SF Boating Deaths

[dabnis]

Sorry to see this on another forum:

Couple die in boating accident off S.F.

Looks like they took the "inside" channel up from Half Moon Bay, risky business. From the shore, I saw a large sailboat rolled just south of this area.
Good area to avoid when it is at all rough. Maybe if they had taken the outside approach they would still be here?

Dabnis

[nolatom]

Very sad. A Ranger 33, deeply reefed, is a pretty solid boat.

Don't know if they had harnesses on, but sometimes you just can't hang on to the boat on your own if you take a knockdown. And if one goes overboard, it's all to easy for the second one to follow while trying to help.

[sailortjk1]

Very Tragic.
Two lives lost... we now pray for the family and loved ones as the mourn their loss.

[KeelHaulin]

There is no inside channel from Half Moon Bay. There is a coastal channel going north to Drakes Bay (to be used with extreme caution when there is any significant swell); but from the south the SF Bar is extremely rough on days when the swell is running.

The weather was heavy on Sunday; I think they were pushing it to get the boat back to SF Bay. They should have had someone go pick them up in HMB and waited for the next weekend to bring the boat back (it was only 1 hour by car to HMB from their home in El Sobrante).

[dboy4ever]

Sunday was rough. We were only in the Redwood City channel and the boat was heeling over like 50 degrees (and felt like 90). The couple sound like quite experienced. What a loss. RIP.

[dabnis]

Keelhaulin,

Many years ago the charts showed a channel with two buoys basically
parallel to Ocean Beach about 1/4 mile or more offshore. I don't know if it is shown anymore? If not, probably a good thing. You are right, when it gets rough the surf line goes way out. From my house in the Sunset district I could watch
the seas break over the buoys, don't know how they stayed in place.
I am very familiar with Bonita Channel, again you are right, it can get very nasty and you are pinned right close to the beach. In any event, whether they tried to come up inside or got knocked down coming down the ship channel, too bad. As you said, "should have", there is always another day,
except for them.

Dabnis

[tweitz]

Notice at the tail end of the article mention of another experienced sailor killed when he apparently fell overboard in Southern Cal. Sad.

[JohnRPollard]

Originally Posted by KeelHaulin

There is no inside channel from Half Moon Bay. There is a coastal channel going north to Drakes Bay (to be used with extreme caution when there is any significant swell); but from the south the SF Bar is extremely rough on days when the swell is running.

The weather was heavy on Sunday; I think they were pushing it to get the boat back to SF Bay. They should have had someone go pick them up in HMB and waited for the next weekend to bring the boat back (it was only 1 hour by car to HMB from their home in El Sobrante).

How much distance do these "short cuts" save? They sound very dicey.

Very sad. Condolences to the family.

[KeelHaulin]

The SF Bar goes out about 5 miles. If you are to avoid crossing the Bar you need to sail West and go through the ship channel; but it's only 45 feet deep or so; while the Bar is 30' or so. The extra distance to sail out to the ship channel is only about 4 miles but if you were sailing close to the coast to get to SF bay it could be difficult to sail into the swell and get out to the channel entrance. That does not justify the need to cross the Bar; I am just saying that if you sailed up too close to the coast in rough seas you could find yourself trapped by wind and breaking waves. In addition the ship channel is not much better if there is heavy swell; as the breaking waves on the non-dredged bar can carry across it.

[42ndstreet]

Rip.