Hi Bill, I know exactly what you're talking about. While I haven't sailed anything smaller than a 24 in the main part of SF bay, that was scary enough at first. But time you get through one level of conditions your confidence builds. After a summer of sailing I felt I had a good handle on what I and the boat could handle. The truth being that the boat could handle way more than I could. I'm sailing Monterey Bay now with my new (to me) M-15 and contemplating towing the boat up to SF, perhaps by August, to see how it goes. In spite of the large swells, Monterey Bay seems pretty mild compared to a normal summer day off Alcatraz. I recall several times returning from a pleasant coastal trip, sailing under the Golden Gate and suddenly realizing I was in a whole different ball game and it was time to reef, maybe to the second reef. The delta would be a good place to get your feet wet and it would take years to see it all. South SF bay is milder than the main bay and Tahoe is not to be missed. Norm