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Our Basic Keelboat Sailing course is designed to get you certified in Basic Sailing from the American Sailing Association. This rating qualifies you for sailing small non-auxiliary powered sailboats in protected waters.
Small craft are more vulnerable to the weather when sailing in the open bay than in a protected area. The weather is more likely to turn hazardous in different ways at different times of the year. In spring and summer strong westerly or north-westerly wind is the order of the day. The wind is usally strongest (up to 30 or more knots) in the afternoon. You can sometimes recognize this condition before you go out by the fog pushing over the coastal hills. When sailing past the Bay Bridge in San Francisco, white caps can be seen ahead. It's a good idea to reef before complete exposure to the heavy chop. Warning time can be as little as 5 or 10 minutes as you leave the protection of the windward shore.
In the North Bay, fog rolls in through the Golden Gate in spring and summer carried by strong wind. Fog is more likely in the South Bay in the wintertime when there is no wind. It often comes in the early morning and hangs around for hours. You may have a half hour after the temperature begins to drop in the early morning hours. This kind of fog can reduce visibility to less than a hundred feet.
Winter storms can bring southerly gales to the Bay Area. Wind can normally be expected to reach as much as 45 knots but on rare occasions can be as much as 70 knots. These conditions usually occur on rainy days when the wind comes in from the south. A heavy cloud layer darkening and lowering indicates the possibility of a southerly gale within an hour or two. This is the best time to find some kind of indoor activity if you can. If out on the water your only choice is to head for shelter as quickly as possible.
