Happy Holidays to all Sailors!

I was looking back on my Christmas blog post from 2011 and it listed my sailing goals for 2012.  Here are last years goals with a dollar sign next to the ones I accomplished:

Some of my sailing goals for this year (2012):
Fix the base of our corroded mast $$
Take more friends out on the bay for a day sail $
Sail to Tomales Bay
Enjoy the next round of promo races on the bay in preparation for the Americas Cup $
Partner Sail
More spinnaker runs $
Sail on other friends boats $
Baja Haha 19 $
Delta Trip $

Our boat partnership had some turnover this year as two partners (one on board for 7 years and the other for 6) left.  Sorry to see them go as one was a friend from grade school back east but he only went out a few times per year.  The good news is, we just completed signing our 3rd new partner for a total of 6 partners.  We decided to take on one more to help us pay for a new dodger.  His equity share will cover the cost of the new dodger.

The other item I did not accomplish was a trip to Tomales Bay.  This is an ocean run up the coast about 40 miles.  With no official life raft, no radar for fog and a few other key factors, I decided it would be prudent to continue with our bay sailing and not chance a potentially rough trip on the ocean.  I will wait a few years until I have my New Zealand bound boat that is designed for ocean sailing.

Here are my sailing goals for 2013!!
Add new dodger
New starboard cockpit winch
More night sails
Take a bunch of friends out to see the America's Cup races on the bay
Plan a bare boat trip to Belize with friends
Take a 5 day trip up to Napa with bikes for winery tours and tasting
Organize a partner sail
Organize a Newport 30 overnight raft up in Clipper Cove

Here is a look back at the highlights of 2012:
Baja Haha 19 rally from San Diego to Cabo on Second Sun with John and crew
Delta Trip with Arnie (getting stuck in the mud for almost 3 hours was not a highlight)
Sausalito sojourn with Kona in December and southerly storm winds
America's Cup races in August and October
Giants day games with a sail to and from the game with my buddy John
Sailing to AT&T park for The Wall concert with Frank and spending the night in McCovey Cove
Watching the fastest sailboat in the world sail the bay!
Signing up 3 new partners
Celebrating the GG Bridge's 75th birthday with the crews from Fearless and Willin
Sailing twice in Hawaii on two separate trips
Spending a quiet night on a mooring ball at Ayala Cove with just me and then sailing home w/o engine
Seeing an AC 72 sail the bay

That was a fun look back!  Here's to a great 2013 and all the fun and excitement we are going have sailing on the most beautiful bay in the world!  I hope you will be getting out on the water as well. 

The start of leg 3 off Santa Maria on the Baja Haha

Best of 2012 Extreme Sports

It's that time of year for the best of vids.  Here are three that I know you extremists will enjoy.  I also threw in a best of Youtube as well.  Happy Holidays!

Sojourn to Sausalito

Just back from a 4 day trip to Sausalito.  Kona and I took off on a rainy Monday morning.  By the time we got to the boat around 12noon, the weather was unstable and rain loomed to the north, there was no rain at the marina.  We loaded up and set of for our 6 mile journey.  The wind was about 12 and perfect.  We tacked out to the end of the pier and headed west to Schoonmaker Point Marina.  We pulled in about 4pm and found our spot inside the lagoon.  Took Kona for a walk and he loved romping on the beach at the marina.  Headed back to the boat for dinner and a quiet night.

Tuesday the wind was up early as we generally get clearing winds after a big storm.  My friend John showed about noon and we took off.  The tides were looking good so we headed out the  Golden Gate for an afternoon of 20-30 knot breezes.  It was very wild out there.  Once a big tanker cleared we had the strait to ourselves.  The Addiction was doing great and loving the waves and wind.  The sky was clear and it was a beautiful day to be outside the Gate.  What a great sail!  We headed in about 4pm and hung out on the boat enjoying some nice conversation and wine.  We also got in a qiuck Bocce game on the beach before dark. We had dinner at Le Garage, a restaurant right in the marina.  My nephew Dan joined us from Santa Rosa.

Wednesday was supposed to be a hiking day but John was not doing well after some mussels from last night.  I took a walk down to the store to pick up some provisions and on the way, we stopped at the Bay Model.  Kona waited paitently as I toured a giant 3D model of the bay.  It really is amazing to see all the landmarks as though you were 12,000 feet in the air.  Free too.  Back to the boat and off to a very light afternoon of tacking out near Angel Island.  Winds were less than 10 however it was nice to relax and enjoy the warm sun.  I really hit the weather window between storms!  Had a quiet night in the marina.

Thursday arrived and its time to head home.  The wind is blasting again from the south as another storm is approaching.  It was weird to be sail upwind all the way home as it usually a mellow downwind.  I had to fight the whole way but with just the jib up, I could let the boat steer herself and I could enjoy the sights and the wind on my face.  Great sailing and the boat did an amazing job.  In 4 hours we were back in the marina.  Noticed the bildge was not kicking in so had to replace it.  All in all another great trip to my favorite marina/town.

Unnerving

I had a dolphin swim up to me on time on the Monterey Bay.  I was standing in ankle deep water when I saw him approaching.  I stood there and he swam right up between my legs.  I turned him around and he swam away.  Not sure why he did that!