San Francisco Bay....I'm Here. Happy Fathers Day, Epecially to my Father

San Rafael Yacht Harbor, San Rafael California

I spent a delightful 3 days at Joanne & Marks house in San Mateo Silicon Valley awaiting Christa's arrival. They have a beautiful spainish style home that they have re-done over the years. To say they have excellent taste is a huge understatement. Here is just one picture of one spot in their home.

While I was waiting I had a bit of a dust up. To explain. About 9 months ago I contacted the Precideo Yacht Club, which sits in a beautiful cove just north to the Golden Gate Bridge pictured below.

I had lived in this facility a number of years ago. It is a MWR facility for active and retired military members run by Travis Air Force Base. Travis is about two hours away and the place has not been known for its crisp management. This is why I engaged them early to make sure I had everything set. With assurances and my credit card charged months ago, I thought everything was in hand. Well in true PYC fashion, with rule flexibility being the watch word the manager simply told me no livaboards. To say that I'm pissed is an understatement. However I am not surprised.

I put plan bravo into action and have contracted with San Rafael Yacht Harbor. I showed up in a near panic after PYC put me in a very difficult situation. Living aboard a boat is a dying thing. Especially in San Fran Bay. I won't bore you all with all the details. But bottom line is the environmentalists have used the issue to extract money from marina owners via an extensive permitting process. It has become so laborious for marina's that they have simply stopped allowing livaaboards, which is the ultimate goal of the environmentalists. PYC is a Federal property and has been exempt from some of the rules. So I am very thrilled to at least have a place to keep Christa and I can live aboard. The catch is it cost me over $300 a month more than anticipated. But their are some very good things about this turn of events.

The temperature difference between the spot under the Golden Gate and San Rafael is about 30 degree's. San Rafael has no surge, is less than a mile from the campus of Dominican University, has a Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Pete's, Starbucks and a Border's all within visual range. Beautiful. But the marina also doubles as a boatyard and is not the most beautiful place, especially compared to PYC and horseshoe cove. So the way I see it is a net positive over this dust up.

In fact, I called the trucker and ask him the night before he arrived to switch the drop off boat yard from KKMI to San Rafael Yacht Harbor. San Rafael Yacht Harbor is less expensive and I estimate I will save almost $500 big ones in relaunching costs. This cost me a day as the trucking permits had to be jiggered and all that. In the end everything is working out.

As far as Christa is concerned, she is very very dirty. The front hatch ripped off and dust and dirt abound on the interior. Otherwise, no damage was done. Yesterday I was a little despondent with the amount of work I have ahead of me. The delayed maintance from this winter is coming due and there is just so much work that needs to be done. But today I feel much better as things are starting to come together. I hope to have  Christa launched next week and in her new slip.

Capt Chris