New to area - tell me everything :D San Jose

[chris_4003]

Hi everyone,

I live in San Jose ... just moved down here for work. I used to live by niagara falls and sailed often on Lake Erie. I'd classify myself as an early intermediate sailor ... just bought a 140L board (180lbs/80kg)

Now that I'm down here, I'm interested in meeting some other sailors, as well as learning about the best places to be. Tell me everything there is to know !


What are the best places to sail this time of year? How are the waves?


Thanks

[carl]

Welcome, good timing the season is just starting!
Does "early intermediate" mean you can water Start?
If not, it's a great time to learn. The bay is fantastic for windsurfing, but most
sites, water starting is a required skill, for safety.
boardsportsschool dot com at Coyote Point can hook you up with an instructor.
In the meantime, Shoreline lake in Mountain View is the best and closest spot for decent wind and you can't get in trouble while learning. Last time I was there (quite a awhile ago) there were Lots of sailors and lawn for rigging. You could even catch the late afternoon winds after work.

[chris_4003]

Hi carl,

I can waterstart if there's not too many waves ... but right now too much chop makes it pretty difficult.

Thanks for the recommendation on the location, I'll head over there sometime this week.

[PAmuddog]

Chris,

Welcome to the greatest windsurfing area on the continent (IMHO)! You are going to have a blast.

I concur with Carl about having a solid waterstart before you venture out too far in the bay. Having a 140 board is also a plus as you can uphaul fairly easy if the wind dies.

Another issue will be the tides and currents for each site. When sailing in the bay it is very important to know the tide and current for the site you will sail. Unlike lake Erie the water level and current in the bay changes twice daily. Depending on you session length water levels can change 10'. Currents can change 5 knots in BOTH directions. An uninformed sailor could be left high and dry in waist deep mud flats or get sucked out the Golden Gate. Study the tide tables here on iWindsurf and always ask local sailors for specifics at each site.

Hope to see you on the water!

[ctuna]

Shoreline for low winding or sometimes planing on big boards with big sails
Candlestick and San Luis Reservoir (O neil forebay) for flat water
sailing. There is info on all the local sites under the site info sections.
Other major sites along the West side of the Bay . Palo Alto , 3rd ave,
Coyote Point. Sail size usually runs from 4.0 to 6.0 here .
Wadell , Davenport and Natural Bridges are the most used Coastal
Wave sailing sites.
Sherman Island for high winds on the Sacramento River.

Attend the ABK windsurf camps at San Luis Res or Sherman Island to
improve your skills in June through August.

If you are going to a site for the first time read about and ask the locals
what to look out for or post here for specific info.

[carl]

[dllee]

Buy an issue of Windfinder.
Forget sailing in waves until you ride 100 liter boards easily, this is the WEST coast, not the East coast, and waves are twice as powerful and average 55 degree water temps with white shark lurking below the surface. Most wave sailors who weigh 200 lbs ride 100 liter wave boards.
S Bay is great at outgoing tides and NW coastal winds.
When fog is in, head to San Luis Reservoir, lower lake.

[geohaye]

zirtaeb's got the hot tip to suggest buying a copy of Mike Godsey's SF Bay Windsurfing Guide "Windfinder". As hot as a tip can be for a magazine-style book that is 26 years old, that is!! But, the guide is awesome for a newbie, hell it's just plain awesome no matter what. The writing, the detailed local info, the map, etc, are all just brilliant. Outdated in places, of course, but what isnt?!

You can look for it on Amazon (hint, hint...), Ebay, etc...

Windfinder: A windsurfing guide to the San Francisco Bay area & Beyond
Paperback – 1989 - by Michael Godsey

[gerritt]

On top of the excellent tips above, I'll offer this. Get a good wetsuit!

If you can only afford one, make it at least a 4/3 full length. I prefer the surf style as they are easier to find, more choices, and lighter overall weight. Some like windsurf specific suits, which are warmer, but cost more and don't last as long. Add a pair of booties to increase your launch options, a thermal rash guard, and a hood. That way you can be flexible. April and May are some of the best months, but can be cold. Fall gets warm and you can go down to a 3/2, or even a shorty, but there are risks if you break down, or cannot get back to shore. For someone that is still learning, err toward warmer rather than cooler protection. Hypothermia is no joke.

If you want to save money for a warm weather suit, just save you old suit (I get about two seasons out of mine - depends how ofter you are on the water). When you get a new suit, cut down your old one for a short sleeve fashion look and you are styling and staying cool on the hot days!

[ctuna]

I couldn't use my 4/3 most of the time last year.
But the water temp is dropping now.