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Home Forums Search Trailer Sailor Roster Chandlery Events Classifieds Resources About TSBB SBO Sites	Instructions/FAQ | Rules & Etiquette | Edit Profile | Forum Login View Thread | Post Response | Return to Index | Read Prev Msg | Read Next Msg | Current more than wind maybe Posted By: Harry Gordon, WWP14 #234, Manatee, Mountain View, CA Date: 10/28/08 6:20p.m. Report: outside forum guidelines In Response To: Oakland Estuary vs San Francisco's Pier 54 Points of Departure for Clipper Cove (pic) (Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay) We had some flood current on the sail from Pier 54 and a strong ebb current on the return from Clipper Cove. That would tend to set us away from the Bay Bridge in the morning and toward the bridge in the afternoon. With a 4 kn ebb at the Golden Gate at 3:15 (or was it 3:50?), we may have had 2.5 to 3 kn or more under the center of the Bay Bridge as we passed. A crosswind gives us a beam reach, which is usually nice sailing without a lot of leeway and is something we are used to, but a strong current is sneaky, and not so obvious out in open water. Using my GPS it seemed I had to point my bow at a compass reading of 150 in order to make a track of about 190, which was my bearing back to China Basin at that point. Sitting to starboard and facing away from the bridge, I didn't look around as often as I should have, and when I did I was most surprised to find the bridge growing increasingly close on my starboard. About that time my GPS indicated an alarm that I was seriously off course. I was making good speed through the water but not over the bottom, and it appeared I might not be able to escape the approaching bridge, so I fired up the outboard. With the sail and motor both pulling hard, I was able to avoid being sucked under the bridge, and I motor-sailed all the way to China Basin.

Messages In This Thread

Superb Weather Brings Potter Yachter Record Showing of 19 Boats to Clipper Cove -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/26/08 8:04p.m.

Clipper Cove Rescue -- Goose p14#164 -- 10/27/08 9:22a.m.

Goose makes a good point -- Mike Higgins -- 10/27/08 10:05a.m.

Are more details to come? -- Jose P15 #2045 "Witty" -- 10/27/08 10:41a.m.

I spoke with Steve and Paul . . . -- Jerry Kergan (P-15 "Lazy Ka", Concord / San Francisco Bay) -- 10/27/08 11:36a.m.

details -- Goose p14#164 -- 10/27/08 8:29p.m.

One more perspective -- Jose P15 #2045 "Witty" -- 10/28/08 6:34a.m.

When you get all those boats together . . . -- Jerry Kergan (P-15 "Lazy Ka", Concord / San Francisco Bay) -- 10/27/08 11:09a.m.

Was the wind so light he could sit on the lee seat? -- John Madill Mackinac Dreamere WWP15 -- 10/27/08 4:07p.m.

That's why I chose this image. -- Jerry Kergan (P-15 "Lazy Ka", Concord / San Francisco Bay) -- 10/27/08 5:16p.m.

Steve Potter deserves the Potter-Yachter Medal for Valor . . . -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 11:18a.m.

More praise for Mr. Potter -- Harry Gordon, WWP14 #234, Manatee, Mountain View, CA -- 10/27/08 5:26p.m.

Harry - Send that photo to Latitude-38 for Potter-Yachters -- Dave_N - - SF Bay Area Sailor -- 10/27/08 6:22p.m.

Oakland Estuary vs San Francisco's Pier 54 Points of Departure for Clipper Cove -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 9:02p.m.

 Current more than wind maybe   -- Harry Gordon, WWP14 #234, Manatee, Mountain View, CA -- 10/28/08 6:20p.m.

Harry, good points. Check this photo for the name of the MC club at Pier 54 -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/28/08 8:38p.m.

You have to stay away from islands during peak flow -- Mike Higgins -- 10/28/08 8:42p.m.

Mike, interesting observation. -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/28/08 8:53p.m.

Mike, Nice story on "Jean Alden" -- Dave_N - - SF Bay Area Sailor -- 10/30/08 3:37p.m.

I sail alone in the company of others -- Rich McDevitt P-15 #2531 Minnow SF Bay -- 10/27/08 11:33a.m.

Some more thoughts from someone (me).. -- Jack, H23.5,F-5 Clermont, Fl -- 10/27/08 12:26p.m.

We should monitor and use Ch. 68 -- Eric Zilbert -- 10/27/08 1:50p.m.

Lessons relearned -- Dick Herman, Muddy Duck -- 10/27/08 2:00p.m.

And, if you hadn't read enough already....... -- Dave Kautz - P-15 #1632 & O'day 192 #313 -- 10/27/08 11:09p.m.

Right on -- Dick Herman, Muddy Duck -- 10/28/08 9:19a.m.

float plans -- Rich McDevitt P-15 #2531 Minnow SF Bay -- 10/28/08 11:12a.m.

These are all very good points -- Katie Lea, P15 "Follow Me", Santa Clara, CA -- 10/29/08 4:27a.m.

To put the focus back on the positive, here's a few photos of the trip. -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 9:19p.m.

Mike Higgins Rounding Yerba Buena Island -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 9:28p.m.

Potters Approaching Clipper Cove -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 10:01p.m.

Jerry K Relaxin' with the Commodore -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 10:08p.m.

It was a very relaxing sail . . . -- Jerry Kergan (P-15 "Lazy Ka", Concord / San Francisco Bay) -- 10/28/08 5:07a.m.

Potter Yachters Getting their Land Legs at the Cove -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 10:17p.m.

Congregation at the Cove -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 10:24p.m.

Local Color. That's all folks. -- Carl P-19 #1432 "Dagmar" on SF Bay -- 10/27/08 10:28p.m.

Great Pics Carl.... -- Tim..."Morning Dove" P19 #457 Potter Valley CA -- 10/28/08 5:42a.m.

Thanks Carl! -- Bill Nolen, WWPotter Owner's Web Site -- 10/28/08 6:25a.m.

Dagmar photo -- Mike Higgins -- 10/28/08 8:45a.m.

My photos -- Terry G P15 #821 SF bay -- 10/28/08 1:05p.m.

Try again -- Terry G P15 #821 SF bay -- 10/28/08 1:08p.m.

Maybe your photo was too big -- Harry Gordon, WWP14 #234, Manatee, Mountain View, CA -- 10/28/08 4:26p.m.

Still in a whirl. -- Paul R. Gregory -- 10/28/08 10:59a.m.

Boating people. -- Paul R. Gregory -- 10/28/08 1:33p.m.

So, what happened to your Potter? -- Harry Gordon, WWP14 #234, Manatee, Mountain View, CA -- 10/28/08 5:36p.m.

paul and steve's ordeal -- Goose p14#164 -- 10/28/08 7:31p.m.

The Recovery (from my point of view) -- Steve Potter, P-15 Stars & Bars -- 10/29/08 10:15a.m.

Messup. -- Paul R. Gregory -- 10/30/08 7:52a.m.

No reason to feel down Paul.... -- Tim..."Morning Dove" P19 #457 Potter Valley CA -- 10/30/08 8:01a.m.

Don't feel down... -- Dave Kautz - P15 #1632 & O'day 192 #313 -- 10/30/08 8:50a.m.

Paul it was just a thing that happened -- Robert Griffin P-19 #1505 Sandbob, Tahoe -- 10/30/08 7:30p.m.

Mess-up -- Dan Phy P15 #1051 Ol' Geezer , Ft. Bragg, Ca. -- 10/30/08 9:07a.m.

Don't be down ... -- Rich McDevitt P-15 #2531 Minnow SF Bay -- 10/30/08 9:44a.m.

CAUTION (turtle porn above) -- Tim..."Morning Dove" P19 #457 Potter Valley CA -- 10/30/08 11:42a.m.

Welcome to the Potter Yachters, Paul! -- Harry Gordon, WWP14 #234, Manatee, Mountain View, CA -- 10/30/08 12:37p.m.

Like Harry said.. -- Jack, H23.5, Force 5, Clermont Fl. -- 11/1/08 8:15a.m.

Helps to know I'm not the only one. -- Paul R. Gregory -- 10/30/08 3:39p.m.

LOL. No. You're not the only one. -- John Turpin, P-15 "Tetra", Edmond, OK -- 10/31/08 5:19a.m.

don't be down Paul.... -- John Madill WWP15 Mackinac Dreamer -- 10/30/08 4:06p.m.

I imagine my day is coming heh heh -- Eric Hughes WWP 15 # 2475 Moonbeam Mechanicsburg Pa -- 10/31/08 5:41p.m.

I love all these "incidents" -- Rich McDevitt P-15 #2531 Minnow SF Bay -- 10/31/08 7:53a.m.

INCIDENTS!! -- Dan Phy P15 #1051 Ol' Geezer , Ft. Bragg, Ca. -- 10/31/08 12:04p.m.