John,
[url]http://www.presidioyachtclub.org/[/url]

Good question, Horseshoe cove would be a great launch point for ventures out of the bay.

I found a link to Presidio Yacht Club who now controls the facility, I think it used to be a military club that held control of this facility until recently.

A guest dock may eliminate the need to anchor.

Steve

It's a horrible place, dangerous, unsafe at any speed, that's why no one goes there. :):):):)

You might want to check a chart to see the depths.

The guest dock in front of the club is a boat eater, I wouldn't go anywhere near it. Most all of the slips are filled. The bridge is pretty far away, and the roadway is very high. Since it's only a single deck bridge, the noise goes UP so you don't hear traffic like you do in Clipper Cove with the double decked Bay Bridge. The new bridge should really help in that regard.

An alternative to HC is Aquatic Park. The park rangers actually (gasp!!!) WELCOME you when you come in. Contrary to popular myth, motoring in with a sailboat is legal. Nice place.

I wondered about the conditions there, it is convenient but surge could be an issue so close to the Golden Gate. I used stay on a boat I was involved with in Gas House cove on the San Francisco side of the bay, the surge in the marina was awful at times. It was rough enough at the dock that I often wondered if it would be calmer tied to the sea buoy outside the gate.

Sam's in Tiburon also can be very rolley due to the swell near the gate.

I have anchored at Aquatic park twice and I will go there again, I will recommend it to anyone. It is free to anchor, but you must register. There is no problem with surge. The depth is 15 feet at low tide. I had 120 feet of rode and, according to the GPS track, the boat moved about 120 degrees arc overnight. There are many activities there on the water and the swimmers come out all day.
[B]
Below is a text from their website, see email and phone number below:[/B]
• Boating
Only non-motorized and sail/auxiliary boats are allowed in Aquatic Park Cove, San Francisco Maritime National Park. Overnight (sunset to sun up) shall be by permit only. Permits are approved for no more than 5 consecutive nights at a time. A break of 1 full week (7) 24 hour consecutive time periods from Aquatic Park Cove is required before re-entering the Cove for overnight stays. Another permit can be submitted for approval after the 7 day break. Total overnight stays are limited to 30 per year. Permits are issued by the Aquatic Park Cove Harbormaster. Vessels may not be left unattended for more than six hours. Day use of the Cove does not require a permit.
There are no permanent fixed moorings available to visiting vessels. Use of the Cove requires an adequate anchor and proper gear. All vessels over 40’ in length or 8’ in draft require park approval prior to entering the Cove.

The space for visiting non-motorized and sail/auxiliary boats is available on a first come, first serve basis. The Cove offers aquatic opportunities to many park users. Due to the large number of swimmers in the Cove, tenders/dinghies shall be rowed or powered by a small (5hp or less) outboard motor ONLY to provide transport to and from the shore.

Vessels that are classified as a sailboat may use a small auxiliary motor for safe maneuvering. Sailboat operators must keep a lookout, while underway, to watch for swimmers.

The National Park Service is not responsible for loss, theft or damage to personal property while visiting Aquatic Park Cove.

Contact the NPS Aquatic Park Cove Harbormaster at: 415-859-6807 or [email]nps_safr_harbor_master@nps.gov[/email] for additional information and/or a permit.