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Beginner Bay Area/NorCal Locations (Coyote point?!?)
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ajmcgraw



Joined: 25 May 2022
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 1:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dllee wrote:
You can learn winging any place lots of people are windsurfing, windfoiling, and wingfoiling.
Coyote is closest to your home, go there.
Use common sense, talk to locals .
Tons of beginners at Coyote, Sherman Is, Crissy, Berkeley, Larkspur.
If you are scared, then maybe sport is not for you.


Certainly not afraid. If anything, my high risk tolerance often gets me in trouble. But like I mentioned, I bought my wing at Coyote Point and they very strongly discouraged me from learning there, so I respected the advice. But maybe they just didn't want to crowd the place with noobs, or bother the park rangers with more rescues out at the marina break (seen it happen twice with my own eyes while on walks down there).

From what I've read here, I think I'll try getting through the initial learning curve at Coyote Point, keeping close to the beach. Once I can jibe/tack and stay upwind pretty well, I think I'll go back to Alameda to get experience navigating longer distances.

windward1 wrote:

Why is this post in the Northwest Section? Would not the Southwest Section be more appropriate?


Unless it's a forum specific definition, I've never heard anyone refer to Northern California or the Bay Area as the Southwest.

dllee wrote:

Coyote is fine, stay West of the Boardsports shack until you are confident of your upwind ability.
Walk your gear East of the parking lot, almost to the free parking area, and launch there, heading towards the Boardsports Shack, BUT TRY TO STAY UPWIND.
DO NOT go past the shack.
Wing is much easier to learn and self rescue than windsurfing. Thousands have learned windsurfing at Coyote Point.


This sounds like solid advice. I will do exactly that. Thanks!
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NOVAAN



Joined: 28 Sep 1994
Posts: 1541

PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 1:59 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you live in L.A. or San Diego, Anything bay area and above is Northern CA.
Its just a matter of perspective.
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Goodwind



Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 323
Location: On water

PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

coachg wrote:
What about Shorline? The winds lighter but probably better than Alameda.

Coachg


Agree. Crowded site but good place to learn.

Also, you should have posted on "Southwest USA, Hawaii, Mexico" instead so more locals will see it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvR0uAEac4M


Last edited by Goodwind on Sun Jul 10, 2022 2:33 pm; edited 1 time in total
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dllee



Joined: 03 Jul 2009
Posts: 5328
Location: East Bay

PostPosted: Sun Jul 10, 2022 2:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shoreline is polluted water and as windy as Alameda.
Everyone who surfs Humbolt to Eureka says SF is NOT NorCal.
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dvCali



Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 1314

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Forget Alameda, it is a good place to slog. If you stay well inside the first buoy Coyote is fine to learn, the only problem is that the Facebook building has made the wind inside the buoy even more sketchy than it used to be. (I sail way outside there, but I almost stopped going to Coyote because of the now huge wind shadow.)

But the absolute best place to learn is Candlestick, especially now, July, when the wind starts to get down. Go there early, 1-1:30 pm, and enjoy the almost completely flat water and side shore wind. The park closes at 5pm, but you can park outside if you want to stay later. In years past there were scores of beginner wingers at Stick, now very few because of the short hours. The season goes on until end of October there, it is the last site to shut down in the Bay.
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Goodwind



Joined: 06 May 2005
Posts: 323
Location: On water

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 1:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dvCali wrote:
In years past there were scores of beginner wingers at Stick, now very few because of the short hours.


It appears that you left too early. There were more than a dozen wingers at the stick yesterday and more than half of them are beginners. Quite a few windsurfers parked their cars outside the park and sailed way past closing.
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ajmcgraw



Joined: 25 May 2022
Posts: 7

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 2:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dvCali wrote:
But the absolute best place to learn is Candlestick, especially now, July, when the wind starts to get down. Go there early, 1-1:30 pm, and enjoy the almost completely flat water and side shore wind. The park closes at 5pm, but you can park outside if you want to stay later. In years past there were scores of beginner wingers at Stick, now very few because of the short hours. The season goes on until end of October there, it is the last site to shut down in the Bay.

Goodwind wrote:
It appears that you left too early. There were more than a dozen wingers at the stick yesterday and more than half of them are beginners. Quite a few windsurfers parked their cars outside the park and sailed way past closing.


This sounds like a good option. Not much of a drive either. I'll definitely check it out. Thanks!

What does it mean for the season to end, by the way? Maybe I'm misremembering, but I'm pretty sure I saw people winging, kiting, and windsurfing at Coyote Point all winter this year.
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dvCali



Joined: 23 Aug 2007
Posts: 1314

PostPosted: Mon Jul 11, 2022 2:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Goodwind wrote:
dvCali wrote:
In years past there were scores of beginner wingers at Stick, now very few because of the short hours.


It appears that you left too early. There were more than a dozen wingers at the stick yesterday and more than half of them are beginners. Quite a few windsurfers parked their cars outside the park and sailed way past closing.

I went to TI! (Was blowing 4.2, definitely not a beginner place!)

ajmcgraw: the "regular" westerly season goes roughly from late February to end of October. In the off season winds are absent, or much weaker, or you have to wait for storms or clearing winds. Stick is the spot that have the earliest and latest "regular" season winds, or at least you run very little risk to be stranded.
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