Where is Everyone?

Posted on June 23, 2013 by skippersgift

Thursday was hoppin’ at TISC with seven summer classes, two bus loads of GLIDE kids in watercraft of all types and the Etchells we donated to Stockton Sailing Club being readied for transport. When I arrived Friday it was empty, quiet.

No kids on the docks and no boats in Clipper Cove. This is the first summer I’ve been at TISC during the week, and am not yet fully “with the program”. The empty J/24 trailers should have been the tip-off. Sure enough – Fun Friday meant instructors and students were out for an adventure sail to Angel Island. By noon the noise level was back up, kids all over, water toys being readied for beach time and all seemed as it should be on a gorgeous blue-sky day in Clipper Cove.

The kids, and their instructors, work hard during the week. Fridays provide an opportunity to switch gears. relax a little and further cement the confidence students have built up during the week. Many come to Clipper Cove tentative and apprehensive about water and boats. After developing a comfort level during the week Friday’s play time is used to give them added confidence.

Below are a few pictures from last two fun Fridays. Skits on the dock provide a chance for students to communicate with each other as they plan out their time in front of other students. Pirate themes seem to be “in”.

Delivery may go smoothly or not, however kids benefit from a captive audience while self-confidence is reinforced.

Time on the beach is another activity where students communicate with each other, take turns on water toys and further build confidence on and around the water.

S’mores are alway a hit of course.

Returning to the dock represents last ride of the week. Time to enjoy last views of Clipper Cove from the deck of a trusty J/24.

Safety around the water is always first priority at Treasure Island Sailing Center. This poster was provided by Cal Boating during Safe Boating Week earlier this year.

Regards from On The Cove, Dave G

In the wake:We teach TISC students life lesson to help them set goals, build self-confidence, communicate, and work with others as leaders and team-mates. There are many other reasons to sail. A fellow TISC BOD member recently passed along this blog: 5 Reasons Your Kids Should Sail. While it may be a bit dated, its “right on the mark” in my opinion. I can’t resist sharing reason 5 – Shipshape habits.

Bay Safety and Always Being Prepared

Posted on June 12, 2013 by skippersgift

Safety and preparedness are key components of TISC programs. Our kids learn importance of teamwork, and sailing safe. Tuesday night’s return sail reminded us how fast San Francisco Bay can turn dangerous from gorgeous and to always be prepared.

TISC summer programs are now under full sail on Clipper Cove. Our instructors work with small groups of students to provide safety orientation first thing as part of each class. Lifejackets are of course required at all times on and off the water. Students are never without a partner or close-by safety boat.

Depending on the level of sailing skills and lessons being taught students may sail solo or in teams of two. Solo sailing stresses independence and goal setting. Sailing with a partner requires communications and teamwork.

Safety boats on the water keep a watchful eye over students as they head out to the cove where they work on sailing skills.

Whether its folding sails on a J/24 or putting Optis and Bugs back on the racks, kids learn the importance of team work (have you ever tried to roll up a sail by yourself ?).

Just back from a week on Nantucket Sound with family last week, we took friends sailing for the day leaving TI just before noon. The Louis Vuitton series opens July 4th with racing scheduled to start July 7th and the AC72s were out as we sailed past Alcatraz toward Tiburon. Seeing these 13,000 pound boats up on foil is always a thrill.After late lunch and walk about Tiburon, we headed back to TI around 5pm. As we crossed through “windy alley” between Angel Island and Treasure Island around six thirty the wind was its typical 15-20 with higher gusts. The tide was ebbing which created a moderate chop. Fun sailing down the waves.

As we were capturing pictures of a gorgeous day on the bay we saw a lone wave-rider bite the dust followed by a huge splash. While not an unusual occurrence, it was late with waves building and the Bay empty so we watched carefully.

At first the rider started to slowly catch up to his now-drifting craft. Then the distance settled and started to increase. With one set of eyes on the person in the water we came about and headed over to investigate. As the distance between driver and wave-rider continued to increase, we deployed our life ring on a line and dropped the jib.

After circling around, we snagged the driver and with him hanging on the back of Skippers’ Gift ran downwind to the wave-rider, now four boat lengths to leeward. He climbed aboard his craft and continued on his way to Emeryville.

Continuing on our way to Clipper Cove we discussed several “what ifs” and pondered the drivers fate if we had not been there. A rather sobering experience and another reminder of the importance of life vests, sailing in pairs, staying aware and always being prepared.

From On the Cove, Dave G

In the wake:

I’ve heard a number of “50/50/50 rules”, including “An average adult has a 50% chance of surviving a 50 yd swim in 50o water”, “a person in 50o water for 50 minutes has a 50% better chance of survival if wearing a life jacket”, and “a person in 50o water for 50 minutes has a 50% chance of survival”.

Without our help this hapless driver would have been in a tough, perhaps fatal, situation.

Barney Joins TISC J/24 Fleet

Posted on May 26, 2013 by skippersgift

The last time I attacked bronze anti-fouling paint was putting a new bottom on Skipper’s Gift in September, 2001. Thanks to 2,000 psi from Dahls and elbow grease from V15 sailor Mike Weinman, Barney joined our TISC J/24 fleet.

Last year a J/24 berthed in Alameda was donated to TISC. In good condition, but no trailer. While we scrambled to find a suitable trailer Treasure Island Marina graciously provided temporary dock space. With the donation of a Moore 24 trailer in March and timely help from a neighbor we finally had a place for our newest J.

By the time I arrived on Friday with the rented power washer Mike and Chris had already

moved US1234 from the marina to TISC and were adjusting the new lifting strap. It was clear even before lifting her up we were in for some serious bottom cleaning.

After a quick test of the power washer, we used the hoist to move from the waterline toward the keel.

A year of living in San Francisco Bay delivered up a variety of algae, sea weed, barnacles and a few small critters who seemed right at home.

After several passes with the power washer and long push broom the we found the rudder, and then bottom was slowly revealed.

Not the prettiest (you should have seen Skipper’s Gift her first season in Marblehead) however relatively smooth and ready for her new home at Treasure Island Sailing Center on Clipper Cove.

Our J/24 fleet is one of TISC’s key assets. They are used by adults for keelboat lessons and community sailing days, by youth in the 25-plus groups that benefit from TISC orientation sails and by visually impaired sailors who enjoy our J/24s on a regular basis.

This year we’re starting an “adopt a J” program at TISC and asking our tenants and friends to help clean up our J/24 fleet, and their trailers, by spending a few hours over the next couple months on “clean it ” and “fix it” projects. We’re hoping the keel boat owners especially at TISC will each donate a small amount of time to help out.

These small projects are ideal for those who would rather spend a few hours at times convenient for them rather than scheduled workdays. You can find more information on these tasks and others on our volunteer page HERE.

Regards from On the Cove, Dave G

In the wake: A couple of our J’s, Fortunata and Delos, came with names. Others, Great White, Blue Stripe, and Old Yeller, were named by appearance. Barney seemed like a kid-friendly name for our newest acquisition. After all, we removed plenty of barnacles from the hull and keel on Friday. If you have other suggestions or are interested in naming rights for one of our boats let us know. The price is much less than the $123M spent to name the new Levi Stadium in Santa Clara!

Helpful Neighbors, Buena Vista Horrace Mann Smiles

Posted on May 12, 2013 by skippersgift

Shortening four Moore24 braces took minutes not hours thanks to a helpful neighbor. Eating a P&J on the dock with Buena Vista Horrace Mann students wasn’t exactly quiet however creating kids’ smiles on Clipper Cove is what its all about.

Thanks to Karl Robrock’s generosity we’re converting a Moore24 trailer to a J/24 trailer. Wednesday we realized the existing upside-down trailer jack inserts were too long. Hacking through four 2″ steel pipes by hand is not impossible, just a real time-killer. With the help of a friendly helpful neighbor with the right tools the job was completed in 15 minutes!

Earlier, sixteen kids and three advisers from Buena Vista Horace Mann School had arrived just in time to greet the mild mid-morning breeze. Off they went on three J/24s to experience Alameda views from under the new Bay Bridge and a short sail out on the bay.

BVHM - framed by bridge and cranes_resize

They were just returning to the dock for lunch as the newly shortened braces dropped into their posts.

Buena Vista Horace Mann School is a K–8th grade elementary school near the location many believe to be the cultural, commercial and transit heart of the Mission District. It’s a recently formed two-way Immersion school, the product of two schools with rich histories.

Buena Vista has the proud distinction of being San Francisco Unified School District’s first Two-Way Spanish Immersion School and the second oldest one in California. Horace Mann is the oldest middle school in San Francisco, named after the educational reformer, who is remembered for arguing that children from all social classes should share a common education. Parent involvement is high at BVHM.

After lunch the kids shoved off for a short sail in Clipper Cove.

Then back for a picture before returning to BVHM.

Like Treasure Island Sailing Center, Buena Vista Horace Mann aims to prepare kids for what lies ahead. Their focus is on a strong education in both Spanish and English in preparation for high school. Ours is to use sailing as a platform to teach the importance of goal setting, communications, teamwork and leadership as a launching point for new horizons.

Regards from on The Cove, Dave G

In the wake:

We live near Horrace Mann School in San Jose. Jane and I have volunteered there and we attend Sunday services in the cafetorium as our Church construction wraps up. Horrace was from Massachusetts, an early educator and key driver behind “normal schools” for teaching teachers. His brother-in-law was Nathaniel Hawthorne, another connection to our roots in Massachusetts.

Volunteers Launch TISC Opening Day

Posted on April 28, 2013 by skippersgift

TISC Opening Day - Low tide in the morning

Low tide on a quiet Clipper Cove Saturday, April 27

TISC Opening Day 2013 was smooth sailing from first launch at low tide to 6pm high fives thanks to the massive volunteer effort coordinated by our team. I spent the day driving Skipper’s Gift, secretly envious of the lucky RS Venture drivers.

Based on the iPhone activity from the sixty six Skipper’s Gift “crew” yesterday there will be plenty of images on social media of smiling faces, happy families and passionate volunteers. This blog is about the volunteers who helped enable our 850+ visitors to have enjoyable day On Clipper Cove.

Low ( -1.4 ft) tides on Clipper Cove make launching and retrieving boats more difficult.

When the tides on Clipper Cove are higher launching is easier because the vertical distance from water to yard is less.

Mother Nature delivered up a nearly astronomically low tide of -1.4 just as we were launching the J/24s, RS Ventures and safety boats. Made for a long drop, although we were rewarded later in the day with a convenient high tide for hauled out.

Two USF Service-Learning teams working with our staff played a huge part in the planning and preparation of the day’s events. I’m still not sure if they’ve all had a chance to get out for a sail, and will try to make sure that happens as they wrap up their work on the volunteer-enabling software for us and make their recommendations for any opening day “tune ups” we should consider for next year.

USF Service-Learning team ready for registration. Notice the huge pile of life jackets in the background – they were ALL in used during busy times!

USF Service-Learning teams also sold TISC gear during the event.

As they have done for all major events over last few years, the Cal Berkeley Sailing team turned out in force. They were there from first launch until last evening shadows began to settle over TISC launching boats, keeping our drivers on time, and helping visitors – many who had never sailed or even been on boats – on/off the J/24’s, RS Ventures and smaller water craft. Their team sails out of TISC and are a model tenant in terms of sail hard, enjoy the bay and give back to enable others to benefit from the sport of sailing.

Cal Berkely Sailing Team readies the J/24 fleet for a busy day on Clipper Cove.

Notice the huge crowds in the background ready for their turn at rides. Cal Sailing team helped visitors on/off the J/24’s during the day.

Tenants from TISC turned out in force to support opening day. 21 skippers and crew from our J/24, Melges 24, Thistle and V15 fleets showed up to help with driving and managing a small armada of watercraft. A great showing of support from the “locals”.

Kevin and Chris briefed the TISC Tenant Volunteers on plans for the day, stressing safety and timeliness during hand-off at the dock.

Chris answered questions and passed out TISC-provided hand-helds to drivers for the J/24’s and safety boats.

Volunteers setting up the RS Ventures, stand-up paddle boards and kayaks in preparation for the many free rides of the day.

The real stars of the day were the kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, Optis, RS Ventures and J/24s. People came to enjoy the water and it doesn’t get better than an exciting eco-friendly day On Clipper Cove.

During low tide entrance to Clipper Cove must be made near the large pier temporarily occupied by the Hughes Mining Barge recently renovated for use in off-shore barge refurbishing by Bay Ship and Yacht.

RS Venture framed by Alameda Battle Bots

RS Ventures provided lively rides as the winds cooperated with 15-20 knot gusts. Notice huge “battle bots” in the background.

TISC’s fleet was augmented this year by the just-arrived RS Ventures. They will offer ability to have instructor-lead “on-the-water” classes for several students at the same time. The Opti on left sails with one or two students only.

J/24s, RS Ventures and kayaks were big hit with hundreds of visitors to TISC during Opening Day 2013

Most common questions from guests on Skipper’s Gift were about TISC, our mission and sailing lessons. Other popular ones: “How do boats sail upwind”, “where can I rent a boat like this”, and “what’s inside that large gray barge on the big pier”.

What started out for many as a Facebook link, email from a friend or outdoor pick on funCheapSF turned into an opportunity to share background on our mission of delivering life-lessons to kids through sailing.

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS, or enabling our team to kick off another year as a “Launching Point for New Horizons” for bay area kids, and a fun place to sail and race for adults.

Regards from on The Cove, Dave G

In the wake: As I was preparing to swap out five smiling faces for a new crew just after lunch I was taken aback by a sleek PROTECTOR ribby parked under our two-ton hoist. With a PIZZA sign on top? I later found out Waypoint Pizza (history here, founded in 1997 same year as TISC) made a high speed run from Tiburon to provide hot pizza for many of our volunteers. More in a later blog on the many “gifts in kind” that added to the cost-effective success of TISC Opening Day 2013.

Spreaders, Smiles and Straight Courses

Posted on April 22, 2013 by skippersgift

Friday morning’s lesson: the “pop” in stainless steel pop rivets can be tough. Very Tough! The afternoon served up an opportunity for more Mission Beacon kids smiles outside the cove, in the “flats” and under the new Bay Bridge.

Late last year we lost a spreader on one of our J/24’s. Friday offered up an opportunity to remove old brackets and install new ones complete with an updated “through-mast” spreader bar. Drilling out old rivets was easy; removing the brackets went without a hitch.

Installing the new brackets using 16 3/16 x 3/4 stainless pop rivets not so easy. The rivets took serious pressure to get them to “pop”. I was able to do so using a combination “double wrist grip” plus “brace the gun on the mast and push” approach. Took more time than expected.

If anyone has suggestions on better approach let me know. Although both guns were on the “aged” side they’ve worked fine on recent jobs using aluminum rivets.

Ten middle-school students from San Francisco Beacon Initiative showed up at 2pm. The wind was cranking nicely so Philip and I decided to pass on a bay sail and treat the kids and two advisors to close up views of the large buoys and barges in the flats, underneath views of the new Bay Bridge and opportunity to see the Alameda cranes loading a container ship.

J/24’s are great platforms for such cruises. On our boat the two favorite spots were hanging out on (but not over) the bow and driving. Everyone took a turn at both. I was also reminded of the origins of the Star Wars battle bots by one of our guests (you’ve heard that story, right)?

Focusing on where we were heading and keeping steady course was challenging for some, natural for others. While a minor lesson compared to the goal setting, teamwork, communications and leadership taught as key elements of our summer youth program, these Everett Middle School students enjoyed their time with us and drove straight courses. Something about being On the Cove and away from city distractions, I guess.

Our programs staff is always on the alert for volunteers to help with orientation sails like the one above. If you would be willing to help out call the office and get your name on our volunteer driving list.

Regards from On the Cove, Dave G

In the wake:

Link to Volunteer Opportunities at TISC: HERE

Call the TISC office to discuss volunteer opportunities: 415.421.2225

USF Service-Learning on Clipper Cove

Posted on April 16, 2013 by skippersgift

USF Service-Learning Team Orientation Sail on Clipper Cove

Last Friday three students from USF’s Service-Learning program delivered recommendations for a volunteer tracking app for integration with our salesforce.com platform. Complete with requirements, objective and solution pros/cons. Their next step – deliver documented phase-1 of a working, deployable system.

Service-learning at USF offers motivated students an opportunity to work on a range of projects while developing valuable experience rooted to real-world constraints. The community partner benefits are many, including ability to expand resources available for key projects, access to latest thinking and technology and effective way to development additional skills within their teams. Big win-win all around

Next steps for USF team: to provide a “cheat sheet” for those features we need (the system has many more bells and whistles than we require) then populate new app with real data. Final phase will be roll out and guiding TISC team through use on live volunteer project.

TISC could not function without our volunteers. They provide needed skills, hundreds of hours of applied time each year and gifts-in-kind for major events. More important, many grants are tied to our non-profit status; if we cannot show documented volunteer hours some of them would disappear of our radarscope.

Thanks to USF efforts we will soon have a cloud-based system to enable our team to easily set up and promote volunteer projects then track and report volunteer hours quickly and efficiently. Our tenants will benefit through an easy path to match their time and skills to projects available to fulfill their contract commitments to TISC. Another big win-win.

TISC teaches life skills to kids through sailing. USF service-learning provides a unique opportunity for students to deliver vital services to the community around them while tuning their basic job skills so important in the workspace they will soon join.

I look forward to meeting our entire USF team in a couple of weeks – they’ll be joining us for our Opening Day on Saturday, April 27th.

Regards from On the Cove, Dave G

In the wake: If you’re interested in learning more about USF service learning you might want to consider joining one of their bi-annual Community Partner Seminars.

Park Presidio Marine Long on Service

Posted on March 23, 2013 by skippersgift

After two trips to Park Presidio Marine Services in five days, I HAD to ask. How come your address is 25th Street at Pennsylvania just 5 minutes from McCovey Cove?

Our maintenance team services our outboard engines regularly and tackles most projects, even major overhauls when needed. Our Merc 90, however, was in sad shape after 1,056 hours of operation. Way beyond our maintenance magician’s capabilities.

I drove our trusty Whaler with rusty Merc 90 from TISC to 25th St. Thursday afternoon. Next day Ryan Berrango called with three options: spend $2,500 (could be more) to fix the motor, buy a new motor for $9,000, or purchase a used motor for much less (turns out a customer with IDENTICAL ’05 motor with only 50 hrs decided to upgrade). Bonus – Ryan convinced owner to sell to TISC at reduced price and PPM would give our kids a break on the transfer tune-up costs.

TISC’s New Merc 90 Arrives at TI

By Tuesday our Whaler with nearly-new Merc 90 was ready and on rainy Wednesday behind our trusty Explorer and back to TISC.

OK, so why is Park Presidio Marine on 25th? Here’s what I found out from Gary Barrango:

Park Presido Marine was founded in 1963 (sounds like a 50 year anniversary soon!)
Gary joined in early 70’s after leaving the Coast Guard, eventually bought the business and moved PPM to 25th street in 1983. I can imagine what the traffic would be like now at the old address on 19th avenue !
Working with his son is rewarding and they see eye-eye (most of the time 🙂 )

Park Presidio Marine – 1300 25th St.

Gary and Ryan – THANKS for helping us out on this 50-hour motor. Also thanks for the constant supply of quality parts and timely expert advice you provide that enables us to keep our small armada of safety boats on Clipper Cove watching over kids learning to sail, starting Vanguard 15 & Laser races on Tuesday and Thursday nights, and enabling the sailing community to enjoy SF Bay via our Community Sailing days.

Regards from On Clipper Cove, Dave G

Moore 24 Trailer Donation Supports New J/24

Posted on March 10, 2013 by skippersgift

Karl’s Trailer at TI

Karl Robrock graciously donated a like-new Moore 24 trailer for use by our J/24 fleet. Since recent smiles, docks, crashes and more smiles blogs were posted, these interesting story lines have floated to the surface (I’m sure there are many Moore):

Moore 24’s were one of the first planing keel boats. Even though many are 30 years old they’ve stayed competitive with progressive “in the spirit of the rules” one-design modifications such as open transoms and cleaner rigging.
Fleet founders started the “Roadmasters” series back in the 80’s. Many races up and down the west coast. Trailers needed.
Karl’s trailer was adapted for Moore 24 use in Seattle; it towed Moores up and down I-5 dutifully for many years. Unique construction using upside-down trailer jacks for quick adjustment.
Webb Chiles, a 70-year old who circumnavigated the globe five times, was getting ready for a 6th – in a Moore 24! He was heading to Hawaii from San Diego then ‘round the world in his recently acquired “Gannet”. Trailer no longer needed.
Karl jumped at the chance to upgrade when he saw Webb’s trailer for sale. Now Karl has a new travel-mate for his #121, “Snafu” and TISC has a sorely needed trailer for our J/24 fleet.

: Karl and Webb in San Diego

Karl’s Moore 24 Snafu, #121

Karl (and Webb), THANK YOU for your support. TISC students will benefit from a recently-donated J/24 thanks to your generous donation – and we’ll keep you posted on our Moore 24-to-J/24 trailer conversion.

Regards from On The Cove, Dave G

In the Wake:

Here are a few links to Webb Chiles’ recent and past adventures and the 2013 Roadmaster Series. If you have more send them along and I’ll post them for others to enjoy.

One of Web Chiles many books: Return to the Sea (includes another story-line; Webb’s Boston history)

‘Lectronic Latitude – Webb Chiles Sneak Peak

Sailing World Blogs – The Webb Chiles Way

Schedule for this year’s Moore 24 2013 Roadmaster series.

Golden Bears – Smiling Volunteers

Posted on February 25, 2013 by skippersgift

Friday was a blue sky day with warm breezes and sunny sparkles on Clipper Cove. Saturday, high school sailing teams competing in the Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association Golden Bear Regatta hosted by Bay Area Youth Sailing filled the cove.

PCISA and BAYS like Clipper Cove because of its unique setting protected waters and predictable winds. Treasure Island Sailing Center was a sponsor and pleased to co-host this year’s Golden Bear regatta sponsored by from Encinal, Richmond, San Francisco and St. Francis Yacht Clubs and the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation.

Below are a few pictures from the two-day event, courtesy of Kevin Berry.

The volunteer smiles below are from a picture captured during my visit to TISC for last Thursday’s dock install (Trailer, Docks, Smiles – CRASH).

Many visitors ask: “Why take the docks out, Clipper Cove is so well protected?” The answer is simple: The summer winds come from the north and west; winter storms with their high winds occasionally sneak in from the south and east which wreak havoc with the docks and dingy ramp. So, the docks are normally out during the winter, and BAYS depends on local volunteers to put them in the water for the weekend Golden Bears Regatta.

And while we’re on the topic of volunteers, we often stress being flexible and available. Treasure Island sea gulls can be tenacious in their pursuit of food. Saturday night they raided our garbage and generally made a mess of the spectator area. Many thanks to the parents of Point Loma High School and Alameda High School for the clean up Sunday morning.

Regards from On the Cove, Dave G

In the Wake: Additional informaton about Golden Bear Regatta is here: List of Registrants from PCISA, Results from San Francisco Yacht Club.

OnClipperCove

Launching Point for New Horizons

Category Archives: Uncategorized

Where is Everyone?

Bay Safety and Always Being Prepared

Barney Joins TISC J/24 Fleet

Helpful Neighbors, Buena Vista Horrace Mann Smiles

Volunteers Launch TISC Opening Day

Spreaders, Smiles and Straight Courses

USF Service-Learning on Clipper Cove

Park Presidio Marine Long on Service

Moore 24 Trailer Donation Supports New J/24

Golden Bears – Smiling Volunteers