-
Ahoy and Welcome to the New SSS Forum!!
As you can see, we have migrated our old forums to new software. All your old posts, threads, attachments, and messages should be here. If you see anything out of place or have technical questions, please take a look in
You should be able to login with your old credentials. If you have any issues, try resetting your password before clicking the Contact Us link.
Cheers - SSS Technical Infrastructure
2026 Cruise Out
- Thread starter Philpott
- Start date
- Featured
Intermission
Member
Dark of the Moon Cruise
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
But rising of the tide
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
Invitations have gone out. If you are interested rsvp here.
That means Repondez s'il vous plait: Please respond if it pleases you. It would certainly be pleasant for us if you respond.
We need to determine how to advise the bridge operator in Petaluma, who will have to stop traffic on the bridge in order to let us all through on one of the busiest days of the year for the town.
Looking forward to seeing singlehanders, maybe breaking bread together either in restaurants or on our boats.
That means Repondez s'il vous plait: Please respond if it pleases you. It would certainly be pleasant for us if you respond.
We need to determine how to advise the bridge operator in Petaluma, who will have to stop traffic on the bridge in order to let us all through on one of the busiest days of the year for the town.
Looking forward to seeing singlehanders, maybe breaking bread together either in restaurants or on our boats.
Rainbow
Ocean Cruiser
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Skippers of larger boats should also check air draft, due to the fixed bridges at Highway 37 and Haystack Ldg. Vertical clearance is 70' and there are +5' high tides that weekend. I'll post some photos with details.
I took Surprise! up for the Butter and Egg Festival in 2023 and it was great fun. I'm planning to go again with this group!
I took Surprise! up for the Butter and Egg Festival in 2023 and it was great fun. I'm planning to go again with this group!
Last edited:
Hi Jackie,
Don and Siobhan have always wanted to do this cruise on Crinan II. You have supplied the answer. Keep me posted.
...Don
i’m in. jeff froula on Pelican
I'm interested. Rumour draws 6'2" and here are the tides for that weekend.
I'm looking around for "Petaluma City Dock". With no direct results matching that and without any experience navigating the Petaluma River, it took me a while to find. Can someone confirm this is the dock? https://cityofpetaluma.org/visiting-turning-basin/
Also, there was a dredging project instantiated in Fall 2025. Updates are noted here: https://cityofpetaluma.org/2025dredging and the last update from Nov 2025. Nested in the comments it suggests the dredging window closes Nov 30. Has anyone checked to see if the project still poses any obstacles to navigating the turning basin?
I'm looking around for "Petaluma City Dock". With no direct results matching that and without any experience navigating the Petaluma River, it took me a while to find. Can someone confirm this is the dock? https://cityofpetaluma.org/visiting-turning-basin/
Also, there was a dredging project instantiated in Fall 2025. Updates are noted here: https://cityofpetaluma.org/2025dredging and the last update from Nov 2025. Nested in the comments it suggests the dredging window closes Nov 30. Has anyone checked to see if the project still poses any obstacles to navigating the turning basin?
Philpott
Cal 2-27 Dura Mater
I drove up a couple of weeks ago and took these photos.
There is a long city dock. Really long. Vallejo Yacht Club is having its cruise out the same weekend. The dock is so long I don't see reason for concern. We can always raft up.
Two entrances to the city dock. Four separate electrical podiums with four plugs each; The entire river was dredged. The Petaluma Marina was NOT dredged.
The Petaluma Hotel has rooms for approximately $100/night for friends and family who are not fans of boats. It is mere blocks away from the city dock.
Bob Johnston says he will be making his famous street tacos. He made 'em a couple of years ago up in Drakes Bay and they were delicious. I will bring gluten free corn bread which is also very delicious. Why gluten free? I just had a box of it in the cupboard, thought I'd use it up.
Bring food or eat at one of the local restaurants. All within walking distance, I assure you.
I had lunch at Sugo's which is next door to Peet's.
There is a long city dock. Really long. Vallejo Yacht Club is having its cruise out the same weekend. The dock is so long I don't see reason for concern. We can always raft up.
Two entrances to the city dock. Four separate electrical podiums with four plugs each; The entire river was dredged. The Petaluma Marina was NOT dredged.
The Petaluma Hotel has rooms for approximately $100/night for friends and family who are not fans of boats. It is mere blocks away from the city dock.
Bob Johnston says he will be making his famous street tacos. He made 'em a couple of years ago up in Drakes Bay and they were delicious. I will bring gluten free corn bread which is also very delicious. Why gluten free? I just had a box of it in the cupboard, thought I'd use it up.
Bring food or eat at one of the local restaurants. All within walking distance, I assure you.
I had lunch at Sugo's which is next door to Peet's.
Last edited:
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Thanks for the reconnoitering!
"Vallejo Yacht Club is having its cruise out the same weekend." So is Sausalito Yacht Club. The docks are first-come-first-served - I would arrive early.
"Bob Johnston says he will be making his famous street tacos." Possibly - this would be for Friday afternoon snacks on the dock. Who says we can't pretend to be yacht-clubby?
I've been busy sailing and stuff, but I'll post some on-the-water photos of this trip before long.
"Vallejo Yacht Club is having its cruise out the same weekend." So is Sausalito Yacht Club. The docks are first-come-first-served - I would arrive early.
"Bob Johnston says he will be making his famous street tacos." Possibly - this would be for Friday afternoon snacks on the dock. Who says we can't pretend to be yacht-clubby?
I've been busy sailing and stuff, but I'll post some on-the-water photos of this trip before long.
Last edited:
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
I plan to depart Richmond YC at 1000 on 4/17, which should put me at Daymark "4" (Fl R 4s) at about Noon (ref. chart 18654). That's about 12 nm and it will be flooding. For those coming from other points south, it's 5.7 nm from Point San Pablo to Daymark "4". High tide at the Petaluma River entrance is at 1408 and will be +5.2' . From Daymark "4" to the Petaluma Turning Basin is about another 17nm.
The long entrance channel from San Pablo Bay into the river is the tricky part. Stay mid-channel because there is shoaling into the channel along the way. Once you're in the river you'll come to the railroad swing bridge near Black Point. It's always open. Right after that is the Highway 37 bridge. It's a fixed bridge with a vertical clearance of 70'. Then you meander up the river and pass Lakeville Marina about two-thirds of the way to Petaluma. I sailed most of this stretch, depending on the wind direction.
The river widens out nicely but there are shallow spots along the edges and there may be other traffic. I looked across the fields and saw a tug with barge coming down the river. It took some planning to get out of his way without running into the mud. So "head's up" and watch your chart.
The long entrance channel from San Pablo Bay into the river is the tricky part. Stay mid-channel because there is shoaling into the channel along the way. Once you're in the river you'll come to the railroad swing bridge near Black Point. It's always open. Right after that is the Highway 37 bridge. It's a fixed bridge with a vertical clearance of 70'. Then you meander up the river and pass Lakeville Marina about two-thirds of the way to Petaluma. I sailed most of this stretch, depending on the wind direction.
The river widens out nicely but there are shallow spots along the edges and there may be other traffic. I looked across the fields and saw a tug with barge coming down the river. It took some planning to get out of his way without running into the mud. So "head's up" and watch your chart.
Attachments
Last edited:
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
It's another 5.2 nm from Lakeville Marina to the Petaluma Turning Basin. The river starts to narrow around Cloudy Bend and at G "5" you'll be onto the "Continuation of the Petaluma River" chart. I was motoring by this point.
Just past the Petaluma Marina (which is shallow) you'll come to the SmartTrain bridge at Haystack Landing. This bridge is normally open, except when a train is coming. Once through the SmartTrain bridge you'll pass under the Highway 101 bridge . It's also fixed with a 70' vertical clearance. Hopefully the floating lemonade stand is still there on your port, and then you get to the D Street Bridge. This bridge is in the heart of Petaluma and they need four hours' notice to open it. Let's try to coordinate our arrival so they only have to open it once.
Just past the Petaluma Marina (which is shallow) you'll come to the SmartTrain bridge at Haystack Landing. This bridge is normally open, except when a train is coming. Once through the SmartTrain bridge you'll pass under the Highway 101 bridge . It's also fixed with a 70' vertical clearance. Hopefully the floating lemonade stand is still there on your port, and then you get to the D Street Bridge. This bridge is in the heart of Petaluma and they need four hours' notice to open it. Let's try to coordinate our arrival so they only have to open it once.
Attachments
Last edited:
BobJ
Alerion 38 "Surprise!"
Philpott's photos show the new, long dock along the east side of the Turning Basin. This is the side away from the action so if we can, we should tie up along the old long dock on the west side as shown below. There's a security gate - we'll need to get the current code. More details to come I'm sure.
For 'da Duck: Yes, that's the dock. I don't know how much of the river got dredged but the Turning Basin is okey dokey. Don't try to go into the Petaluma Marina - it's too shallow.
Surprise! is looking forward to this!
For 'da Duck: Yes, that's the dock. I don't know how much of the river got dredged but the Turning Basin is okey dokey. Don't try to go into the Petaluma Marina - it's too shallow.
Surprise! is looking forward to this!
Attachments
Last edited: