Mare Island SC - San Francisco Fly Casting Ponds Submarine Regatta Sept.28-29, 2024

[Albacore 569]

Some Photos from Saturday 9-28-24. Photos of my sub models, others & the ponds.

The Golden Gate Park in San Francico features concrete ponds with very wide flat bottom. The water is filtered and circulated so it's also always pleasant. The city park department for some reason, (maybe to hide any potential pond scum? - but never have ever seen any) tints the water blue. This makes the water translucent to see almost to the 4.5-foot bottom. The sides slope steeply down 45 degrees and there is a wonderful launching basin to launch & retrieve models. Safe enough to wade in and still plenty deep enough for more than periscope depth for submarines models. Realistic, quite ideal!














Tim Sinecal who drove two days from Colorado brought his new 1/32 Type 21, Type 23, & a Fantastic Voyage Proteus.

The wonderful launch basin for us old guys with heavy models.


The small boat beyond is the local chapters camera boat with swivel elevating still and video camera on mast.







John Kinkele's model of Graham Hawkes Deep Flight. Uses twin small props and elevon stern planes. Swivel elevating video camera in glass nose.

[Albacore 569]

Sub driver buddy David Marquez & some of his 11-sub fleet. He is preparing his small 1/144 scale Seawolf.

[RCSubGuy]

Arethuse is a gorgeous boat. I wasn't sure when we started that, but she sure grew on me...

[Albacore 569]

Arethuse is a gorgeous boat. I wasn't sure when we started that, but she sure grew on me...

Thank you, Bob, it had the same effect growing on me too. The size & scale configuration (small boat subject in a big scale) would make a good kit.

Granted it features a bow plane arrangement that's unusual, more sophisticated than most other bow plane configurations. Neither better nor worse in effectiveness. But never any bow planes hanging out there in the stream till needed.

[wlambing]

Jealous!!! Venue, access, times/year, water quality all go toward amplification of the jealousy factor!!!

[ffr2608]

I am very fond of that launch basin….Also glad someone tackled the Deepflight 1. I tried a few times but never executed…
DH

[Albacore 569]

Here is a satellite image (google Earth) of the fly casting ponds in SF.

The Mare Island chapter of the Sub Committee only visits that site once a year, but it's always regarded as a notable event.

Measuring the pond on google Earth, the one pond on left we use is 120 feet by 175 feet. 4.5 feet constant depth

Credit for locating and securing the site goes to Tom Anderson some 15 years ago. The fly-Casting club graciously allows us use of one of the ponds (the western most one) for the sub drivers the two days on a single weekend annually. The Calander date was selected by Tom because it coincided with Tom's Wife Birthday. Tom's Wife sadly passed away a few years ago but we maintain the same date on the calendar generally around that same time of year in honor of Mrs. Anderson.

Weather varies. Usually, its overcast and it can be foggy to bright sunshine. San Franciscos many microclimates in the city. The overcast was ideal as then there are less worries concern about the hulls on display warming and possibly distorting. We bring tents but not everyone has one. Despite some media sources bad mouthing San Francisco, the site is always trouble free, the visitors are very friendly and interested and ask very intelligent questions. They are only disappointed when we tell them the event is just once a year.

[Das Boot]

Great location and awesome looking boats.