​FLEET WEEK 2019
BOATING PUBLIC NOTICE​

When you call the Coast Guard from the beach for someone in the water, please stand by your phone and or your VHF radio. The Coast Guard needs to be able to contact you for followup information.

​www.sfchronicle.com/science/article/On-the-edge-of-SF-s-Presidio-big-projects-will-14278563.php?fbclid=IwAR0QM20wZTqaFt8yaAZIisH9dt5M6_TUspnk8-UFt3_WTNLvHJuS9EKPWpg


Park Presido alternate route.

​The launch area is not closed; however, it is inaccessible through North point Drive Monday to Friday from 8 am to 5 pm (excluding holidays) beginning on July 1st and ending on September 27th.
 
Access to the boat launch during those work hours will be via Perimeter Road (see attached figure on page 2 of the work notice).

Access is available on the weekends

Please plan to park on the Northeast corner of Bayside Drive in front of previously demolished buildings 1211 and 1213. The area will provide ample parking and uninhibited access to Perimeter Road. ​

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This June 1st event is the beginning of the GGNRA's public input/scoping process to introduce and receive feedback from Crissy users regarding NPS ideas for Crissy Field.  Please note that one of the larger drivers for this "Crissy Next" program is to make physical changes to minimize wear and tear and thus reduce operations and maintenance costs.  Much of the focus and likely outcomes will be to reorganize parking and perhaps introduce or replace some infrastructure, such as the restroom.  
 
The San Francisco Board Sailing Association encourges as many sailors as possible to attend, and engage NPS in discussion regarding their ideas and to provide feedback. 

Please keep the following in mind as priorities: 

1. Place emphasis on protecting existing user amenities, such as 
   1. Rigging-friendly surfaces (e.g., grass) immediately adjacent to parking.  The earlier NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) documents provided seven acres of parking for 500 cars, including  200 overflow parking spots on the other side of Mason Street, which have yet to materialize!   
   2. Water Access and Rigging-friendly surfaces/parking as far West on site as possible... towards the GG Bridge.  
   3. Restroom placement should remain in or near its existing location, not to be placed at the East end of the East Beach only... since boardsailing usage is at the west end, near the main water access.  
2. Attempt to separate parking for the general public from that desirable for boardsailing at the West end.... such that general public parking does not compete with specific sailors needs.... e.g,, place as much grass adjacent to and between parking for boardsailing in the middle and behind and to the upwind side of general user desired parking (general public parkng will likely be closer to and along the water/shoreline edge, and encourge general user parking to the east side of the East Beach.  This can be done with visual ques and other landscaping and infrastructure.  
3. Move the majority of the picknic and BBQ areas to the East, in the downwind areas of the site, which will heip to encourage general usage parking to the East and prevent the smoke and smell from wafting over everyone at East Beach.  
4. Make the West end and SouthWest side of the site, as it is used today, heavily focused with grass immediately adjacent to parking, and permit parking along ALL grassy areas.  ​

On Sherman we would like to believe we are one club with one voice – many of us Windsurf and/or came up through the ranks and Kite as well.  However, there are distinct needs and differences in how we play together.  

Windsurfers, Sup’ers, swimmers in the “playpen” area are not trained in kite rescues. They may grab the wrong line or part of your kite and make things worse for everyone.

Therefore, keeping kites and kiters away from and out of the “Play Pen” area downwind of the kite launch area is important.

If you wash up into the Playpen , Roll up your lines and relaunch back at the kite launch.  It’s best NOT to ask people in the playpen to relaunch you.  

Self-rescue onto the rocks on the levee, downwind of the Play Pen, rather than into it. There is a sand bag launch just outside the County Park that can be used in emergencies.

Beach goers are extremely afraid of kites and lines crashing down onto them.  Because of past accidents and crash landings, many windsurfers feel endangered on the water and in the playpen area.  They may elect (and have the right) to cut your lines if you crash land.  Don't get angry if this happens because YOU are endangering them.

If you can't kite upwind immediately off the launch and might end up in the Play Pen, take a boat ride upwind (preferably during a flood tide).

If you find yourself in trouble and headed for the Play Pen, flag your kite so that there is zero option your kite could relaunch and hurt someone in the process. Roll up your lines quickly.

Let’s play it safe and keep the Sherman vibe going.   We certainly don’t want one bad day to ruin the scene for all of us. 


​​

Early season winds have been kind to the Albany site, Racetrack, and this has attracted a number of new kiters to the launch. The park is still under construction, however, and a few recent events have highlighted the need to update kiters on a few points:
 
1) Although kiters are using the sandy beach at the southern tip as the launch and landing site, this area will be the primary point of pedestrian access when the park is finished is should NOT be used to launch and land at that point. Local kiters and the SFBA worked with the EBRPD to develop a large 'Open Use' area at the south-eastern tip of the park for launching and landing. 
 
2) Due to parking shortages in the Buchanan lot, some kiters are parking by Fleming Point, breaking through the fence and launching from the small beach there. One incident resulted in a confrontation with contractors, who were upset that kiters trespassed and then traversed the work area while heavy machinery was moving through the area. We spoke with the EBRPD rep they emphasized the need to remain clear of the site while crew is working. Kiters and pedestrians can enter at Fleming Point, but please do not do so if any crew are on site.
 
Please contact Andrew Sullivan (kiteracetrack@gmail.com) if you have any questions about this site or the status of construction.