Charters are available at VELA-LA Charters.

We'd like to thank regatta sponsors VELA LA and International Sailing Academy!

Pre-regatta Clinic! Julian Soto is offering a clinic at ACSC on Thursday October 12. For more information, email Julian at mindbodyboat2@gmail.com, or sign up here.

LOCAL/TRAVEL INFORMATION:

If flying in, Oakland International (OAK) is the closest airport. San Francisco International (SFO) is the next closest.

If driving in, enter "Alameda Community Sailing Center" into Google Maps, Waze, or Apple Maps. Note that the last turn into our driveway can be easy for first-timers to miss; that turn off is at 161 Central Ave, Alameda, CA 94501.  

To store your boat at ACSC before or after the regatta, contact Mike Bishop, mjpbishop@gmail.com. 

For lodging, check out hotels in Alameda: Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham and Neptune Palace Hotel. Emeryville is about ten minutes away and has two Hyatts, a Sheraton, and a Hilton. Berkeley is 20 minutes away and has an Aiden by Best Western and Residence Inn. Avoid San Francisco since it will be more expensive and Bay Bridge traffic can be unpredictable. 

As for restaurants, there are tons in Alameda, Berkeley, and the Temescal neighborhood of Oakland. Use Yelp to find them. 

To help you pack: Alameda's average air temperatures in October are a high of 71 degrees and a low of 55. While we can get rain, it's unlikely. Average wind speeds in October start at 6 knots at noon and peak at 9 knots around 5 pm. Source. Water temps are typically around 60 degrees in October. A wetsuit top (or spray top) and hiking pants are a good idea, along with a lyra top in case we get a hot day. Don't sail barefoot, since you'll be launching off a ramp. Bring your own drinking water from the hotel or wherever you're staying. 

For detailed wind forecasts, you can use PredictWind and the Saildrone app has both wind and current forecasts. ACSC is open water with oscillating shifts, so bring a compass if you have one.

The one thing to keep in mind is car break-ins. It's all too common in the Bay Area. One tip is to think like a thief: they probably won't want a laundry basket of wet clothing and a rudder is unsellable. But a toolbox, sunglasses, or duffle bag will look enticing. So keep as much as possible in your hotel room or ACSC. Keep your enticing items hidden under the sail-specific/wet stuff. Don't leave anything with Bluetooth or WiFi in your car, even if hidden. That said, we've never heard of anything being stolen out of the ACSC parking lot. More tips to avoid car break-ins.

Additional local information from Al Sargent can be found here.