TISC 2023 Opening Day Draws Bay Area Children, Youth and Families to Clipper Cove

Posted on April 23, 2023 by skippersgift

Treasure Island Sailing Center drew hundreds of children, youth and families to enjoy sailing and kayaking on the protected waters of Clipper Cove on Saturday, April 15th. Land-based activities included food, games, face painting and more. The US Coast Guard Auxiliary passed out life jackets courtesy of DBW. All this made possible by the many volunteers from our V15 Fleet, the Cal Berkeley Sailing Team, and a host of TISC supporters and staff.

Just a few of the 330+ attendees are represented in this photo collage courtesy of Luxine Smith, our Business-Manager-turned-event-planner for Opening Day.

TISC Opening Day has been the “Spring Opener” for San Francisco Bay for over 15 years. Near-perfect weather brought over 330 attendees from all parts of the Bay Area (including San Jose & south, plus Sacramento and even LA) to enjoy a family friendly day on our protected waters of Clipper Cove, situated safely between Yerba Buena Island and Treasure Island (read about Clipper Cove).

CLICK THE IMAGE ABOVE TO SEE THE LOCATIONS OF SATURDAY’S OPENING DAY VISITORS TO TISC.

Thousands of visitors have joined us over the years, so no surprise there’s a bit of a line in the morning to register. And waiting for sailboat rides. Of course a nice painted face makes the lines disappear!

Water activities included sailing on our fleet of J24 keelboats and RS Venture sport boats, and paddling around the cove on kayaks.

Kayaking on Clipper Cove enables visitors of all skills to get on the water in a protected venue that feels “far, far away from the city”.

Land-based activities during opening day provide a range of activities for all. While face painting is a favorite, just “hanging out” is not a bad way to spend a “day on the bay”. Of course food is always a favorite past time.

Ines Huret from Cal Sailing added lots of color to Opening Day.

Our sponsor and partner booths are another draw for TISC opening day. Recology shared their vision to develop and discover sustainable resource recovery practices that can be implemented globally.

Recology Zero Waste Program exhibitor Maria Trefen recruits future “recyclists” during their visit to TISC Opening Day.

Opening day is a great lead-in to National Safe Boating Week starting May 20-26. A big shout out of thanks to the CA Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW) for once again providing free life jackets on Saturday, and a grant to support our staff as they welcomed hundreds from around the Bay Area. Thanks also to the US Coast Guard Auxiliary for helping us give the lifejackets away while educating everyone on how to wear them correctly.

United States Coast Guard Auxiliarists, left to right: Nancy Marion, Marisa Hoke, Robin Stewart, Bart Rugo, Louis Sarto. Not pictured, Desmond A.J. Thorsson, Nick Moore, Gerald Norton and Derek Lam (retired).

Life jackets are the most important safety factor for all water sports. But not the only one. Safety on the docks and around boats requires constant attention. On the water vigilance is also important, and you can see TISC safety boats in many of the photos taken during Opening Day.

Thank you Michael and Cal Sailing for your support of opening day (and reminding all of the importance of life jackets)l

TISC is fortunate to be located on Clipper Cove, arguably one of the best venues on the planet for all we do. It is protected on three sides from the waves of San Francisco Bay. The wind is reliable at all times, with the winter being the most likely time for light airs and spring-summer-fall being “just the best”. And the current that rips past the cove has very little impact on activity inside the cove.

This photo shows the calm water of Clipper Cove just inside the “tide line” at the mouth, where significant currents can run north or south depending on the time of day. With Oakland to the East.

The causeway from Yerba Buena Island to TI forms a natural barrier to the waves and currents in San Francisco Bay. With San Francisco to the West. And the TISC docks just minutes away from Clipper Cove.

Our annual Opening Day events take months of planning (suggestions from this year to help make best year are welcome -please send along) culminating with pages and pages of checklists for all facets of the day. On “The Day” it is the volunteers (28 this year !) who make it happen for our hundreds of visitors. Signage, tables, registration, food prep, dock safety, sailboat and safety boat drivers, clean up crew – this list goes on and on.

So thank you Luxine Smith and thanks again to everyone on our staff, the Cal Berkeley Sailing Team (special tip-of-the-hat to Jessica Stewart for these great photos) and our V15 sailors who are always on the leading edge of our volunteer fleet.

Regards from On the Cove,

Dave G.

In the wake:

In case you missed what the SF Chronicle had to say about opening day, you can read it here:

https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/treasure-island-sailing-club-lets-kids-enjoy-san-17898461.php

Flying Cat Highlights TISC Opening Day 2019

Posted on May 10, 2019 by Travis Lund

What a day! What a day! What a beautiful day on the Bay!

Each year the Treasure Island Sailing Center (TISC) holds an event called Opening Day to celebrate the commencement of its season while supporting National Safe Boating week. With support from the California Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW), we invite the general public for free educational rides in our sailboats and the opportunity to paddle on kayaks or stand-up paddle boards in Clipper Cove. Add raffle prizes and food then watch hundreds of smiles coming off the water.

This year TISC served over 250 people, supported by 40 gracious, talented and much-appreciated (did I mention psyched up and enthusiastic) volunteers and staff.

DBW donated 100 lifejackets and the US Coast Guard Auxiliary sends a group each year to hand them all out, while educating the public on boating safety.

Always a festive environment, this year’s event with music playing, photo booths, face painting and food was no different; a perfect day for boating on Clipper Cove. Opening Day marks the beginning of our sailing season here at TISC, and like past years was followed by Opening Day on the Bay.

The morning was calm to set up all the equipment and boats, and by the 11 o’clock opening the wind was up to 10-12 and filled in to 12-15 by day’s end. Not a cloud in the sky. I enjoyed MC’ing the event and chose loud 70’s music playing on the PA.

A steady stream of people, registered and guided by our many volunteers, made for efficient boarding and departing of our J/24 fleet. Our volunteers and power boats provided safe access to everyone who wanted to paddle on the Cove.

The Sail GP regatta was planned for City Front the following weekend. The teams and its organizers were making their way around the Bay visiting yacht clubs and sailing centers to promote this unique regatta.

One of their RIB’s pulled up to our dock around noon. They provided 100 “goodie bags” plus free event tickets. More fun raffle prizes to pass out.

What happened next was amazing. I turned down the music and asked everyone to look under the Bay Bridge. While barely visible one moment, the towering wing sail of the USA Sail GP 50 shot into view as they screamed under bridge. As they crossed the head of Clipper Cove the boat popped up onto its foils and “flew” out of sight to the north.

What a sight to behold for all who witnessed the 100-foot wing on a 50-foot catamaran racing by at nearly 50 mph.

The day continued under perfect conditions. Smiles, family fun, sailing and more paddling in the safe, protected waters of Cove repeated over and over.

I mentioned weather, Clipper Cove, music, paddling, sailing and SMILES. Can’t forget the FOOD !. We had the best food in all of San Francisco thanks to BEYOND THE BORDER. Check out their menu or feed your next event.

The day ended as smoothly as it began. Everyone who sailed for the first time was thrilled and vowed to be back.

Thanks again to our volunteers and staff for giving their time and talents to make this day possible for so many Bay Area youth, adults and families! And a special a tip-of-the-hat to Brian Hill for once again providing the excellent photos of our April 27th event. You can enjoy more of his opening day photos.

What a day! What a day!

Regards from On the Cove, Travis

In the wake:

In case you missed the Foiling 50’s at SailGP May 4-5, you can watch 4 minutes of “extreme footage” selected from the best of the best moments from the San Francisco event. To see more or watch future events check out the SailGP home page.

TISC Set Sail Learn Milestone – 6,767 Fourth-graders Since 2013

Posted on December 9, 2018 by skippersgift

6,767 SFUSD 4th Graders have sailed, learned and grown through the Treasure Island Sailing Center Set Sail Learn STEM program since 2013.

This month we thank our sponsors & partners, launch our Annual Appeal, and reflect on the 2,200+ kids smiles that shined from Clipper Cove in 2018. Many which came from SFUSD fourth-graders attending our Set Sail Learn STEM program.

And what’s not to smile about! The Fall weather was fantastic for learning STEM on Clipper Cove.

With light winds the students from Longfellow Elementary School focused on observing wildlife in the Cove and even had the opportunity to try their hands at paddling! To help promote our STEM programs in his local community, San Francisco Supervisor Ahsha Safai from District 11 dropped in see TISC and SSL in action! Students sailed on Clipper Cove creating smiles and experimented in our activity center satisfying their curiosity about physics.

The Longfellow Elementary students looked into “how boats float” and put their creativity on the line when they designed their own vessel and then tested it to see if it floated and could hold “passengers”. All part of the TISC “Introduction to Maritime History”. Success – it FLOATS!

While buoyancy keeps us afloat, it is the wind that powers our boats. And that’s just what the experiments run by students from Argonne Elementary demonstrated!

Putting their new-found knowledge to work, they then sailed in our J-24 fleet on Clipper Cove. More smiles! True “hands on” learning.

The Argonne kids wrapped up our Fall season, which brought the total number of SSL students to whopping 6,767 San Francisco Unified School District 4th graders served since 2013..

“Our day at TISC gave my students an opportunity to explore something they have never done before, and to work on skills outside the classroom. Many of my students had never been out on the water and were scared to go on the boats. When I asked the kids how they felt about their experience after their sail, the responses were overwhelmingly positive. They all want to do it again!” – W. Nadel, Argonne Elementary School

Many of these fourth graders would never have touched the waters of Clipper Cove, sailed a boat, learned about STEM first hand, or become excited supporters of our environment without the continued support of the St. Francis Sailing Foundation.

Spring 2019 will bring us even more smiling faces as we are expanding our reach to serve SFUSD 5th graders during our new program Sailing to Save the Seas. This expansion of our experiential STEM learning is made possible by NOAA’s Be Wet grant. Students will learn about their local watershed, marine debris, and research solutions to problems facing our Oceans today.

Thanks to YOUR support, TISC delivered over 24,000 hours of instruction. Please consider matching or exceeding your 2017 donation during this year’s Annual Appeal. Please DONATE TODAY.

Regards, from On the Cove, Dave G.

In the wake:

STEM Sailing & 4th Graders – Transformational and Transcontinental

Posted on June 6, 2018 by skippersgift

Experiential sail-based STEM programs launched by the Treasure Island Sailing Center in 2013 and Sail Newport in 2017 are transforming the learning experience, respect for mother nature and the lives of 4^th graders in California and Rhode Island.

The TISC Set Sail Learn (SSL) STEM program has now passed the 6K “smiles” milestone. Since the inception of the program in the Fall of 2013, 6,172 students from 46 schools representing all 11 San Francisco Unified School Districts have attended 240 classes on Clipper Cove. At Sail Newport’s new Marine Education and Recreation Center, 178 students from Pell Elementary School’s eight 4^th grade classes have a few more weeks of “class” before their summer break. Each week, in September & October then again in May & June, Monday through Thursday, two of the eight 4^th grade classes spends an hour on J/22 sailboats on Brenton Cove and an hour in the Marine Education and Recreation Center.

As we were launching Skipper’s Gift at Sail Newport, the first wave of Pell students was returning to the docks aboard J/22’s, the captain’s choice in Newport Harbor. How can you not get psyched about sailing on Brenton Cove!

LOOK CAREFULLY -those two cranes in the background were dismantling the super-successful One Ocean Exploration Zone during the Volvo Ocean Race Newport Stopover. One of the exhibits included the US Sailing Reach Initiative (more below).

While different in scope and approach, both programs create smiles, environmental ambassadors and kids in tune with the sciences via hand’s ON (the tiller) and hands IN (the water) programs tied directly to their respective accredited classroom studies. These are not field trips; they are legit school days aboard classrooms that tack and gybe!

The last day of Spring ’18 SSL classes on Clipper Cove was May 21st, Ms. Roach’s McKinely Elementary class studied Ecology of the Bay. Many topics were covered (experienced !) as shown in the photos below!

“Ms Pilar” leads the class in a game of “Ecology – air, food and housing” before delivering a chalk talk and gets into explaining the use of histograms. Did someone mention data creation, sampling and analysis?

Identifying male/female crabs is part of the day’s study.

Workbooks, along with lesson plans to go with them, are provided by TISC in advance of SSL classes and are kept by the kids for post-trip follow-up.

Observations often require watching closely.

Set sail learn classes are taught in two groups. One in the learning center and one on Clipper Cove. The kids switch after lunch.

Safety first on the water begins with lifejackets.

Clipper Cove is bounded on three sides by land and protected from the strong San Francisco Bay wind and waves by a causeway that connects Treasure Island to Yerba Buena Island. A perfect environment (the only one like it in all of San Francisco Bay) for learning about ecology, wind power and marine history.

Kids smiles on the water don’t need much explanation. On Clipper Cove students sail either J/24’s on windy days or RS Ventures on gentler days.

6,172 SSL students have attended SSL classes at TISC since its inception in the Fall of 2013. Kudos to St. Francis Sailing Foundation for their on-going support beginning in October, 2015 ( read more about their grant HERE).

During this most recent Spring 2018 session, 646 children from 17 schools attended 28 classes, mixing time in our learning center with on-the-water sailing.

Transcontinental STEM – for sure, with programs from east coast to west coast and thanks to US Sailing a couple dozen in between.

Transformational – yes again. Here’s one recent story about conquering fears: “The Power of the Wind ? – – – Life Changing“.

And many more from kids themselves “I am crabby, day had to end”, “Best field trip ever”, “On a scale from 1-10 – 1,000,000”. And from teachers on both coasts who have seen kids living so close to the water in Newport and San Francisco, but were never able to touch the water, feel the wind on their face, and certainly not had the chance to sail – until their experience at Sail Newport or TISC.

Regards from On The Cove, Dave G.

In the wake:

You can read about REACH – a USSAILING STEM-based program no underway at dozens of sailing centers across the US to inspire sailing programs and schools to utilize sailing as a teaching platform.

And In case you missed the TISC June newsletter, you can read about it here.

TISC Opens 2018 Fun Season with 432 Smiles

Posted on May 16, 2018 by skippersgift

Mix 51 loyal volunteers with 258 excited visitors. Add J/24’s, kayaks and SUPs. Say “Coast Guard, DBW, Life Jacket, Ready About, Hard-alee.” Blow gently, add brilliant glitter and Adam’s Grub Truck. The result: smiling faces shining over Clipper Cove.

So many highlights, where to start? -Actually, that’s easy. Again this year many thanks to Brian Hill for the great photos and helpful “play by play”.

So, on to the 432 smiles (270 from J/24 sailors, 108 from kayakers and 54 from the stand-up paddle boarders).

Enthusiastic Volunteers and Staff Creates Opening Day 2018:

Setup at the Coast Guard Auxiliary Tent:

Luxine Smith, Program Coordinator, briefs skippers:

Josh readies a chase boat:

Travis Lund, announces from the PA system:

Skippers discussing procedures:

Boat handler and skipper at the ready:

Charlotte at the TISC table studying the course offerings – – –

– – – and ready to discuss TISC with visitors:

Adam’s Grub Truck is ready for hungry people:

Jamie is ready with oars and life jackets:

People arriving and getting briefed on National Safe Boating Week:

A hypothermia demonstration from the Coast Guard Auxiliary:

Heading down to the docks:

Setting up on kayaks and paddle boards:

Heading out in a two-seater kayak:

Kayaker and paddle-boarder rendezvous on the water:

Gabe and Sam have a chase boat rendezvous in front of the Bay Bridge:

Gabe and Alana, piloting one of the chase boats:

Meanwhile back on land, Glitter in the City gives people fabulous freckles:

Two face-painting prospects exam design ideas:

A patient boy gets to see the finished result:

Cal Sailing team members operate their wind indicator (a bubble machine!):

A Giants fan and her Harley-loving daschund get ready to go out:

And her grand-daughter pauses to show off her glitter:

The two of them occupy the pulpit on a J-24:

Three more J-24s await cast-off:

Boarding the boats with careful direction from the boat handlers:

Another cast-off:
And another:

Boat handler gives the special all-clear sign:

Bon voyage!

TISC-1 against the new Bay Bridge:

TISC-1 and TISC-2 heading out:

TISC-2 with Bob Flores at the helm:

TISC-2 again!

TISC-5 on a fly-by:

TISC-1 at the head of Clipper Cove:

TISC-3 coming home:

Travis hands out some nice schwag from Oracle and the America’s Cup:

And a gift of wine-tasting for eight from one of our sponsors:

As the afternoon continues, people are still enjoying the varied fun:

Relocating a National Safe Boating Week Sign from the clubhouse to the docks:

Event photographer Brian Hill hands his camera over for a selfie:

One last panorama shot of the facility and the volunteers (scroll across to see it all!):
Our enablers, those great teams who make eventsl like this possible – the 51 volunteers from the Cal Sailing Team, V15 racers, SFSU, our tenants, program partners and an SSL teacher. Generous donors including Winemaker Studios here on TI, East Bay Costco and Aracely Cafe at 401 13th in San Francisco, California Division of Boating and Waterways. Informative exhibitors including the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Re-cology Golden Gate and the SF Environmental Department. And what about those glittering faces thanks to Glitter in the City and lunch with Adam’s Grub Truck !

Regards from The Cove, Dave G

In the Wake:

Events like this don’t just happen – they are planned in advance, volunteers are recruited, details are checked and re-checked and then the (fun) job starts on “Game Day”. While our entire staff was on hand for opening day, Luxine Smith was ultimately responsible for the myrad details, volunteers, contributors and more to deliver such a positive event ( water side summary: 270 J/24 boat rides, 108 kayakers and 54 SUP riders) here On Clipper Cove. THANK YOU LUXINE!

The Power of the Wind ? – – Life Changing !

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Travis Lund

The firsts accompanying Leonard Flynn Elementary School kids to Clipper Cove paled by comparison to what we all considered a life-changing story. Credit TISC’s STEM-based experiential learning program – and our SSL team – for more than just smiles on that day.

Last Tuesday served up notable firsts on TISC’s docks. Our new Program Manager Laura DeFelice, shadowed our Program Coordinator Luxine Smith, witnessed and learned to teach her first class. The 26 4^th and 5^th grade students from Leonard Flynn Elementary reveled in their very first sailing experience. In many ways a day not unlike those experienced by the 5,526 SFUSD students, including three previous Leonard Flynn classes who have benefited from our Set Sail Learn program to date.

The April 17^th conditions were ideal for a first-sail. The April morning sun shone through some light cloud cover and the warmth of the sun prevailed over the cool light morning wind. The students arrived as they often do, loud and full of excitement. Their energy is contagious.

The group met under our big top tent and divided into two groups: one that would begin their classroom lesson, The Power of the Wind, and another that would go sailing. Of course, everyone wanted to go sailing first. Or did they?

One student, 10-year-old Rosa, walked deliberately with her classmates and chaperones as they were guided to the docks. The girls and boys were so excited to get going, and TISC’s instructors kept a watchful eye until they were briefed, donned life jackets and allowed to board the boats. They stood at attention listening to each instructor’s direction before springing like horses out of the gates to get on the boats.

All but Rosa.

The first J/24 departed and then the second. While all the kids on boat 3 were ready to go, they had to wait while the chaperone and I comforted Rosa, whose eyes filled with tears but never spilled. Her hands shook and she breathed deeply as though preparing to take a deep dive into pool from which she was certain she’d never return. Her classmates pleaded with her to come aboard, and although she never demanded to leave, was never committed to going.

After a few moments of convincing, Rosa was encouraged to sit in the boat’s companionway halfway in the cockpit where she felt safe. The chaperone sat next to her and held her hand; as the boat finally left the dock Rosa uttered “I want to go back”. But it was too late! She was sailing.

I waited on the dock and prepared to scramble the safety boat, but Rosa stood fast and kept going. Her sailing instructor, Bruce, shouted, “She’ll be OK in a few minutes. It’s always these ones who have the most fun.”

And he was right!

Before the boats could make one loop in Clipper Cove, Rosa was already at the helm. Bruce is an expert with kids and made sure he could instill the confidence Rosa needed to become strong and face her fear.

As she steered the boat downwind, it was apparent Bruce had done his job and Rosa had made a tremendous step forward. Her transformation was empowering for her classmates and everyone involved.

Afterward, Rosa said, “Before I went sailing I felt nervous, scared and frightened. After sailing around the bay I felt happy, excited, and joyful.”

And check out the smiles from her classmates:

While this was certainly Rosa and her classmates’ first sail, it might also have been the first big step forward in learning to conquer fear.

Although they later enjoyed their Power of the Wind lesson in the classroom (who wouldn’t have fun building wind-powered land yachts), these kids will never forget the power they felt in that very light morning wind while sailing in the safety of Clipper Cove.

The Power of the Wind – Life Changing ? – we think so!

Regards from On the Cove, Travis

In the Wake:

In case you missed our April newsletter, you can read about it here.

While the level of high school racing is a step above Set Sail Learn in terms of sailing abilities, these two activities share one thing in common – The life lessons, friendships and joy of sailing in the protected safety of Clipper Cove. Below are a few photos from the 2018 Golden Bear regatta attended by 256 sailors and another 150+ parents, friends and coaches from 26 high schools. What a scramble at the docks when 4 divisions switched teams in 64 boats !

Did I mention- THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS !

TISC Opening Day 2017 a Glittering Success

Posted on April 23, 2017 by skippersgift

Start with J/24’s, kayaks, SUPs and Clipper Cove sunny skies. Add attendees of all ages and dedicated volunteers. Mix with paddles, sails, food and free life jackets. Sprinkle with glitter and a gentle breeze. Wala! TISC 2017 opening day smiles.

Our “shore team” played a critical role in the success of Opening Day / Safe Boating Day at the Treasure Island Sailing Center. Staffing the many exhibits and activities is a non-stop job the minute our gates open. Ditto for managing the check-in, scheduling, and successful “dock-in” and “dock-out” of all the water craft. No way all this could happen without the many TISC parents and the CAL Berkeley Sailing Team.

The guys on the docks making it happen strike a pose. Several years back we combined our Opening Day with Safe Boating Day because TISC promotes safety in all we do. The US Coast Guard Auxiliary District 11 (Northern Region) handed out 100 life jackets provided by the California Division of Boating and Waterways (DBW). Many of the programs provided to children and adults would not be possible without the on-going financial support of DBW.Back again for a second time was Glitter in the City. Lots of sparkles on many cute faces. The face painter and her models steal the show: Water action included rides in kayaks, stand-up paddle boards (SUPs) and J/24s. Our J/24 fleet skippered by TISC supporters and Vanguard 15 racers provided rides to over 200. Another 70 happy kayakers and 40 adventurous SUP “drivers” enjoyed time on Clipper Cove. And more happy J/24 drivers and crew. Bruce Holaday also joined us along with his hand-made Petie Bateau, a Shellback Dinghy designed by Joel White. For a great children’s book (kids from 8-80 will love it!) you can order “A Boy’s Boat” directly from Amazon.Other exhibitors also participated to help provide a fun day. And an educational one, with Recology Golden Gate passing out flyers and information to help educate attendees on what goes in which bin.This year Adams Grub Truck joined us. They promised “explosions of flavor, magnitude of size, served with a smile” and did not disappoint. Their upcoming schedules are HERE.The next generation gets some time on the Bay too.Over 50 volunteers supported this successful day. Here’s a few more photos from the shore-side fun and games. Luxine Smith wears many hats at TISC. As our volunteer coordinator she is responsible for sorting out the many jobs needed for Opening Day and filling them with volunteers. Way to Go ! on another great turnout of volunteers and attendees.PLEASE don’t forget out sponsors. Next time you’re in Berkeley stop by the Peets Coffee at 2916 Domingo Ave and THANK THEM for their support of the Treasure Island Sailing Center. Ditto for the Costco on 2400 Monument Blvd. in Concord.

Regards from On The Cove, Dave G

In the wake:

Thanks and a tip-of-the-hat to Brian Hill for the opening day photographs. Great shots, nice framing and well organized to share the fun times had by all on Clipper Cove !

Marin Sailing School Program for the Blind Marks 10th Anniversary

Posted on June 23, 2016 by skippersgift

Last weekend 11 visually impaired sailors marked Marin Sailing School Program for the Blind’s 10th year anniversary with a BBQ at TISC. Afterwards, volunteers, J/24s, Clipper Cove and SF Bay delivered smiles all around. You’re invited to create smiles too!

Philip Kum, Al Spector, and Danette Davis founded the Visually Impaired sailing program back in 2007, first sailing out of Sausalito. In 2012 they partnered with Treasure Island Sailing Center. On June 18^th they celebrated ten years of launching new horizons for VI sailors.

Now in its 10th year the program provides opportunities for individuals who are blind and visually impaired to learn the fundamental skills of sailing and the basic principles of seamanship. These students – soon to be sailors – learn to sail through the use of creative and adaptive methods in a hands-on, mainstream teaching environment.

The objective is the same as for sighted sailors: to harness the wind and to experience all the challenges and rewards of sailing. Learning to sail a boat, the physics of sailing, and the equipment used on board, builds self-assurance to meet day-to-day challenges and enhances confidence to try new things.

Clipper Cove, with its protected area, lack of current and steady winds, provides an excellent launching point. The TISC J/24 fleet is an excellent boat for the program – stable yet responsive. With common deck layout and rigging across the boats.

Each day starts with a discussion of the day plan, then an on-boat orientation. Here are photos from the May 21st and June 18 sailing days.

These sailors have a wide range of experience from just learning to those who have raced in events worldwide from Newport, RI to Rotorua, New Zealand. So the easy access from Clipper Cove to SF Bay is another bonus for the TISC location.

Smiles all around after returning to the dock. Then debriefing to share stories and more smiles.

The program counts on an all-volunteer staff for each day of sailing. Interested? Two simple requirements to participate in this great program. You must be:

Comfortable as an instructor on a J/24, the boats used for the program here at TISC.
Willing to engage and focus on basic principles including the etiquette of working with visually people who are blind and visually impaired, communications and giving directions.

All these skills can be learned by attending a volunteer training day, or reading the EXCELLENT manual put together by Philip, Al, & Danette then “shadowing” another instructor for one of the volunteer sessions. So easy !

Upcoming VI sailing days at TISC are: 7/16, 8/20, 9/17, and 10/8. The program starts at 10 am and runs until 3pm.

Please contact Luxine Smith (luxine.smith@tisailing.org) at TISC if you have further questions or would like to spend a day you will likely remember as “a great, rewarding day – making new friends, giving back, learning something new and feeling really proud of helping others share the joys of sailing”.

You’re Invited !

Regards from On The Cove, Dave G

In the wake:

A HUGE HUGE tip of the hat to Brian Hill for the photos from the May 21^st VI sailing day and Al Spector and Danette Davis for the photos from last weekend’s BBQ and sail. And to the staff at TISC for launching the J/24 fleet used by the VI sailing program.

In addition to a very complete VI sailing manual put together by Philip, Al, and Danette, here are other excellent resources:

LightHouse for the Blind – San Francisco
http://lighthouse-sf.org/
Lion’s Center for the Blind, Oakland, California
http://www.lbcenter.org/
Carroll Center for the Blind, Boston, Massachusetts
http://carroll.org/

Hooked on Clipper Cove

Posted on June 1, 2016 by skippersgift

Clipper Cove offers quiet, protected water ideal for solitary anchoring or multi-boat raft-ups. Many boaters and sailors spent Memorial Day Weekend on The Cove enjoying sunny weather, warm water and a sandy beach.

The south-west quadrant of Clipper Cove is protected from wind and waves. Ample deep water for large boats to anchor very close to shore makes for easy swimming or rowing to the beach. A truly unique anchorage in all of San Francisco Bay.

Twenty or so boats shared space on Clipper Cove last weekend. This was our view of the action from Treasure Island Sailing Center Saturday morning.

There were power boat raft-ups just off the beach. You can read the story behind Quarters 10 (in the photo below framed by the two sailboat masts) to learn more about the origin of this building and possible uses for it as Yerba Buena Island continues on its upgrade path.

Sailboats from around the Bay met, greetings and tie-ups were exchanged and additional raft-ups sprang up.

Along with many solo visitors who stayed the weekend.

The anchorage in Clipper Cove is normally “home” to a small number of boats. Here’s one that provided a backdrop to opening day last month.

And more boats from the Memorial Day crowd.

As we rounded the corner from South Bay and returned to the cove Saturday afternoon we were presented with this west-facing view of the many boats anchored in Clipper Cove. Framed by the bridge abutment on our port side and shadows from the main span above.

There are many ways to enjoy Clipper Cove. Treasure Island Sailing Center offers Adult Sailing Lessons. Or sign up for the new TISC Adult Keelboat Certification class.

Recreational boaters are welcome to anchor in Clipper Cove for up to 24 hours. For stays of longer than 24 hours you can register with the Treasure Island Development Authority (TIDA). Here is the link to read more about Anchoring in Clipper Cove.

Regards from On The Cove, Dave G

In the Wake:

I found a 1939 photo of small boats, large schooners and steam ships at the West End of Clipper Cove. You can see it here.
And if you missed last month’s blog that showed 723 visitors having fun smiling, paddling, kayaking and sailing you can see those smiles and photos of Opening Day and Safe Boating Day hosted by TISC and sponsored in part by the California Division of Boating and Waterways.

TISC Opening Day 2016 Packs Clipper Cove

Posted on May 18, 2016 by skippersgift

TISC Opening Day and Safe Boating Day packed Clipper Cove with 723 excited attendees. Thank you staff, sponsors, volunteers and Mother Nature for providing free sailboat rides & paddling on protected waters, fun, games and free life jackets.

Next week is National Safe Boating week. The Treasure Island Sailing Center hosted its combined Opening Day / Safe Boating Day on April 30th to kick off our season and get a head start on summer safety. And to pass out 140 life jackets plus water safety and boating guides courtesy of California Division of Boating and Waterways

Planning and promotion starts months in advance. Then our trusty army of 50-plus volunteers starts arriving Friday afternoon, early Saturday morning and stay well past closing. Opening day would not be possible without volunteers from the Cal Boating team, the Vanguard 15 racers, Envision Academy Sailing Team (E*A*S*T), TISC tenants who helped with set-up & boat driving, and the local Treasure Island community.

Visitors from all over the Bay Area lined up for the free sailboat, kayak and paddle board rides.

Our fleet of J/24’s, RS Ventures, kayaks and stand up paddle boards were all voted MVP’s of the day.

US Coast Guard Auxiliary answered questions and further stressed safe boating. And passed out the free DBW life jackets.

Talented supporting cast from Glitter in the City and TISC volunteers kept kids of all ages psyched and occupied during the day. Needless to say Peets Coffee in Berkeley and Beauty’s Bagels in Oakland were morning favorites, while Adam’s Grub Truck was the preferred afternoon stop for many hungry sailors.

Clipper Cove is the only venue in San Francisco Bay that can host events like this because of the steady winds, protected space, lack of current and easy water access via docks and ramps.

It’s no wonder nearly 4,000 children, youth and adults sailed or paddled on Clipper Cove last year. This number 1,338 San Francisco 4^th graders who took part in 51 TISC-sponsored hands-on STEM classes plus sailing in RS Ventures during 2015 (since Fall, 2013 SSL inception, TISC has sponsored 3,566 students in 135 classes from 31 SFUSD elementary schools).

On this picture perfect day all areas of the cove provided a fun, safe and protected place to sail and paddle. As ideal and safe as Clipper Cove is for our opening day festivities we still had several safety boats on duty. In a few cases even the light winds lead to a few paddlers “calling for a taxi”.

I didn’t see much traffic to and from the marina, however the boats I did see were careful and respectful of the smaller craft that dotted the cove.

Not everyone was ready for getting out on the Cove, and our team had plenty of fun and games lined up for the future sailors.

Which is not to say kids were left ashore. To the contrary they were focused and engaged in all points of sail (including the very active 2 year-old who triggered our man-overboard drill when he threw his dad’s new hat overboard).

Based on the many phones and cameras I saw, I’m guessing Facebook, Twitter and Instagram had plenty of action from our visitors.

Clipper Cove is a great place to admire the new Bay Bridge.

Hard to see in the above photo, however the eastern area of the cove is very shallow before getting much deeper as you depart the cove and head to the flats. And this bottom bathymetry is exactly what keeps the high currents out of the cove.

So another TISC Opening Day is on the books. Now YOUR family’s fun can begin. Here’s the link with an overview of the many classes offered by Treasure Island Sailing Center: http://tisailing.org/basics.

And as you head out onto California waters this summer, WEAR YOUR LIFEJACKET.

Regards from On The Cove, Dave G

PS – A special tip-of-the-hat to Valerie Santori and Andrew Shaw for many of the photos in this blog post.

In the wake:

Here are a few more links to the California Division of Boating and Waterway website:

You can find a wide range of useful information on their home page: http://www.dbw.ca.gov
Here is a fun, interactive page your kids can use in the car on the way to their favorite water spot: http://www.dbw.ca.gov/AquaSmart.
This page contains a special kids section including Spanish and English safe boating coloring books: http://www.dbw.ca.gov/AquaSmart/html/kids_activity_books.html

OnClipperCove

Launching Point for New Horizons

Tag Archives: J/24

TISC 2023 Opening Day Draws Bay Area Children, Youth and Families to Clipper Cove

Flying Cat Highlights TISC Opening Day 2019

TISC Set Sail Learn Milestone – 6,767 Fourth-graders Since 2013

STEM Sailing & 4th Graders – Transformational and Transcontinental

TISC Opens 2018 Fun Season with 432 Smiles

The Power of the Wind ? – – Life Changing !

TISC Opening Day 2017 a Glittering Success

Marin Sailing School Program for the Blind Marks 10th Anniversary

Hooked on Clipper Cove

TISC Opening Day 2016 Packs Clipper Cove