Pittsburg launch site

ronadler · Joined: 27 Jun 1996 Posts: 38

Have any windsurfers tried the new Pittsburg Riverside Park launch site?
Comments? How does the wind compare to Sherman Island?

radross · Joined: 10 Apr 2000 Posts: 142

Paging Airwave. Airwave to white courtesy phone, please.

victor · Joined: 03 Aug 1998 Posts: 581

i stopped by on the way back from sherman. it's was windier than sherman at the time

it'll take balls to launch there. wind at the launch isn't as strong as it is outside so it might be tough to figure out what to rig. not too many places to get out and back to your car if you miss the launch for any reason.

sailing area is HUGE. if you broke down in the middle you'd be miles away by the time you got back to shore. definitely carry a phone or radio. signs posted at the entrance give the rio vista coast guard phone number. wonder how long it would take them to get to you and how they'd find you in that expanse.

i did not go out.

otherwise it's pretty nice. parking, nice rigging area. restrooms, etc. major urban renewal going on in that town.

airwave · Joined: 29 Jun 2000 Posts: 386

Late reply, just saw this post.

The wind there is the best along the River. The launch is open to the WSW,W, NW, WNW, NW.
The swell is better than M8 and better than Powerlines (use to be)

The launch is built wrong. It has about a 45% slope with no steps. Going in will be easy enough, just slide in. But getting out without an assist to handle your gear will be tricky if not impossible.

Kiters can launch there easily due to the upward lift of the kite, which will help with sliding in and bouncing out plus a free hand to save yourself in a fall.
But windsurfers with the downdraft of a sail in the wind and no free hand for slide in support will be hard pressed to launch.

Once on the water though there will be big rewards.

bgreene · Joined: 07 May 2008 Posts: 15

I sailed here last month on a 4.7m and 99L board. Definitely has good potential for both good jumping and flatwater freestyle. Sailed right off the launch ramp and pumped out to the wind line. Return is sort of Hatchery style with it best to walk up the ramp part way holding only rear footstrap, then with decent footing grab universal, then boom. It's no worse than TI at 13th ave, in fact, much much better.

airwave · Joined: 29 Jun 2000 Posts: 386

Interesting that you were able to climb out.
It looks trickier than that to be.
But I'll check it out soon ..... hopefully ...... if the wind cooperates.

sailwave · Joined: 11 May 2000 Posts: 113 Location: Redwood City, CA

I think you mean "Riverview Park" in this thread. Not "Riverside Park". Anyway, nice to have a launch site of any kind in Pittsburg.