Boating on San Francisco Bay: Marinas, Ramps and Rules

San Francisco Bay is a big, tidal, busy place to boat. Sailors, powerboaters, kayakers and anglers share the water with container ships, tankers and ferries, and most recreational traffic concentrates in the Central Bay between the Golden Gate and the Bay Bridge. Marinas line the San Francisco, Marin and East Bay shores. Start with the San Francisco Bay overview for tides, wind and traffic.

Where to launch

• Berkeley Marina: public ramp off Spinnaker Way at the north end of the marina.
• Marina Bay Yacht Harbor in Richmond: a ramp open 24 hours with freshwater wash-down.
• Oyster Point Marina/Park in South San Francisco: two-lane public ramp.
• Alameda: the city's Encinal Boat Ramp at 150 Central Avenue has two lanes.
• The San Francisco Marina lists no public launch ramp.

Harbors and marinas

San Francisco waterfront: San Francisco Marina Small Craft Harbor has 727 berths, 15 end ties for guest boats up to 90 feet, a fuel dock at Gashouse Cove and free pump-outs. South Beach Harbor requires prior permission to berth, and its South Guest Dock is tentatively closed from October 14, 2026. PIER 39 Marina takes guest boats by reservation with at least 24 hours' notice, seasonally.

Marin: Sausalito has Clipper Yacht Harbor (700+ slips and the town's public fuel dock) and several other marinas and yacht clubs. Richardson Bay is the shallow anchorage beside town.

East Bay: the Oakland-Alameda Estuary is lined with Alameda marinas, and Jack London Square Marina sits on the Oakland side with transient slips, fuel and a pump-out. Berkeley Marina has a free four-hour guest dock Monday to Saturday.

Destinations and anchorages

• Angel Island State Park (Ayala Cove): 27 mooring buoys and day-use dock slips, no fuel, and park entry for up to eight people per vessel is included in the fee.
• Clipper Cove at Treasure Island: no permit for 24 hours or less, a free permit for stays up to 96 hours, 5 mph no wake.
• Richardson Bay: anchoring is allowed up to 72 hours in any seven-day period without a permit, in designated areas, and never in the Eelgrass Protection Zone.

Rules every boater should know here

• Power vessels and tows of 1,600 gross tons or more must stay in the traffic lanes and keep to 15 knots in the Bay; do not impede them. Vessel Traffic Service uses VHF 14 inshore and VHF 12 offshore.
• Entry to the security zone on the east side of Yerba Buena Island needs Captain of the Port authorization.
• Aquatic Park Cove overnight anchoring needs a National Park Service permit.
• State law limits speed to 5 mph within 200 feet of any floating dock or marina.
• Richardson Bay and Clipper Cove prohibit discharging sewage; use pump-outs.
• Estuary drawbridges open on signal except Monday to Friday, 8 to 9 a.m. and 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.; call VHF 9.
• In McCovey Cove, no wake outside the No Motor Zone and no overnight anchoring.
• A California Boater Card is required for all operators of motorized vessels, regardless of age, since January 1, 2025.

Conditions and seasons

The Golden Gate ebb can exceed 6.5 knots between Lime Point and Fort Point, and large ocean swell against a strong ebb can make very rough water. Many local boaters plan Gate passages for slack or flood. Summer fog usually rolls in through the Gate in the late afternoon, and wind builds from light in the morning to around 20 knots or more by late afternoon. Berkeley and Richmond report shoaling, so check depths before a low-tide entry.

Boat services in the region

Boats kept in Bay water need regular bottom cleaning. Strong afternoon wind and summer fog make rigging, radar and electronics checks worthwhile, and the Alameda estuary marinas include boatyards and haul-out for larger jobs.