Bay area windsurfers

I just saw a show called Wild survival about a windsurfer whose mast broke near the golden gate bridge when fog was rolling in . He apparently didn't have a clue as to which was a safe direction to paddle. I missed the last 5 min of the show. Did anyone see how the guy survive without getting run over by cargo ships or drifting out into the ocean ? What is the best survival tip when a windsurfer gets into this situation ?

If the mast breaks high enough one can still slog. If it breaks too low to slog, dump the rig, lash yourself to the board, and paddle.

I would imagine drifting out to sea in fog would be a poor place to try to rig up some kind of temporary sail, although I had a friend do that once as he only had to drift straight downwind.

Especially there. If its an ebb tide, he's heading to the Faralons. I heard recently that the Coast Guard rescued 100 sailors last year.

There are ways to sail with a broken mast. For example, you can take the top part, invert it, and stick it in the bottom. This will give a sail some height but no shape, and a floppy head. Then lower the boom the maximum you can, since with the loss of the upper part of the sail the center of effort has moved lower. If there is enough wind, you can waterstart and sail this rig, although it is difficult to sail at all upwind and sailing against a current would probably not work.

Although some of you may be skeptics, I have successfully done this twice, both times sailing in from a good distance offshore with no assistance at all. Both times I started upwind of the launch, and both times I made it right back to the launch.

As to 100 coast guard rescues in the bay last year, I'll bet it's more. There are a lot of people sailing in places and conditions they should not, especially those launching from the north side of the golden gate, where the currents are especially treacherous, the wind can drop to zero in an instant, and there is only a slim spit of rocks to get back to.

Last time I was in Frisco saw couple of ladies getting WS lessons at Crissy. Apparently they were instructed not to get into current zone, but it was clear poor lasses couldn't waterstart, or even uphaul. Definitely not the best place for lessons.

Beside rigging up something from the broken mast . What other safety equipment would the group suggest . gps , hand paddle that competitive swimmer use

Alan makes a few good points.

Crissy field (that is Crissy and no 'H' is not a dangerous place if you know what you are doing. Seems we suffer the same problems regarding lack of personal responsibility that seems to be in evidence through many places.

Not brain surgery. If you sail in the Bay are and you are learning take good lessons at Berkeley or with ABK, anyone that knows what they are doing. Get confident at sites before Crissy. Coyote, Candlestick, Alameda. Candlestick is great at low tide, you can walk back in if worst comes to worst. You'll learn how to sail gusty winds that are typical. Move to Coyote and get used to chop. Voodoo chop takes time to learn.

Find a local at Crissy, preferably with banged up gear, non-new SUV or BMW posing, and ask basic advise on the site. If they have sparkling new gear, no dings and are coated in helmet (except Simon!), gloves, booties and flashing light-AVOID. Most good sailors at Crissy who also sail the coast are a super nice bunch, although Crissy has a higher than average wanker syndrome. Saying that there are also some of the most decent people that you may ever find.

To date I have had 6 great sessions ruined thanks to others stupidty, i.e. should have been at an intermidiate site. Stupid being overpowered and sailing way above their heads. Least fun was having to get a tanker to head mid span to avoid chumming the water with a worn out intermediate on the North side.

If you are not comfortable clambering up rocks if a problem occurs or swimming for a couple of hrs then avoid Crissy. North side is advanced to enter & exit the water. Jumping off the fishing jetty on the South side is the same.

Tides are strong and learn them from someone who knows.

Seems a lot of the comments revolve around drama rama & panic is the biggest enemy. The tankers have yet to run anyone over, however tall the stories may get. A couple of people have died. One hit a sand bar at 3rd and one on the rocks near OAK, too small a wetsuit.

My two cents.....

Safety gear:

How about some donald duck inflatable armbands???

Call Corbin Berson and ask for help.

Leave it to Wardog to get us the full story. Thanks! I guess my memories of what was broken (I thought a mast) were eroded by too much salt water.

I couldn't agree more with what he writes about being prepared to rescue yourself if at all possible. However, I do think there are times this may not be possible, mostly if equipment breaks unexpectedly like it did to Mr. Morris, and you're in a bad current carrying you to a place with no wind and even farther shores, like will happen under the GGB. And it's not just a matter of keeping your gear fresh. I regularly replace stuff, even if it doesn't look bad, but I have had stuff break that was only a few months old. That's why I feel, that using good gear, being physically able and mentally prepared, may not be enough, and some safety gear in places like under the GGB is useful.

For example, when dealing with a boom broken in the middle of the side you need to hold onto to get back in, like happened to Mr. Morris, you can take off the boom and flip it around, putting the intact arm on the side you need to sail in. This may be easier then waterstarting and sailing clew first all the way in if it is far away. However, if you're on a strong outgoing tide, by the time you do this you could be well past the bridge, where the wind dies, so you couldn't sail even with good equipment, and the bay widens, putting you far from shore.

Like WARDOG, I have towed in sailors at Crissy over the years, probably about 5 times, and have always dealt with my own mishaps, but I think the safety net of a radio and other gear is nice to have, even though I have never used it (other then my spare line to tow someone). But it's not a replacement for common sense. You need to know your sailing site, equipment, and skills, and sail within them all. I never get caught with a long swim at Crissy with dying wind, because after over a decade sailing there I know the signs of what's happening, and sail in earlier rather then trying for a few more runs and risking a long swim. Of course it wasn't always this way, and early on while sailing there I screwed up a few times, and had long swims, but now I'm older and wiser. If you don't know the site, ask someone who does, and even more so, pay attention to them. If it starts getting lighter, and the experienced locals head in, you should too.

in June of 1993.

Wardog, Looking at the cover, I wonder what 'Gorge eye candy photo spread is'? Am I being too optimistic? May be you can post that too