Category Archives: General

Tradewinds Member Passage

Hey Brandy & Matt! I hoisted the TWSC burgee on “Rover” (Valiant 42) after we anchored in Taioha’e Bay on Nuku Hiva in the Marquesa Islands after our 26-day passage from San Diego, covering 3,230nm.  We left San Diego on … Continue reading

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Coast Guard Safety Inspection Boarding

Hello Tradewinds family! I had a great sailing day on the Concord yesterday, including my first ever while-still-moving boarding by the US Coast Guard! I called it in to Tradewinds right after they transferred off and gave a brief summary … Continue reading

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Estimating Time Of Arrival

           One of the most common calculations you make when cruising, whether it’s a sail on the Bay or island hopping in Greece, is figuring when you’re going to get where you’re going. It’s easy enough to estimate time of … Continue reading

Posted in General | 2 Comments

Sailing Destinations: Richardson Bay

Beautiful Richardson Bay was named after a man named William Richardson whom came to the area as a second mate aboard a Brittish Whaling ship named Orion in 1822. After staying out all night at a party in the Presidio … Continue reading

Posted in General | 7 Comments

So You Want To Be A Skipper

            The following is an excerpt from my book, “The Captain And Mr. Shrode,” and was written in the harbor of Huatulco in southern Mexico, on the last leg of our circumnavigation.             When one undertakes a venture such as … Continue reading

Posted in General | 1 Comment

Poseidon Was Listening

Sunday Bruce, Johannes and I (Colin) took Pacific High out. As we were preparing to go I said to the crew, let’s try to get to the Golden Gate but if we cannot make it in time with the early … Continue reading

Posted in General | 1 Comment

Crew Overboard!

About 30 years ago, the event all of us hope we’ll never face happened to me: my crew was hit by the boom in an accidental jibe and I had a real-life man overboard with an injured victim. Terry Shrode … Continue reading

Posted in General | Leave a comment

On Your Feet!

                You don’t want to be slipping on the deck of a boat. At best, you look the fool. At worst, you’re in the drink. And in between, there’s a bunch of stuff to knock your head or bruise your … Continue reading

Posted in General | Leave a comment

Opening Day

Baseball and fishing such as bass fishing have opening days for the season, but what opens? A gate? A bottle? In the case of sailing on San Francisco Bay there was once something that actually did open on opening day. … Continue reading

Posted in General | Leave a comment

More on Why San Francisco Bay Is A Special Place to Sail

I’d like to add some more personal, subjective points to Don’s excellent recent article about our local sailing conditions, that make San Francisco Bay the world’s most desirable place to sail. 1) Let’s compare it to some other great sailing … Continue reading

Posted in General | Leave a comment