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Good spots for learning in the Bay area
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windoggi



Joined: 22 Feb 2002
Posts: 2743

PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Agree on San Luis forebay. Camp out for a few days on the Medieros side, enjoy multiple sessions, and maybe get to experience porti-potties blowing down the dirt road at three in the morning. Its the best place to learn to waterstart and jibe. You can sail to the other side and do a "land jibe" if you dont feel comfortable with your waterstarts in deep water. Always someone to offer instruction and beer. Bring something solid to sleep in, as tents are useless. Dogs and kids love it.


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cruzanboard



Joined: 14 Jun 2009
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 2:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Keep an eye out for the evening easterly wind in Aptos to Capitola. It can kick into the mid to upper teens. Usually is a nice warm wind off the Salinas Valley and a fun evening sail. Usually only in summer and early fall. Better near Capitola since the nearby kelp beds help reduce the cross-chop. Sometimes can even catch some starboard tack runs on the Capitola point break.

May not be windy enough to learn water start. But is very local for you.
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windsrf



Joined: 01 May 1998
Posts: 464

PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 2:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alameda is ideal partly due to sandy bottom (no muck as at Berkeley, etc, and almost no rocks either) and gentle slope. Easy to position yourself to practice water-starting in waist deep water about 100-200 yds offshore. Makes a huge difference to be able to stand up during all the gear positioning fuss prior to each attempt. There's also an excellent shop and school located there. Only caveat is that you need to avoid low tides and the plethora of kiters nowadays. David
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ctuna



Joined: 27 Jun 1995
Posts: 1125
Location: Santa Cruz Ca

PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 9:44 pm    Post subject: San Luis can be a good place for and ABK Camp Reply with quote

San Luis can be a good place for and ABK Camp
especially for beginners as its very forgiving.
They did three there this year in June.
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GeneM



Joined: 23 Apr 2012
Posts: 6

PostPosted: Wed Sep 04, 2013 11:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, I was crossing my fingers that I'd get one or two responses. Seems like half the windsurfers in the SC/Bay area took the time to respond. Many thanks and if you see an old, out of shape guy flailing around on an 11'8" Windsup at one of the spots you mentioned, enjoy the show.

Thanks again - Gene
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mac



Joined: 07 Mar 1999
Posts: 17743
Location: Berkeley, California

PostPosted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Echo the comment about Alameda for learning to water start. Many years ago I sailed out to the Emeryville shoal at a low enough tide to be able to stand up, position the board and learn to water start. Alameda is definitely easier, and you will learn much faster in waist deep water.
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LUCARO



Joined: 07 Dec 1997
Posts: 661

PostPosted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am seconding Hochuli's call of the "medieros" side of san luis for water starts. Strong wind relatively flat water.

Sail out about 1/3 of the way and you get about 8 water start attempts before you wash up on the beach and walk back up wind.
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kirk



Joined: 10 Apr 2000
Posts: 158

PostPosted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 3:30 pm    Post subject: Third Ave for waterstarts Reply with quote

I agree with Gerritt. Third when the tide is not too high or too low is perfect with the right wind direction since you can stand and collect yourself between attempts with loads of open space and soft ground.

Palo Alto is really scary unless you go on a big. floaty board and practice with a big sail inside and don't get stuck in mud. Trying to uphaul outside where there is enough wind leaves many walking back a long, difficulty walk or worse Flood tides at Palo Alto are also very fast which adds to beginner intimidation.... If Third is out, then much better to:

Launch upwind at Coyote near the old ASD store then have your car downwind near the shop... but that ramp is closed now so maybe have the car down by the swim area... but with all the construction, wait for next year when it will be much more beginner friendly.

Shoreline doesn't get enough wind to work on waterstarts.....

I got my first few water starts at San Luis forebay where I could stand.... That might be a greaT CHOICE coming via Santa Cruz....

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dsgrntlxmply



Joined: 16 Jun 2010
Posts: 255

PostPosted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bodega (harbor side, launch from Yacht Club) is another good waterstart learning site if you happen to have other reasons to be this far north (maybe RV camp at Doran beach).

It is seldom more than 5 feet deep, and you can always find a place that is shallower. Like Alameda, you need to look at the tide chart in your planning. Unlike Alameda where you can walk out to deeper water at lower tides, there is no deeper water to go to here, apart from the dredged channel.

Winds at Bodega tend to be 2:1 gust to lull. I am certain that opinion will vary on whether this is an asset or a liability in learning to waterstart. I view it as an asset in getting up and onto the board, and a challenge against staying in control immediately after getting up.

Eel grass is a summer annoyance at Bodega, and unlike Alameda there is not much alternative to sailing through it when coming out of the launch. Once you get past the weeds, there are more open areas beyond, that happen also to have the strongest wind.

Chop is different between Bodega and Alameda. Bodega is a relatively short fetch and shallow, and tends to generate a fast and acute chop with a period of less than 2 seconds, whereas Alameda tends to be more of a longer period swell.

I had a couple of beachstarts at Alameda, but got my first full waterstart at Bodega.
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ctuna



Joined: 27 Jun 1995
Posts: 1125
Location: Santa Cruz Ca

PostPosted: Thu Sep 05, 2013 9:42 pm    Post subject: Main gate side of San Luis has less chop. Reply with quote

Main gate side of San Luis has less chop.
Its at the beginning of the fetch.
The middle seems to have the most chop or even small swell
on 30 mph day.
On rare days shoreline does have enough to waterstart but those are
very rare. San Luis has got to be the easiest High Wind spot within 1000's of miles .
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