Category Archives: Skipper’s Tip

Sailing Odyssey

Since Odyssey joined the Fleet, I immediately thought: “Nope! That’s just too much boat for me.” From the multiple masts and lack of jib, to the sturdy dodger and the slew of lines in the cockpit, it seemed beyond my … Continue reading

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Safe To Go

There is really no such thing as safe to go; if you want to be safe, don’t go. Said Saint Thomas Aquinas seven centuries ago: “If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep … Continue reading

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Let ‘Em Fly…Or Not!

In the footsteps of Don Gilzean, Craig Walker, and Tony Johnson, I’m stepping up to share some important tips as we see the need from our clubhouse vantage point. And the biggest thing we’ve noticed lately involves…furling!  So, let’s start … 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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Watch the Stern

First a “tip” then the detailed explanation with some practice exercises. The Tip: While docking in a slip (once the bow is in the slip) and when doing a fairway rotation, focus primarily on where the stern is with observation … Continue reading

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Skipper Tip, Lee Shores

“Lee Shore” is a term you learn in your very first ASA course, Basic Keel Boat. How often do we really think about our relationship to a lee shore when we are out sailing? Inexperienced sailors in particular should try … Continue reading

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Skipper’s Tip, Reefing Underway

Reefing Underway With the summer winds starting to blow, we thought we’d touch upon this very important subject. Allowing the sails to flog for extended periods greatly shortens sail life and leads to torn batten pockets and lost or broken … Continue reading

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Downwind Slip Skipper’s Tip!

Got the blues leaving the downwind slips? With the onset of summer and the steady winds, we’ve seen a few close calls in the fairway. This looks like a great time to publish a docking skipper’s tip! When backing out … Continue reading

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Reefing Under Sail

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to watch one of the Tradewinds boats from a distance “struggling” in 25 knot plus winds at the eastern entrance to Raccoon Straight.  My initial thought was that the boat was in … Continue reading

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FRAP!

No, I’m not cursing at you, although it is one of my personal pet-peeves! Here it is from Merriam-Webster: verb \ˈfrap\ frapped frap·ping Definition of FRAP transitive verb :  to draw tight (as with ropes or cables) <frap a sail> I’m … Continue reading

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