Board Sailing Sites for addition to the Bay Trail map

[Tony Soprano]

http://www.sfba.org/call-to-action/iden ... ater-trail

Identification of Board sailing Sites for addition to the Bay Water Trail

Dear Boardsailor (Kiters and Windsurfers):

The San Francisco Board Sailing Association (SFBA) is working with the Association of Bay Area Governments / Metropolitan Transportation Commission and its Bay Water Trail representatives to identify and protect access sites in and around San Francisco Bay and the Delta.

In order to protect these sites, the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) and the Bay Water Trail Plan need to identify them on their jurisdiction maps in order to establish and protect existing uses such as board sailing. SFBA worked closely with BCDC staff in 2005 to designate known board sailing sites in use at that time, but since then additional sites such as Albany Beach (Racetrack) and Royce’s Beach (Radio Beach) have come into use and are not recognized on the BCDC maps.

We are asking all boardsailors to take a few minutes of your time to provide details about your favorite kiting and windsurfing sites for inclusion in BCDC and Water Trail jurisdiction maps, and for SFBA’s knowledge so we can best represent your interests. For BCDC, it is important to make them aware of all possible sailing sites so they can consider appropriate actions to prevent access prohibitions due to development pressures, complaints and/or competition from other user groups. For Bay Water Trail officials, they are also official advocates for water access and their jurisdiction includes the waters within San Francisco Bay and the Delta, up to the Contra Costa and Solano County borders.

To that end we provide here an outline of the information we need and a link to a google form to make it easier for you to submit the information to us.

Please feel free to do one of the following:

1. Fill in the google questionnaire here:

https://goo.gl/forms/4FzVFMMidhs4Cxpj1

OR IF YOU PREFER

2. Fill in the outline below titled "Site Profile Outline" in a word doc and send it to sfbaboard@gmail.com

Site Profile Outline
(Note: use this outline if you prefer not so submit the google form. In that case, just fill out this outline in Word and email it to sfbaboard@gmail.com)

Water Access
Site location and street/park directions
Access Description
Provide a summary of how the site is used.
Describe where people park, rig, launch and land.
Site Use
High, medium, low. Provide estimated peak numbers.
How long has site been used by boardsailors?
Skill Level:
Advanced, intermediate, beginner? Why?
Parking:
Describe parking location and approximate distance from launch.
Free or paid parking?
Amenities
Restrooms? Fresh water? Etc.
School or Vendors Nearby:
List the names and contact information for on-site or nearby vendors or boardsailing schools.
Site Manager
City? State Parks? Park District? Private?

Site Conditions
Winds
Prevailing direction
Peak season (i.e., May - September).
Tides
Do they affect usability? Mudflats at low tide?
Currents
Do they affect usability? Can they drag you offshore? Etc..
Habitat and Wildlife
Nearby sensitive habitats?
Measures to reduce impact (i.e., don’t trample marsh, stay on levee top).
Other site conditions that affect use?

Safety
Onshore
Describe onshore hazards (riprap shoreline, proximity of other beach users, etc.)
Offshore:
Currents? Boat traffic?
Safety Tips:
How to best ensure safety? Best to body drag out?

Site Culture
Etiquette
Describe appropriate way to use site
Courtesy to other user groups;
Key things to understand about site use.
Why Kite/Sail Here:
Good winds, good place to learn, interesting sites, downwind opportunities, etc.?
Stewardship
Would you like to be an SFBA point of contact for safety information of site?
Additional Information:
Links to more info, webcams, etc.
Site Recommendations
Protect Access
Describe why it’s an important access location (favorable conditions, history of use, no other nearby sites, etc.)
Recommended Improvements:
Install informational safety signage?
Designate formal rigging area?
etc

[Tony Soprano]

Comeplete map and all recognized sites.
http://scc.ca.gov/webmaster/project_sit ... -final.pdf

page 65 lists all the "already denoted" launch sites in Table 8.2. Those launch sites are located on maps in Figures 8.1: a-g.

[reyrivera]

Nice, thanks Tony.

Cool that BayPoint has now a designated plan launch.

With all the latest news of re-habilitating the Concord weapons Naval yard, too bad Port Chicago is still tagged as a security exclusion zone.

The memorial park there has some very promising launch spots.