![]() The wind is strong right at the rip rap launch site. There is a large park to explore: hiking, biking, golfing, museum-strolling, and much more.Įmbassy Suites is located in Burlingame about a half mile to the north of Coyote Point in a tiny bayside park surrounded by hotels. Arrive early and kick back in the park.Ĭoyote is a decent place to people-watch although the windsurfing action is usually too far offshore for good viewing - except in true NW winds where the action can be right offshore. There is a ton of parking, but it can get crowded on holidays or on weekends when the wind is good. ![]() There are a few obstacles below the surface near the markers for the swim area. You can always launch here - even at tides as low a -1.5 feet, but depending on how low the tide is, you may have to walk in shallow mud for several minutes. Tide is not an big issue at Coyote Point, unlike at Third Avenue and Palo Alto. A marine radio is a great idea (modern ones are the size of a cell phone). An emergency kit with, at a minimum: a whistle, a couple lengths of line, and a strobe is recommended. A full suit may get you through an overnight drift if you break down. A full wetsuit is necessary in Spring and even on warmer Summer thermal days. Since the sailing area is vast, breakdowns are serious. Intermediate and advanced sailors can enjoy the swell miles outside while less experienced sailors can stay in the first half mile or so. Since the land mass of Coyote Point is downwind you have to be able to point back to the sailing site to safely sail at Coyote Point. The side-offshore winds can make this site tricky for beginners. Racers love Coyote, and tend to rig much larger sails - with 7.5 and 8.5 sails not uncommon. In the Summer thermal winds, sails in the 5.0 to 6.0 range are more common. In the Spring, sails in the 4.2 to 5.0 range are common with occasional days much stronger. The swell is great for jibing and endless slashing! In the most common wind conditions, swells range from 2-4 feet but when the adrenaline is running, it looks far bigger. Only 3rd Avenue and Davis Point show bigger swell. In strong wind there can be some of the biggest swell seen anywhere inside the S.F. The water is somewhat muddy but better than many Bay Area sites. This can make for side-offshore winds with holes and turbulence for the first several hundred yards.Īs you get outside the light zone the wind becomes steady in most conditions. In the Spring, the wind is more likely to be NW while in the Summer it is more WNW to W. On NW winds, it will be pretty well filled-in to shore. On West winds, the wind is light near shore. At low tide there will be a bit of mud slogging until you can get on the board. On higher tides you walk down concrete pavers to a dark sand beach and launch. The launch is right next to the pea gravel rigging area and parking area. But, the transition months of March and October can also have some great days - so keep checking the wind! The peak season is April, May, and June for clearing winds (NW, WNW), and then July, August, and September for the more westerly thermal winds. Watch out for the wind dying inside while you rip outside.Ĭoyote has one of the longest seasons in the Bay Area. However, the sailing area is vast outside and you can easily get away from the crowd. Because of all of this, it can be very crowded in the parking area and in the inner waters. The swell and wind outside are world-class. Unlike many sites, it is fairly warm in the rigging area. Lawns, pea gravel rigging areas, and many family activities are at hand. Coyote is easily the most luxurious sailing site in the Bay Area.
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