SF Bay vs. Monterey
Eric Zilbert (eezilbert@ucdavis.edu)
Wed, 12 May 1999 15:24:25 -0700
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West Wight Potter Website at URL
http://www.lesbois.com/wwpotter/
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Eric -My thoughts - FWIW I think your concern is pretty appropriate. I've
sailed in both areas and they can have very high winds, and Monterey can
have real big seas. Piloting is important for both bays if you are going
to do much. SF has lots of currents, shallow areas, variable winds etc.
You need to know how to use a chart even on a nice day at high tide.
Weather can change pretty quickly in either location with fog a very real
possibility. For all but short fair weather sails it would be wise to have
a compass and know how to use it. For Monterey I would want a VHF radio in
case I was disabled and drifting south toward Big Sur. I think alot of
folks confuse conditions in Monterey or SF with those found off of L.A. or
San Diego (though these locals can be dangerous too, see recent post on a
rescue, it involved a Catalina 22). I don't know much about Catalina
22's but I've heard there not the most sea worthy boat of this size (don't
quote me, maybe ask Jerry B.) though many are sailed in both locations.
In any case some sailing classes would probably help.
Eric Zilbert
Davis "not by the sea" California
P19 #621 "Riptide"