bareboat certificate

and would like to skipper one of the boats, that may be possible, too.

We will have both mono-hulls and catamarans available, but the

choices are first come, first served, so sign up soon!

We welcome couples, families, and flexible singles, and work very

hard to ensure everyone has an absolutely great time. Tradewinds is

partnering again with David Kory, who has led so many of our sail-

ing vacations over the years, to all corners of the globe.

A deposit of $495 per person will hold your spot, with an additional

deposit of $1000 due April 1, and the balance will be due July 15.

Visa/MC and checks are fine, and payment plans are available, too.

But space is limited on this trip, so don’t delay- sign up today!

For answers to your questions, or if you are ready to join us,

email David directly at: davidkory@gmail.com,

or call him at (925) 787-6893

* The price listed includes all taxes and fuel surcharges as of August 1, 2011. If the world goes crazy again and the airlines add new fuel surcharges or in-

vent new taxes, we may have to pass these on to you. I don’t expect that to happen, but I have to warn you just in case.

Cancellation policy: 6 months before departure, full refund. 90 days to 6 months, loss of deposits. Less than 90 days, no refund