big wave, little boat

[Mark Yashinsky]

Since you are from SF area, how often are there and what are the sizes of the waves in teh South Tower to Fort Pt area???

[Larry M]

Mark,
Been sailing the bay since 79 on windsurfers, uldb's and the cd. I would not generally feel that the waves are the problem by the south tower but usually the high gusts combined with jibing. I do not remember many days that stick out with a breaking wave like that but I have always avoided the area due to some rocks. Outside the gate is a different story- surfing a Moore 24 back from the Farallons is real thrill and an eye opener (as well as white knuckles)when you get a 40 footer surfing.

[L.Gerhardy]

I sailed out and back under the "gate" this afetrnoom; 4.5 knot ebb tide, major rips and eddys, 600 ft. freighter with massive wake, 12 ft. westerly swell, realatively pleasant winds 8-15 knts. I had to get to the Marin County side, North side, to avoid the full flow of the ebing current on my way back in as the old Volvo MD7A in my CD30 is no match for the river going out the gate.

THis can be a mean strech of water. I've been there in 70 + mph winds with 30-40 ft. swells, (the bridge was closed as it was swinging so wildly) Was on a 95ft. Coast Gurad boat for a five day harbor entrance patrol duty. (mid 1950's).

Today I noticed another sail boat take the entrance in the same place where this Santana 22 was wipe out. From the Marin County side I could not see the south side conditions but I suspect he stayed close to shore to pick up a back eddy to avoid the full frontal force of the "river" going out the gate.

[David VanDenburgh]

Last summer we did quite a lot of surfing on Ariel (CD36) on a night passage - about 6 straight hours of surfing. It's exciting and calls for a bit of concentration on the helm. We were under jib alone. Winds about 25-30. Waves about 12 and unusually steep (very fast-building wind). Knotmeter hit 13.

[Didereaux]

First part of last month we hit 7.2 knts on Galveston bay on a 'training run' in ~25 knt winds. We held those speeds for nearly half an hour before making our destination.

Oh yeah, a CD will surf alright. ;)

[M. R. Bober]

OK, but will she plane?
Every best wish,
Mitchell Bober
Sunny Annapolis (where CDs reach their highest speeds on trailers), MD

[David VanDenburgh]

... in the belly of a C-17 Globemaster.

[Zeida Cecilia-Mendez]

My CD-33 Bandolera II does surf!. It is actually fun when you get a decent size wave behind you and feel the boat ride the wave on its own. Of course, not the kind of waves that rolled that Santana 22. I think they were quite irresponsible sailors, or maybe they were drunk to be in the position they put the boat in.

[Larry M]

Let me qualify what I mean (or what it means in California) to surf. It is to get the boat up on a plane well above its hull speed. For example to take a 24 foot boat well up into the double digit speed. There is no way a Cape Dory will do that. The small pick up of speed coming off a wave experienced in most displacements boats is not what we call surfing.

[neil]

I think they were quite irresponsible sailors, or maybe they were drunk to be in the position they put the boat in.

Perhaps they just made a mistake?

[David VanDenburgh]

I look back in horror on some of the dumb mistakes I have made as a skipper! Like the time I took a boat right through the Farallons thinking I knew exactly where I was and, when I was through, found out I wasn't where I thought I was at all. Dumb luck or the grace of God brought us through.

My guess is (as I said above) that they didn't notice the waves were breaking because they were looking at their backsides (the waves' backsides, that is!), and the presence of surfers didn't register with them. Of course, if they were a local SF Bay boat they should have known but many boats sail the waters they are familiar with for years and never try anything new. This may have been his day to try something new.

One thing is sure: he won't try it again!

[neil]

One thing is sure: he won't try it again!

Not in that boat!

[Marianna Max]

Has anyone heard whether the boat is salvageable? What does one do in that situation?

[M. R. Bober]

After you are certain that you are still alive, call your insurance agent.

Every best wish,
Mitchell Bober
Sunny Annapolis (where insurance agents have it easy), MD

[Neil Gordon]

Has anyone heard whether the boat is salvageable? What does one do in that situation?

The boat wasn't broken (except for the mast)... it just turned over and filled up and it sunk. The hull should be in good shape if the boat's raised unless it meets up with rocks while on the bottom. Sinking isn't good for motors and electronic sorts of things, but the boat itself should be fine.