Considering moving boat from Martinez to Oakland

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Waynepj4

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Oct 13, 2008
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30904
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My wife and I enjoy both the delta and the bay but seem to boat in the bay a bit more so Im considering moving my boat from Martinez to Oakland. What are your thoughts?

Martinez is central to the delta and the bay but at the same time not really close to anything. 10 miles to pittsburg, 30 miles to Angel Island etc.

If my boat is in Jack London Im only 2 to 3 miles from McCovey cove, 10 miles to Angel Island..a few miles from SF waterfront etc.

I finally got my boat back from repair. I have one or 2 things left to do to it before Im back boating again. I plan on boating near every weekend in August.
 
Good to hear from you Wayne!!! Sorry to hear that you have been boatless for quite awhile. That sucks during the summer.

If you like wind and lots of chop and don't mind fog, go to Oakland.

If you prefer less wind, smoother waters, little to no fog and lots of places to explore and enjoy, go further up into the Delta, perhaps Antioch.

It just all depends......
 
Dont like lots of chop or wind for that matter. Fortunately my marina is an Almar marina with recipricol membership so I can try out Oakland for a few weeks to see if I like it. I think I will do that first so as to not jump the gun.

quote:
Originally posted by Flutterby

Good to hear from you Wayne!!! Sorry to hear that you have been boatless for quite awhile. That sucks during the summer.

If you like wind and lots of chop and don't mind fog, go to Oakland.

If you prefer less wind, smoother waters, little to no fog and lots of places to explore and enjoy, go further up into the Delta, perhaps Antioch.

It just all depends......

Click to expand...
 
Thanks flutter. It wasnt all bad. My 140 mile round trip to Sacramento and back helped me get my fill of boating for awhile..then it was out of commission for about 4 weeks. Finally got the boat back last week. One or two more things to complete servicing and Ill be in good shape.

Its been somewhat of a rocky season but man am I learning a lot.
quote:
Originally posted by Waynepj4

Dont like lots of chop or wind for that matter. Fortunately my marina is an Almar marina with recipricol membership so I can try out Oakland for a few weeks to see if I like it. I think I will do that first so as to not jump the gun.

quote:
Originally posted by Flutterby

Good to hear from you Wayne!!! Sorry to hear that you have been boatless for quite awhile. That sucks during the summer.

If you like wind and lots of chop and don't mind fog, go to Oakland.

If you prefer less wind, smoother waters, little to no fog and lots of places to explore and enjoy, go further up into the Delta, perhaps Antioch.

It just all depends......

Click to expand...


Click to expand...
 
Your journey of education will continue as long as you own a boat! I've really enjoyed that journey.
Good idea to try Oakland before deciding. Can you tell us about your trip to Sacramento and back? How did it go???? We love to travel vicariously on this forum!
 
Oakland is warmer and smoother than u might think. I have a frond who berths at Jack London who really likes it. It has been nice everytime I have been there.
 
This is true, kgd, but he will be wanting to travel away from the marina to explore the bay area by boat. Windy and choppy is the norm during the summer in the bay. Wintertime, between storms, is the very best time in the bay area.

The best way to find what you prefer is to try out different places and not commit yourself to one locations too soon. Wayne may want to winter in the bay and summer in the Delta. If so, Martinez is a pretty good location......IMHO
 
Im putting together a video and pics from the Sacramento trip so stay tuned.

I took some friends out on the boat this past weekend. From Martinez there really arent any short day trip destinations. I took them by the Moth Ball fleet which was cool and then to Glenn Cove for lunch.

We found that the cafe at Glen Cove has been closed permanently, the marina is being dredged and the guest dock was full of liveaboards..so no room for the day trip. Glen Cove is 5 miles from Martinez. Angel Island 25 miles, Vallejo 10 miles, Pittsburg 12 miles.

Nothing is all that close by. I think this is firming up my decision to move the boat to Jack London. Quick shot to McCovey Cove, Angel Island, Sausalito, Treasure Island etc. All of them would be easy day trips with friends.

The only concern I have is when I was coming back to Martinez I could smell exhaust or a burning smell coming from the engine compartment. Troubling since I just had the boat serviced, drives painted and zinced, new shift cable, new shifters...about $4500 altogether. Outside of the smell the engines ran fine. oil pressure looked good, temp good, and cruised at 3600 rpms with no problems...but I have to find the source of that exhaust/burning smell some how.

quote:
Originally posted by Flutterby

This is true, kgd, but he will be wanting to travel away from the marina to explore the bay area by boat. Windy and choppy is the norm during the summer in the bay. Wintertime, between storms, is the very best time in the bay area.

The best way to find what you prefer is to try out different places and not commit yourself to one locations too soon. Wayne may want to winter in the bay and summer in the Delta. If so, Martinez is a pretty good location......IMHO

Click to expand...
 
As you exit the Martinez Marina, make a right turn [upstream] and try some of the spots that way for a nice day trip! You need to be willing to get out of the main channel.....have some fun!!!
 
Oh you mean anchorages? I might try that. First I will try a few weeks at Oakland marina. My job is right by McCovey cove. I always walk by the water for lunch and it generally looks smooth.
quote:
Originally posted by Flutterby

As you exit the Martinez Marina, make a right turn [upstream] and try some of the spots that way for a nice day trip! You need to be willing to get out of the main channel.....have some fun!!!

Click to expand...
 
Wayne,

Jack London Square marina is really nice and close to all kinds of eateries, the Farmers Market and other things to do. You can also cruise to McCover Cove and the SF waterfront without getting too beat up. The main problem area is "the slot" directly east of the Golden Gate. During the summer the wind blows thru there pretty steady so it can make trips to Angel Island a little uncomfortable. However, if you travel before ~11:00am its usually not too bad. We used to keep our boat at Oakland for 3 weeks to 3 mos a year depending upon our schedule and really liked it. The Almar reciprocity is a nice way to try out different areas, I'd take advantage of it.
 
Stern drives will require more attention in a salt water environment.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Waynepj4

Oh you mean anchorages? I might try that. First I will try a few weeks at Oakland marina. My job is right by McCovey cove. I always walk by the water for lunch and it generally looks smooth.
Click to expand...


And marinas! Benicia, Pittsburgh, Antioch all have really nice marinas to visit, get a bite to eat. You can return home or spend the night. It is a great way to get away from the rat race when time is short!

I'd suggest you purchase a Chart book for the SF Bay & Delta. You can study it at home and then bring it with you on the boat. For good info, click on "Marina Guide" and "Chart Books": http://www.recreationpublications.com/
Some marine stores sell these too.
 
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