Category Archives: General

The Rule of Twelfths

If you have been certified through Basic Coastal Cruising, you will have learned how to properly connect mooring lines to the buoys at Ayala Cove, named after Juan Manuel de Ayala y Aranza, the first captain ever to sail into … Continue reading

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A-Words

We sailors like our “A-” words. They sound salty. The prefix comes from Greek and means “on,” “at,” “or in the state of.” I’m going to assume you know ahoy and ahead and astern and a-lee and aboard and abeam … Continue reading

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Man Overboard!!! (PFDs, Crotch Straps, and Spray Hoods)

From Tradewinds Member Al Z. Hope all is well with you all at Tradewinds. I just had a detailed and extremely informative chat with Nick by phone who very kindly suggested I write you, Matt, in case you wish to post … Continue reading

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Why Is San Francisco Bay A Special Place to Sail?

An Introduction to Marine Weather San Francisco Bay is one of the premier sailing areas in the world. What is it that makes the area special? Easy! The weather. Year round mild conditions allow sailing nearly every day throughout the … Continue reading

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What I Learned in My First Year of Sailing – By Tradewinds Member Joyce Y.

I took my first sailing course at Tradewinds just over a year ago, after wanting to do so for years, thanks  to varied seeds of inspiration — my dad’s old boat detailing shop when I was a kid, going out … Continue reading

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Knowing The Ropes

It’s an old but puzzling piece of nautical wisdom asserted by self-styled boating experts that “there aren’t any ‘ropes’ on a boat.” Once a rope is put on a boat, it would seem, it ceases to be a rope and … Continue reading

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Farallon Patrol – Replenishing an Island Outpost

By Mike Holmes Farallon Patrol – Replenishing an Island Outpost By: Mike Holmes I had the opportunity to sail to the Farallon Islands recently as part of an “essential services” trip to replenish supplies and personnel that work on the … Continue reading

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Nautical Terminator – Sun’s Over the Yardarm (Part 2)

                A “yardarm” is not the entire yard, but just its tip outboard of the leeches of the sails. Some authorities commenting on our phrase suggest instead that we use the “upper yards,” while others recommend the “foreyard,” which is … Continue reading

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In Victory and Defeat, My Time Aboard Team WTC Logistics in Leg 5 of the 2019-2020 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race

By: Mike Holmes – Assistant Watch Leader – CV23 – Team WTC Logistics At the start of January, I headed off on an adventure, sailing as crew and assistant watch leader in the 2019-2020 Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, … Continue reading

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A Day on the Water – from the Sailing Diary of Tradewinds Member Joyce Y.

Presidents Day — sunny, nice, sometime after one in the afternoon — my friend Kriya and I were heading back to Tradewinds on a Capri 22. We were ending a short yet enjoyable sail along the Richmond shoreline. As we … Continue reading

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