SF Bay overnight anchorage

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vineline

vineline

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
Messages
31
Location
USA
Vessel Name
B-Side
Vessel Make
1976 Trojan 54
Hello forum,

I'm looking for a beautiful calm spot to spend one night on the hook ideally near Angel Island/Marin.

This is my first overnight on the Bay (I'm berthed in Alameda). What regulations/laws am I up against? Seems perfectly logical to me to anchor near Angel Island near raccoon straight.

Any information regarding a short overnight trip would be useful.

Thanks.
 
I've never been but perhaps you should try Treasure Island for your first night on anchor. Try to anchor in the Southwest corner for best protection. It's close to Alameda. Or just grab a mooring at Ayala Cove on Angel Island. China Camp on the West side of San Pablo Bay is another consideration but won't give you the flat water of TI or Ayala Cove.

Some anchor at East Garrison on Angel Island. However, it can be a bit rough due to its proximity to ship and ferry traffic.
 
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Treasure Island is a good idea, and is less risky compared to most locations near Raccoon Strait.

Ayala (formerly Hospital) Cove has mooring, but not anchoring. ... My earliest attempts at anchoring were during winter sailboat races where weak winds and strong adverse currents made it occasionally prudent to anchor.
 
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Giggitoni said:
I've never been but perhaps you should try Treasure Island for your first night on anchor. Try to anchor in the Southwest corner for best protection. It's close to Alameda. Or just grab a mooring at Ayala Cove on Angel Island. China Camp on the West side of San Pablo Bay is another consideration but won't give you the flat water of TI or Ayala Cove.

Some anchor at East Garrison on Angel Island. However, it can be a bit rough due to its proximity to ship and ferry traffic.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your insight. I researched the mooring balls at Ayala Cove and feeling pretty good about that. Plus will give me a chance to use my new mooring ball hook. Looks like a 60-foot boat can fit into outer row.
 
markpierce said:
Treasure Island is a good idea, and is less risky compared to most locations near Raccoon Strait.

Ayala (formerly Hospital) Cove has mooring, but not anchoring. ... My earliest attempts at anchoring were during winter sailboat races where weak winds and strong adverse currents made it occasionally prudent to anchor.
Click to expand...

Thank you!
 
At Ayala, one moors to both bow and stern mooring balls, oriented in a north-south direction, with bow pointed north. This places one broadside to the tidal currents but pointed into wakes. ... You need to pay the mooring fee on-shore. One can dinghy to the docks or temporarily dock your boat (day-use only).

img_169805_0_a62eacf01a5f600081c35142ce13c619.jpg


The sailboat on the left isn't following potocol.
 
I have to second the moorings on Angel Is I have spent many a night there and if you can tuck in close to shore you will avoids the ferry wakes and you have plenty of depth.

It will take a little bit to get used to mooring stern and bow but there are many ways to make it happen even single handed.

Nice place to hang out after the island closes and great walks very peaceful.
 
markpierce said:
At Ayala, one moors to both bow and stern mooring balls, oriented in a north-south direction, with bow pointed north. This places one broadside to the tidal currents but pointed into wakes. ... You need to pay the mooring fee on-shore. One can dinghy to the docks or temporarily dock your boat (day-use only).

The sailboat on the left isn't following potocol.
Click to expand...

My boat is 60 feet. Any concern at that length?
 
Great thread, in all my years at Alameda, I never once did any of this. I'll get up there one of these days and do some exploring.
 
markpierce said:
This website says 50 feet is the maximum; however, I would contact the state park rangers on the island to get a definitive answer.

Angel Island State Park (Ayala Cove Marina) Marina in Tiburon, California | Reviews and Info
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Just got off the phone with the ranger. 50 to 55 feet no problem. He said the mooring balls along the outside perimeter are the deepest, 7 to 10 feet. Getting there earlier around 4p will help secure a spot. The mooring balls are color coded. Yellow to yellow, red to red etc. Bow and stern need to be secured, with the bow facing the Richmond bridge. $30 overnight.
 
Good information from the Ranger. I've noticed through the years that the distance increases between the mooring balls if there is a boat behind and a boat in front of where you want to moor. In other words, grab the mooring balls currently occupied between the stern of one boat and the bow of the other boat. Those boats pull the balls toward their boats especially at higher tides. So the distance between your chosen balls (that doesn't sound too good!) could be 75-80 feet apart.

Make sure your bow and stern lines are long enough; at least 200 feet each. That way you can double the line back to your cleats and make leaving after your stay easier...just untie one end and pull it through the mooring ball.
 
Baggiolini said:
Great thread, in all my years at Alameda, I never once did any of this. I'll get up there one of these days and do some exploring.
Click to expand...

Baggiolini I am back in Monterey till next Monday night when I fly back to the boat in TN.

Let me know if you need someone to handle your lines on a bay cruise....:)

Gerald
 
Giggitoni said:
Good information from the Ranger. I've noticed through the years that the distance increases between the mooring balls if there is a boat behind and a boat in front of where you want to moor. In other words, grab the mooring balls currently occupied between the stern of one boat and the bow of the other boat. Those boats pull the balls toward their boats especially at higher tides. So the distance between your chosen balls (that doesn't sound too good!) could be 75-80 feet apart.

Make sure your bow and stern lines are long enough; at least 200 feet each. That way you can double the line back to your cleats and make leaving after your stay easier...just untie one end and pull it through the mooring ball.
Click to expand...

Great call on the length of line! I need more. As a boat warming gift I got a Robship hook and moor. Excited to use it.

http://sections.latitude38.com/news/robship-hook-moor-boat-hook
 
You won't always need 200 feet of line. But those times when the moorings are pulled to adjacent boats you'll be glad you have it!
 
gwkiwi said:
Baggiolini I am back in Monterey till next Monday night when I fly back to the boat in TN.

Let me know if you need someone to handle your lines on a bay cruise....:)

Gerald
Click to expand...

Gerald, I'm on my way to Pine Moutain Lake to play some golf and won't be back until Sunday, but the following Thursday or Friday we are going around to Stillwater in Pebble Beach. So if your leaving this coming Monday, I will miss you buf if the following we could go for a ride. Btw, you owe us pictures of the new boat, friendship on the line here! Many of us dream of your boat.....send boat porn!
 
Made it to Ayala around 4p Saturday. Scored a outter mooring ball. The crew learned to operate the hook and moor on the fly. I fought the wind and we looked like pros's. thanks for everyone's contribution to this thread: having lots of new line allowed me to sleep like a baby....a drunk baby. Absolutely beautiful here. Rookies learning on the fly!
 

My 15 year old flybridge canvas literally blew off while coming across the bay.
 
Angel Island Webcam

Is that you behind the pole?
 

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Baggiolini said:
Gerald, I'm on my way to Pine Moutain Lake to play some golf and won't be back until Sunday, but the following Thursday or Friday we are going around to Stillwater in Pebble Beach. So if your leaving this coming Monday, I will miss you buf if the following we could go for a ride. Btw, you owe us pictures of the new boat, friendship on the line here! Many of us dream of your boat.....send boat porn!
Click to expand...

No unfortunately its a red eye tomorrow when I fly out and am then back from the 7th till about the 10th then we are gone for good to move aboard.

Will get some photos after we get some more things done and we are anchored out although I have included one of the lake and teaching our niece to drive the dingy on the last trip, all new canvas went on last week which will be good.

Have fun at Stillwater watch out for that seaweed.
 

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