SF to Half Moon Bay..Best Time To Go?

[CAcruiser]

We're thinking about taking our 68' trawler on a shake-out cruise from San Francisco down to Half Moon Bay and/or Santa Cruz. I'm trying to avoid becoming sea sick :-) ...Any tips on best time to go? Our top speed is 10 kts. and we have a displacement hull. We're thinking about sometime in Mid-May.

[Stu Jackson]

It's not the time (other than winter), it's the sea state.

Marine Point Forecast for Latitude 37.82°N and Longitude 122.68°W

Just went down and came back last Friday - Monday. Sailed some going down, half motor, motored all the way back. Sometimes a tad of wind makes the conditions MORE comfortable.

If it were my boat, I'd just check the sea state one day and poke your head outside the Gate and see what's comfortable for you before committing to the whole trip. Then look up the conditions to see what was there so you understand the swell, wind wave and period concepts.

[CAcruiser]

Thanks for the link... We took a trip up to Bodega Bay during fleet week back in October. The water was like glass and the whole trip was very pleasant. I'm hoping for another good stretch like that! Do you have any suggestions for a good place to stop for the night?

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by CAcruiser

Do you have any suggestions for a good place to stop for the night?

Between SF and HMB? It's not an overnight trip. Even if it were, there are no anchorages or marinas between them.

[jeremiason]

We used to go down to HMB a couple times of year, always in August and September, including Labor Day Weekend with the rest of the YC's. More than usual we had good seas and weather, with an occasional fog bank.

Pillar Point Harbor is a great place and fun to visit! As Fastbottom said there is nothing between the GG Bridge and HMB to anchor in. After HMB, there is Santa Cruz, Moss Landing and Montery, all within one days sailing at 10 knots.