Where to anchor out in San Fran Bay?

[waterman46]

Originally Posted by Dooglas

You haven't told us anything about the sailboat. Is it an open boat, a daysailor with a small cuddy, or a boat with a more significant enclosed cabin. I ask as exposed areas like the weather side of Angel Island are really not the best place to anchor in an open boat.

Never seen anyone anchor on the weather side of Angel Island, except for the race committee boats!

Every place mentioned so far will be fine for all but very smallest of daysailors, but at times some of them can be rolly. Also, most Bay anchorages are subject to current and you need to plan for the twice daily reversal. You'll learn! The plus side is that with proper equipment and technique, anchor holding is always good - the mud is fairly dense.

McNear's Beach was mentioned. It is nice but you would need to pay a user fee if you land there.

Just to the North on the same shoreline is China Camp. No charge to go ashore and leave the dink on the beach. Bathrooms ashore but no provisions. We anchored there many nights on returns from the Delta. It's shallow so allow for the 6' tides. At low tide there's too much mud to go ashore (or back to your boat) but at middle and high tide it's a good beach - it's safe to leave the dink and use the good hiking trails that go farther north along the shore.

Angel Island is the premier Bay anchoring destination unless you need nightlife. Ayala cove mentioned above has docks you can use during the day (only) for a small fee and moorings for overnights. Get there before 10:30 on a weekend otherwise it can be a zoo. But it should not be missed.

I used to anchor in Hospital Cove on Angel Island, until I lost an anchor snagged on a cable. Avoid that, but farther south along the shore before you get to Point Blunt there are mooring buoys and a large protected beach.

[TOMMYKAY9483]

Originally Posted by SV__Grace

You have a small boat that will be easy to anchor just about anywhere

Thanks for such a detailed response, SV_Grace! Super useful to me and my little sailboat.

Originally Posted by SV__Grace

Have fun gunkholing for 2 weeks, you'll probably want to keep going!

I want to keep going already, and I haven't even started.

I am grateful you took the time to write this.

Tom

[bobmcd625]

You are spoiled for choice in the SF Bay. Points of interest to consider:
Oakland Estuary (lots to see)
SF Aquatic Park (historic ships)
Sausalito (hook on to a buoy near the Sausalito YC
Angel Island (Dock in Ayala Cove would be perfect)
Tiburon (Paradise Cove)
San Rafael(-McNair's Beach)
Get a chart and plan the route. Have fun.

[gamayun]

I'd bet good money that absolutely no one is going to hassle you if you're anchored for a night or two in any spot around the bay. There are just too many other issues the different jurisdictions around here are dealing with to go checking on every boat that shows up for a short spell.

Has no one has mentioned McCovey Cove? Anyone ever stayed overnight there? I dragged anchor one time (bad technique as a newbie) in a crowded field so I skedaddled rather than reset. I really like the area off Sausalito Yacht Club if they ever have Jazz in the Park on Fridays again. There are (were?) two mooring balls that are first come, first serve, but don't know if there are any overnight restrictions. The communities around Richardson Bay area can get a little touchy about liveaboards but that's not your concern.

[NorthCoastJoe]

With your draft, you can go anywhere. For 2weeks you could explore some of the rivers, Petaluma, Napa in the north bay. with both, you can ride the ebb and flow in and out. Also, go into town for resupply there are public docks in downtown Petaluma, and I have not been to Napa in ages.

[sail sfbay]

Aquatic Park and McCovey Cove in San Francisco, Berkeley South Cove and Clipper Cove next to Treasure Island are anchorages close to your planned launch.

https://www.spinnakersailing.com/ove...francisco-bay/

[Good]

Me so jelly

[smith8273]

I'm interested in McCovey Cove. I remember it being against the rules to overnight anchor, I just didn't know how strictly it was enforced.

I looked — and couldn't find to reference it in this post — but I remember it's under the jurisdiction of some agency and that's the rules that they posted (somewhere).

I would like to anchor overnight there, just don''t want to be rousted just as I'm settling down.

[requiem]

Originally Posted by smith8273

I'm interested in McCovey Cove. I remember it being against the rules to overnight anchor, I just didn't know how strictly it was enforced.

You might be thinking of this. Personally it feels a bit tight for my taste.

One other spot I don't think I saw mentioned yet is Horseshoe Cove, near the north end of the Golden Gate.

[gamayun]

I'd heard that Horseshoe Cove also does not allow overnight anchorages but a friend used to go in there and leave early, maybe by 5 AM, and never had an issue. The only "overarching" authority for development activities on the bay is the BCDC. They're the ones who mandated the 10/% max liveaboards in marinas some 20+ years ago. Otherwise, the local county/city municipalities are in charge of their adjacent waters. Port of SF is responsible for most of that city's waterfront.

[MVDarlin]

No anchorind at Angel Island. Mooring balls only. If you are a yacht club member many offer one night free reciprocal moorage. Plenty of space in the delta.

[Sohum]

Short news clip about derelict boats in SF Bay

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ca...ity/vi-AALYD0V