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Singlehanded Farallons

Skippers Meeting for the Singlehanded Farallones AND the SHTP Seminar for Provisioning and Medical Considerations at Island Yacht Club, this Wednesday May 11, 2016 @ 7:30pm. THE MEETING WILL NOT BE AT THE OAKLAND YACHT CLUB.

The Island Yacht Club (IYC)in Alameda is directly behind Svendsen's Chandlery. http://www.iyc.org/wp/contact-us/

Gate #7 into the Alameda Marina will be the only open gate at that time. There will be a security guard at the gate who will take down a name and license plate. Simply tell the guard you are going to Island Yacht Club. The club is next to Svendsen's hoist on the water.

Please observe the no-parking signs. Parking is generally available alongside the warehouse to the left of the club looking towards the water.
 
After reviewing the SSIs and the SIs I didn't see any reference to a stand-off around the Farallones? I stayed at 100ft depth and .3-.4nm from the island with many boats inside of my track. Once I was .2nm+ from the island and there were several boats 1/3 of my distance to land. Are we not staying out of the 1000ft. national sanctuary? I could have shaved 5 minutes from my rounding had I cut the corner like many did on this light day and I certainly wanted to.
 
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Farallon stand off, this argument will never end.

You are not going to get a precise course established, ever, until the RC, both ours and OYRA, sets two to three way points around the island. This is done in world renowned globe circling races for safety. Gates are set, waypoint s are established, to avoid rocks and ice. However, the after guard of NC offshore racing fails to see the utility of this. That said, rounding the island to the north was a windward shore condition in minimal seas.

Brian

solosailor said:
After reviewing the SSIs and the SIs I didn't see any reference to a stand-off around the Farallones? I stayed at 100ft depth and .3-.4nm from the island with many boats inside of my track. Once I was .2nm+ from the island and there were several boats 1/3 of my distance to land. Are we not staying out of the 1000ft. national sanctuary? I could have shaved 5 minutes from my rounding had I cut the corner like many did on this light day and I certainly wanted to.
Click to expand...
 
It's 300 feet, and Seal Rock isn't included part of the year. The 1,000 feet is a speed restriction zone. The "national sanctuary" you mention is 3,300 square MILES and we were sailing in it all day. The overlapping definitions make it murky, especially when you're making quick decisions due to boats close-by on opposing tacks.

You beat me for the overall mono by 24 seconds (after nine hours on the course) so hopefully that makes it all better.
 
RE distance to SE Farallon Island, I think this is the most relevant regulatory document.

file:///C:/Users/z408298/Downloads/sefarallonsinsertNCCMPAs2012.pdf

300 ft for much of the circumference of the island and inside 1000 ft, one must not go over 5 nmi/hr (the multihulls). There is a chartlet at the link.

Per CFR 922 penalty is not to exceed $100,000. Also, within 2 nmi, one must not lay pipe or approach within 50 meters of a white shark.

:) Todd
 
BobJ said:
It's 300 feet, and Seal Rock isn't included part of the year. The 1,000 feet is a speed restriction zone. The "national sanctuary" you mention is 3,300 square MILES and we were sailing in it all day. The overlapping definitions make it murky, especially when you're making quick decisions due to boats close-by on opposing tacks.

You beat me for the overall mono by 24 seconds (after nine hours on the course) so hopefully that makes it all better.
Click to expand...

Refer to this for the vessel operation restrictions: https://www.fws.gov/uploadedFiles/Farallon MPA-April 2012.pdf. This time of year, there's a speed limit of 5 knots 1000' of the SE Farallon Island shore and no vessel operation within 1000' of North Farallon Island.

There are both federal (i.e. National Marine Sanctuary as well as Fish and Wildlife) rules and state (ie Marine Protected Area) rules at and around the Farallones.
 
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Most of this doesn't apply to Farallon Races, but here's the "Closure" language.

Southeast Farallon Island Special Closure

BOUNDARIES:
Except as permitted by federal law or emergency caused by hazardous weather, no vessel shall be operated or anchored at any time from the mean high tide line to a distance of 300 feet seaward of the mean lower low tide line of any shoreline of the Southeast Farallon Island year-round
EXCEPT:
The area north of Fisherman's Bay, from a line extending due west from 37° 42.26' N. lat. 123° 00.16' W. long., following clockwise around the island (including Fisherman's Bay), to a line extending due east from 37° 42.05' N. lat. 123° 00.07' W. long.
At East Landing, from a line extending due east from 37° 41.83' N. lat. 122° 59.98' W. long., following clockwise around the island, to a straight line connecting the following two points:
37° 41.72' N. lat. 123° 00.05' W. long.; and
37° 41.68' N. lat. 123° 00.07' W. long.
This closure exists year round, except for the following areas, which are closed only from December 1 through September 14 of each year:
From Fisherman's Bay to East Landing, from a line extending due east from 37° 42.05' N. lat. 123° 00.07' W. long., following clockwise around the island to a line extending due east from 37° 41.83' N. lat. 122° 59.98' W. long.
The area southwest of East Landing, from a straight line connecting the following two points:
37° 41.72' N. lat. 123° 00.05' W. long.; and
37° 41.68' N. lat. 123° 00.07' W. long.
Following clockwise around the main island to a straight line extending due south from 37° 41.76' N. lat. 123° 00.16' W. long. to 37° 41.64' N. lat. 123° 00.16' W. long., and on the southeast side of Saddle (Seal) Rock, from a straight line extending due south from 37° 41.76' N. lat. 123° 00.16' W. long., following clockwise around Saddle (Seal) Rock, to a line extending due west from 37° 41.60' N. lat. 123° 00.26' W. long.
More than 250,000 seabirds of 13 species breed on the South Farallon Islands. The islands also provide habitat for six species of marine mammals, and the surrounding waters are a feeding destination for white sharks. This Special Closure protects resting and nesting seabirds and provides a protected resting area for marine mammals.
Permitted/Prohibited Uses: Take of all living marine resources is prohibited.
Other Regulations:
No person shall enter the area, except for agencies identified in Title 14 Section 632 CCR, when performing their official duties.
All vessels shall observe a five (5) nautical mile per hour speed limit 1,000 feet seaward of the mean lower low tide line of any shoreline of the Southeast Farallon Island.
In an area bounded by the mean high tide line and a distance of one nautical mile seaward of the mean lower low tide line of any of the islands and islets comprising the Southeast Farallon Island, the following restrictions apply:
All commercial diving vessels operating in the defined area shall have their vessel engine exhaust system terminate either through a muffler for dry exhaust systems, or below the vessel waterline for wet exhaust systems.
All commercial diving vessels equipped with an open, deck-mounted air compressor system, while operating in the defined area, shall have their air compressor's engine exhaust system terminate below the vessel waterline.
Boater and Kayaker Guide to Special Closures in California’s Marine Protected Areas – includes detailed information on each of the Special Closures along the north central coast.
 
During the race i had a very weird experience. Perhaps someone can help me understand what happened.

It entails an encounter with what I believe was an NOAA Buoy when coming back, about two miles from the Gate.
It was painted yellow, half dome shape, about 4 to 5' diameter and laden with sensors.
I was flying my kite, barely moving at 4 knots, when I was passing this buoy about two boat lengths on my port side.
When the buoy was at my beam it started to move rapidly toward the boat.
I was in shock, my first thought was that I snagged the anchor line, but I didn't feel slightest sound, or change of speed or direction.
When the buoy was about 8' from my side, it changed the direction going towards the stern.
That felt better, because from the close distance I could see a pretty robust tubing at the water line around the buoy that could cause some damage.
Now the buoy was maybe 15' behind the boat and it started to move again towards the stern, I braced my self for the impact but about a foot before it would hit, it stopped.
It happened very quickly and I just didn't know what to do other than watch in disbelief.
The most logical explanation is that somehow even from 60' or so feet away I snagged the line.

Perhaps, could it be an autonomous drone, that would move on its own?

Anyone have any explanation?

And yes, I googled the weather buoys around SF, but they look different than the one I had encounter with.
 
Hi Bob, well I didn't have a coffee or tea for the breakfast because forgot my pots at home - that's maybe the answer.

The buoy was kind of similar to that on the picture, but had more sensors, shorter mast and tubing around was in circle.
Most puzzling was the movement.
What a beautiful sailing, we got kind of lucky with the weather, today it would be lot worse.
 
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Weird experience with buoy..

I suspect the buoy was moving back and forth (yawing) on the anchor line due to current. Picture the anchor line being more than 200' and you can imagine it wouldn't take much current to induce yaw. The most graphic example of this phenomenon is the big red buoy west of the South Tower on an ebb. Look out, it yaws a lot and can be quite scary when it's coming toward you.

So, what boat were you on? I don't see a Henry, or boat of that name entered.

Tom P.
(on the race committee)
 
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Hi Tom,

Yawing - I am glad it didn't hit the boat, but puzzling is that it was pretty stationery since I first saw it and the rapid movements started when I was passing it.
Wandering if it has some semi floating line attached to it.....
I go by Henry - English for Jindrich - I was on Grace
 
Thanks for the name clarification. Kristen (the VHF voice of the race committee) tries to acknowledge everyone by first name after check-in. We really weren't sure how to pronounce your name. Maybe you can teach us how.

Is this the buoy that attacked you? http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/station_page.php?station=46026

NOAA says it has a "Watch circle radius of 127 yards." That's a really big area and suggests it has plenty of room to move. It looks like it also has a wind vane and if the wind and current were in conflict, the movement could be even more erratic. I wonder what the current was doing when you passed by.

Glad you enjoying your day on the ocean.

Tom P.
 
Hi Henry,

I also passed very near that buoy. It is 46237 as Bob J pointed to. While my boat wasn't attacked the buoy did move E W as I went buy within about two boat lengths. I don't know much about the Benetau keel's but could this have been a gravitational effect ?

Brian

Henry D said:
During the race i had a very weird experience. Perhaps someone can help me understand what happened.

It entails an encounter with what I believe was an NOAA Buoy when coming back, about two miles from the Gate.
It was painted yellow, half dome shape, about 4 to 5' diameter and laden with sensors.
I was flying my kite, barely moving at 4 knots, when I was passing this buoy about two boat lengths on my port side.
When the buoy was at my beam it started to move rapidly toward the boat.
I was in shock, my first thought was that I snagged the anchor line, but I didn't feel slightest sound, or change of speed or direction.
When the buoy was about 8' from my side, it changed the direction going towards the stern.
That felt better, because from the close distance I could see a pretty robust tubing at the water line around the buoy that could cause some damage.
Now the buoy was maybe 15' behind the boat and it started to move again towards the stern, I braced my self for the impact but about a foot before it would hit, it stopped.
It happened very quickly and I just didn't know what to do other than watch in disbelief.
The most logical explanation is that somehow even from 60' or so feet away I snagged the line.

Perhaps, could it be an autonomous drone, that would move on its own?

Anyone have any explanation?

And yes, I googled the weather buoys around SF, but they look different than the one I had encounter with.
Click to expand...
 
brianb said:
Hi Henry,

I also passed very near that buoy. It is 46237 as Bob J pointed to. While my boat wasn't attacked the buoy did move E W as I went buy within about two boat lengths. I don't know much about the Beneteau keel's but could this have been a gravitational effect ?

Brian
Click to expand...


Hi Brian,
Gravitational effect - that could be, the last time when I did the bottom, I have added some depleted plutonium to my cast iron keel.(LOL)
Tom,
The current was light, I didn't see any rushing water around as you can sometimes see on the buoys on the bay, there were also many buoys marking the crab pots and these didn't move, actually there was one at the same time on my starboard side and it didn't move. The wind was very light and consistent.
 
I noticed the same buoy on the way out. I came very close and had to alternate course. I did not notice it moving when I passed it. It's much larger than the picture on Bob's link. Can't imagine hitting that thing as it would most likely put a hole in the boat with that tubular railing around the buoy. I would expect buoys like that to have an AIS beacon on it...

Dirk "TIJD" First 30JK
 
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