Fleet Week San Francisco

[Kalee]

This is for any of my west coast brethren that have cruised the SF Bay during fleet week. I plan on cruising to the bay next weekend and hopefully get a chance to see the Blue Angels show from the water. I was wondering if any of you have any advice as to best positioning or other helpful hints? Im sure it's going to be very crowded on the water, so I want to do this safely.
Thanks in advance!

 

[Paladin]

Good questions. I might also brave the crowds, maybe even spend the night at the marina the night before. I wonder where there would be anchoring in the bay for the shows? Pretty deep there in some spots.

 

[SR400DB]

There are many good spots, but it's CRAZY if the weather is good. Generally I liked to tuck in behind the east side of Alcatraz, maybe 100 yards off the island. But the planes can be seen from any number of areas around the bay.

 

[Kalee]

We'll be spending the weekend at the Benicia harbor and venturing out from there. I was thinking the north/east corner of Alcatraz also. Just have to stay out of the ferries(s) way and be vigilant!

 

[SR400DB]

The ferries were not too hard to deal with. It's the remaining "weekend warriors" that I kept a close eye on. Benicia is great, have stayed there many, many times.

 

[HUMPH]

The South side of Angel Island. Tuck in close and the water is only 20-25 feet there and it is a sandy bottom. Nice spot for halibut too!

 

[Paladin]

Great to hear all this! I asked a buddy at the marina today (Loch Lomond) and he says it's a lot of fun but watch out all the time for bad drivers, like everyone has pointed out. His favorite place was closer to the GG bridge, which he said had fewer boats around. He doesn't anchor, just cruises around slowly. But anchoring south of Angel Island sure sounds tempting. Or east of it, in its lee sort of, if we get a breeze. We are going out Sunday.

 

[Kalee]

Thanks Ken, does this offer a good vantage point to the air-shows? I'm not familiar with their course over the bay.

Paul

 

[HUMPH]

Thanks Ken, does this offer a good vantage point to the air-shows? I'm not familiar with their course over the bay.

Paul

Great views from everywhere. I wouldn't go East of Angel Island as the island blocks the view.

 

[BurgundyS24]

im so jealous of you guys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! my original plan was to head out to the bay for the weekend and stay out there while the shows were going on. i bet it would be awesome. hopefully next year. boat wont be repaired for another week or so. in regards to what someone said previously about it being deep. i thought the bay was on average about 15 feet or so? from what i have studied there are some channels down to 200 feet. but for the most part seems to be pretty shallow?

 

[Paladin]

Right average is shallow, because of all the silting-in. Many broad expanses are quite shallow. You have to average in the south bay, very very shallow, and San Pablo Bay, shallow, and Richardson Bay, shallow. But, in the channels it's fairly deep, and then in like Raccoon strait its deep and out towards the GG bridge it's deep. I was out yesterday and missed their practice, but am going out Sunday to sit and watch the whole thing. I'm also looking forward to the 747 show, ought to be cool to watch that big baby do some tricks, maybe..

 

[BurgundyS24]

Sounds so cool! Ugh makes me wanna break into the mechanic shop and do my boat myself so I can go. But ill let the pros do the work amd catch it next year. I hoping to be in mccovey cove for some of the giants post season games

 

[Kalee]

Well we had a great day on the bay for fleet week! We anchored 300 feet south of Alcatraz which was the north boundary of the exclusion zone for the Blue Angels. Had an awesome view of the air shows and an even better view of the huge number of boats with obviously varied levels of capabilities! We were all packed in like sardines and the Alcatraz ferry just weaved and bobbed through us like we weren't even there! 50 and 60 foot sailboats (under sail!) cruising right between everybody! It was a crazy time.

The fog started rolling in toward the end of the airshows, so we weighed anchor and headed back to Benicia for the evening. The bad news for the weekend was somehow along the way back my port trim tab disappeared! All that's left is the two actuators and the mount on the transom. Boat got a little squirrely and I had to fully retract the starboard tab to keep the boat level. Guess a trip to the boatyard is in order. I've been wanting to add indicators to the tabs, so here is my chance. I have no idea or clue why the tab would disappear.
We didn't strike anything? I wonder if my insurance will cover it?

Paul

 

[HUMPH]

Not enough of a cost to bother with insurance. Your deductible will probably pay for new tabs. Who do you use to haul the boat?

 

[Kalee]

Ken, I use Delta Marine in Stockton and J&H does all the mechanical work.
I recall a thread on here about increasing the size of the tabs. I plan on increasing the size to utilize all of the space between the prop pockets and the chine of the hull. And as long as the boat is out of the water I'm going to replace the shaft seals with Lasdrop Gen II dripless seals.

 

[HUMPH]

Tony does good work as does J&H. You will be in good hands. I would PM Tabman here on CSR for tab info.

 

[NorCal Boater]

Hi Paul- I see you are at Oxbow as we are. The boat is too tall for the sheds so our permenant slip is on the guest dock. We are usually there on the weekends. Stop by for a cold one.

Shawn

 

[Kalee]

Hi Paul- I see you are at Oxbow as we are. The boat is too tall for the sheds so our permenant slip is on the guest dock. We are usually there on the weekends. Stop by for a cold one.

Shawn

Shawn, I'll be sure to do that! I'm usually there on weekends also.

Paul

 

[l-skynyrd]

I have a slip reserved for Oct 8 thru Oct 11, 2015 for fleet week. I am not going to use it. I paid fee's for a 37 foot boat and it is non refundable. The slip is B-8
at South Beach Marina. Slip can be used by anyone with just a phone call to the Marina. I would like the $137.00 I paid for the slip.

 

[HUMPH]

I'll let you know what I find out!