vasona reservoir

FredFX · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 12:38 pm Post subject: vasona reservoir

How's the wind up at Vasona park in Los Gatos? Has anyone been?

I was just wondering because I'm probably going this weekend (I convinced my mom to go there instead of the beach so I could windsurf Cool

)

ShreddinEd · Joined: 27 Mar 1994 Posts: 172

carl · Joined: 25 Feb 1997 Posts: 2674 Location: SF bay area

I have never seen anyone sail Vasona, even in the heyday (early 1990s). People used to sail the percolation ponds next to Hwy 17 (880) btw Camden Ave and Lark Ave, but haven't seen anybody there in years. Convince your mom to goto Shoreline Lake in Mountain View instead, it's nicer for non-sailors than the perc ponds too.

FredFX · Posted: Sat May 23, 2009 10:01 pm Post subject:

geohaye · Joined: 03 Apr 2000 Posts: 1437

I guess if I were in the mood to pack up my longboard and head to the south bay (Mt View-Los Gatos-San Jose general area) for a pilgrimage of old school lake cruising, I would sail the lakes in this order:

Shoreline Lake
Los Gatos Perc Ponds / Los Gatos Creek Park
Lake Almaden Park (Almaden Lake)
Calero Park

(I probably wouldn't myself sail these 2, but someone else might:)
Lexington Reservoir
Vasona Lake

Shoreline is the only one I've ever sailed, but I would be curious (if I was in a mellow, old-school mood) to cruise with the longboard on the Perc Ponds as well as Lake Almaden. Word is they've not seen many windsurfers in years but they definitely have in the past because they are in the general path of decent wind flow. Calero Park, a bit further along to the south, and a bit in the foothills, could be worth trying too, maybe.

Here's what the great old 1989 California Boardsailor's Bay Guide said about Vasona Lake:

Vasona Lake
Use Scale (1-10): 2
Prime Time: Spring & Summer (same as all of these)
Level: Beginner
Comments: Beginner spot, flukey wind

Lexington Reservoir to the south was given a little healthier "Use Scale" of 3, and a "Level" of Beginner & Intermediate. I assume that they considered it "Intermediate" also because Lexington is a bit larger so you can get some good runs in if the wind is blowing hard (rare; but I've seen it blow hard from the south -- and I've seen windsurfers take it on a few times!)

The other spot where I've seen windsurfers (rarely) is Calero Park in south San Jose. Another lighter wind, beginner/longboarding spot, to be sure, but it can get an OK breeze for longboards. The CB Bay Guide mentioned it as a sailable lake, with a general "Use Scale" of 3.

In the CB Bay Guide, the Los Gatos Creek Park / Perc Ponds, which Carl mentioned, which are just to the north of Vasona Lake, were given a "Use Scale" of 5! And the Comments were "Good beginner spot. Great park for the family."

The other local San Jose/Los Gatos general area park worth mentioning is Lake Almaden Park, which is definitely a "beachy" place -- though I'll bet Carl would say he's never seen a windsurfer there either (I know I have not, but I've only driven past there 2-3X in my life). I would say that a cruising longboarder wouldn't look out of place at Lake Almaden. The CB Bay Guide gave it a "Use Scale" of 3 and did include Intermediate along with Beginner as the "Level". Comments were "Great beginner spot. Small lakeside park." They also said "...excellent learning conditions". They mentioned that there were rentals at Almaden Lake, but that's certainly not the case anymore.

Of course as Fred knows, Shoreline Lake is the king of south bay beginner/longboard lakes. The 1989 CB Bay Guide gave it a "Use Scale" of 7. They definitely included Intermediate in the "Level" because the wind can get fairly strong and clean, and the Comments were: "Excellent beginner spot... PFDs required." Even 10 years ago there were still lessons, a shop for spare parts, and board rentals at Spinnaker. Does anyone know if the current owners of the shop/snack bar still rent longboards at Shoreline?

ctuna · Joined: 27 Jun 1995 Posts: 1125 Location: Santa Cruz Ca

But there are only generally supertanker long boards and crummy rigs.
there's still a crowd that does the formula board on 7.0 plus sails which I call yaughting now.
Some people go there to practice low wind freestyle and occasionally it blows enough to plane on bigger regular stuff.

jayden123 · Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 40 Location: elk grove, ca.

gee, vasona and th perk ponds. yes i know those places very well. lets see i can remember my dad driving us from lark ave. up the back entrance at the dam. this must of been in the late 70's. we didnt have windsurfs back then. we had boy scout hand made folding kyacks made wiith canvass, plywood and leenseed oil. there were lie down paddel boards bring your own back then and yes swimming too back in the days. our family hung at lexington.

perk ponds was the place to learn windsurf it was populated in in in 1986. i was there on the one design doing the walk of shame. i did manage to sail back and that was it i put it away and never sailed since. well now 20 years later i tried it again this time at the delta. well i have one thing to sy. im hooked like a wild sturgeon on a barbed hook. this sport is awesome!! and i wll give it up!!!!

im windsurfing for life.

carl · Joined: 25 Feb 1997 Posts: 2674 Location: SF bay area

As Geohaye said, Lexington can actually get good wind from the south in the March/April. If it's been storming alot, there can be alot of debris the the water though. It is a decent longboard place with the normal summer winds. I used to sail there alot in my longboard days. Lake Elizabeth in Fremont used to allow sailboards, Stevens Creek Res too.
Almaden, are you talking about that little pond near Almaden Expressway?
There used to be windsurfing there, back in the day.
Calero is very popular with the jet ski crowd. I think it's one of the
few lakes they can go.

windward1 · Joined: 18 Jun 2000 Posts: 1400

I sailed Vasona once on an original windsurfer. Was not much wind that day and I just cruised around looking at the ducks.

I have sailed Lexington and raced there back in the original windsurfer days. The wind can change direction 190 degrees in the mid afternoon. They even used to load the boards up and drive to one end to do a downwinder.

Lake Elizabeth in Fremont was the other popular racing spot.

We raced on Uvas as well, but wind was definitely flukey.

I never sailed the perc ponds, but they were crowded with sails when I drove by at times.

If your mom wants to go to the beach and you want to sail, go to Natural Bridges on the west side of Santa Cruz. It is the new secret spot. Blows many times when Waddell and Davenport do not. Was 25 mph all day today.

geohaye · Joined: 03 Apr 2000 Posts: 1437

jayden123, great to hear that you are re-hooked, after a 20-30-year rest break! That is awesome...

Attachment 1:
I wouldn't think the walk of shame would have been too bad at the Perc Ponds. There's just not that much shoreline to walk along there... Wink

Not like if you run seriously afoul of the tide gods at Crissy Field...

Attachment 2:
Carl, I was mentioning Almaden Lake Park, which is on the corner of Almaden & Coleman in San Jose. This lake apparently had windsurf rentals back in the day.