San Francisco Bay Adventure

There are many ways to enjoy a spectacular family day of sailing, learning and hiking on San Francisco Bay aboard kid-friendly J/24 Skipper’s Gift.

Depart Treasure Island Sailing Center for Angel Island State Park around 10am. Lunch in Ayala Cove after the morning sail past Alcatraz Island. A 30 minute hike brings you to Point Knox for an inspirational view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the city skyline and the new Bay Bridge. Pose for a picture guaranteed to be a family summer highlight.

Weather permitting the more adventurous may choose to sail past the Fisherman’s Wharf sea lions and take in the beautiful sunset.

Learning continues with lessons and discussion about tide, currents, the geology of the bay (it was a beautiful meadow 10,000 years ago) and the more recent history behind the Golden Gate Bridge, Bay Bridge, Treasure Island and Clipper Cove. And a few behind-the-scenes stories from Team Oracle’s amazing come-from-behind victory.

Return to Treasure Island and relax with snacks as we hoist Skipper’s Gift from Clipper Cove to the safety of her trailer.

For a different adventure head over to The Alameda to check out the huge cranes (were they really the inspiration behind the BattleBots in “Star Wars” ?) and towering container ships. Stop by Jack London Square for an ice cream cone.

Whatever course you choose, you and your family will learn what makes a sailboat sail courtesy of Bernoulli, Newton and other great physicists. And you will end the day knowing how to sail a fast, safe J/24 – the largest one-design keel boat class in the world (although slightly slower than an Americas Cup 72′ foiling catamaran).

This unforgettable day is ideally suited for a family with 2-3 children, or four adults. Welcome aboard anytime !

Your co-hosts for the day:

Jane Guinther designs and installs custom drapes and drives an AAUW program that introduces STEAM to 7th grade girls through hands-on science projects, field exploration and presentations by career women in STEM. On Fridays she logs 30-50 miles with a women’s biking group.

Dave Guinther designed hardware and software for submarines, refrigerators and light bulbs for 11 years at GE before before moving into EDA. After another few decades and four start-ups in the world of hi-tech he traded in his corporate .doc, .ppt and .xls tools for G/flex, sandpaper and sunscreen and joined the Board of Directors at Treasure Island Sailing Center, a non-profit that teaches sailing and life lessons to over 2,500 under-served youth and San Francisco elementary students each year. His photo blog is here: On Clipper Cove