Hawaii to West Coast in Jan?

[ryantrollip]

Starting to get the feeling you guys don't like the idea

[CarinaPDX]

You really need to LISTEN to this advice. I see a lot of rationalizing, of negotiating to find a way to do it. Be very clear: there is no way you can safely transit from Hawaii to the West Coast in January. Period. Anything you do will have a significant risk to vessel and crew - risk of loss, not damage. Even if you put her on a ship as deck cargo there is a chance of damage or loss in the winter weather.

The first thing every cruiser needs to learn, and then always remember, that passages are only done when the season and weather are right, and the boat and crew are prepared. Your plans and schedules mean nothing.

I once was helping a couple trying to get from Mexico (originally Turkey) to Victoria. They were determined to continue and not stop for the winter in spite of my warnings. They carried on with horrible weather reports but fortunately found wisdom in the shear terror of the building winds and seas, and returned to Mexico.

If you somehow succeed in convincing yourself to do this then please don't take anyone else with you, at least not without making clear that they are taking a serious risk to their life.

Not joking...

Greg

[ryantrollip]

"there is no way you can safely transit from Hawaii to the West Coast in January. Period."

South of 30 degrees?

[billknny]

Originally Posted by ryantrollip

Starting to get the feeling you guys don't like the idea

It is really, really rare that you see such a consensus of opinion on this forum. We are really trying to get you to dislike the idea as much as we do.

You seem wedded to a rumb line course, since all your timing calculations seem to assume that distance. I think you will find most people who sail the HI to CA route go 20 to 40% further than that to stay in good sailing weather.

One guy I know did the rumb line course across the high Honolulu to SF--in a Nauticat. He carries 600 gallons of diesel and used most of it.

[Mithril Bham]

Sure. No problem. If you want to die.

[CarinaPDX]

Originally Posted by ryantrollip

"there is no way you can safely transit from Hawaii to the West Coast in January. Period."

South of 30 degrees?

January is getting into peak trade wind season. You could try to sail to weather on a SE tack through the trade winds, then motor east in the doldrums until fuel runs low, and finish with a NE tack into Panama or further north. Then re-provision and work north into the wind. Catamarans are not known for their windward performance, and this would be upwind or calms the entire trip (plus thunderstorms in the doldrums). If you could claw your way through this you would have probably covered about double the distance, and it would be miserable. But you are right: it is not nearly as dangerous.

Greg

[Michael Pope]

Well I am from Canuck land and i have the trip in the winter BOTH WAYS too often. Forget about the weather forecasts they can change overnight. And the guys that issue the forecasts will after a drink or two admit it. In the winter months there is an invisible railway line that arcs across the North Pacific . Starts off Japan and ends very close to Hecate Straights Just north of Vancouver Island. This line carries low pressure centers and some of them are dangerous to large freighters. A typical map from November till March has four to six storms on the line all heading east at 12 to 20 knots all of them pack winds in the 45 knot range and some in the 80 to 90 knot range and then there is the deadly calm a big stable looking High it can sit there for a week or even more . But when it breaks down Be at Home in front of the Fire .
Windward Passage ( you remember that 72 fter ?) Friend helped deliver it back fro Japan 21 days never took his sea boots off lost a lot of skin . 72 C&C coming back fro Alaska Profes .crew was transom over bow, dismasted, three people injured Fabulous job by coasties getting those guys to hospital within a week. and towed the boat . 177 ft Fisheries boat "hove to" till the storm went by Too Dangerous going down wind at 12 knots normal speed when the boat wants to do 20 down those mountains. Small intense storm blew over 80 knots with Hail Stones ( 1/2 inch Dia)Took most of the paint off one side of the housework and it blew on and off for 20 hours. It is too unpredictable. I delivered a 45ft from Frisco to Oahu had to go to weather for over 12 days in November. Ended up spinnakering into 6 to 8 waves . Thought I was going to shake the mast out of the boat. Trip took 19 days the owner waiting on shore thought he had lost his boat.
My personal Pilot book still says ---- All year Round go north or even a little west of north for three days before turning right and in the winter keep yr storm sails on deck and hanked on if you can.
Also make you crew sleep while they can. Sure nice when you get there though! MP

[JPA Cate]

If, for some reason, the boat has to go to Panama, then stay equatorial. Plan to sail very conservatively, use the countercurrent. Be sure to provision [food, water, spares] more than enough --usually 50% more -- for it will be a long voyage, and will be squally in the ITCZ.

A 50 ft tri is a big boat, and I guess you'll find out how sturdily she was built. Expect breakages. The entire trip will be on the wind, and you must carry lots of spares, and have a reasonable plan for jury rigging in case of rig damage.

I'm in agreement with the guys above about the weather router: he or she will not be going with you--it is not his boat and his or her life on the line. Plus, the key thing I've learned about the weather after all my years of cruising is that just like the guy said above, it's main character is that it is changeable, and sometimes the changes run in straights of worse, worse and worse again. Prediction is better now, but still fallible. Imho, you should leave expecting to see some pretty nasty weather, no matter who the router is and what the plan is. If there is any question whatsoever about the integrity of the boat, leave the boat in FP and sail it downwind to wherever it is to go after Panama, west around, not east. There is a reason for the preference for west around.

Ann

On Edit

Do be aware that bashing into the wind day after day, night after night will be hard on the boat. Going slower minimizes the bashing, so do not plan on using your fastest upwind speeds, this would be a case of slow and easy does it.

Had you considered taking the boat by the Southern route on the old trade winds route via South Africa and South America?

[ryantrollip]

Ann

The boat is well built for the task and does well upwind, much more comfortable than a mono upwind, but it can be wet over 9kts or so.
Yes I've been evaluating that more direct route to panama also and some routes south, easter island to equador or down to port mont. Another alternative is to cabo mex from the marquesas, also mostly upwind, which I'll look at next.

Thanks for the info, appreciated

[bongo]

You are either an idiot or a troll. I and my shipmates hav risked our lives to rescue the likes of you. Launching a lifeboat in substantial seas is extremely dangerous. I hope you don't take innocents with you. Good bye.

[ryantrollip]

Appreciate your passion on the subject, there was some useful/interesting knowledge/experiences shared between the usual saltiness.
I have a little single handed experience above 40 in winter, on the Atlantic side, and know it gets nasty.

Everyone has been very clear that the north pacific in winter is a dangerous and unpredictable place.

Still not clear to me is how far the storms extend south and how regularly the high weakens/breaks down and if enough to take a more southern route without bringing a fuel tanker with. I'll consult weather experts for that info.

Thanks again

Over and out

Originally Posted by bongo

You are either an idiot or a troll. I and my shipmates hav risked our lives to rescue the likes of you. Launching a lifeboat in substantial seas is extremely dangerous. I hope you don't take innocents with you. Good bye.

[sailorman14]

I totally agree with you.
Do not do this. At that time of year. Many boats have been lost that time of year within site of the shore.

[alaskaman]

As another retired US Coast Guardsmen, and a sailor, just remember that's a HUGE chunk of ocean. If you find yourself in any type of trouble, ensure you notify someone right away, because it just might take someone awhile to get to your location.
If you haven't already I'd also check out the noonsite.com website of Jimmy Cornell. Also ensure you have a float plan with someone reliable who can notify the USCG should you be overdue and make sure you have the ability to communicate long range with someone on a daily basis.....oh yea, I still wouldn't did the crossing during that time of year, but that's just me.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by ryantrollip

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Still not clear to me is how far the storms extend south and how regularly the high weakens/breaks down and if enough to take a more southern route without bringing a fuel tanker with. I'll consult weather experts for that info.



Over and out

Gasp!!! Truly fingernails on a blackboard.


Re: how far south - Jean Socrates got hit with over 50 kts in October a year or three ago at the west end of the St. of Juan de Fuca. That's the length of Vancouver Island southeast of "the end" of the Pacific lows coming from Japan.


You might have heard about the Columbia River Bar in winter.


After Oregon comes California, and the Golden Gate entrance can be considered treacherous after October.


You keep asking the same stupid questions: how far south and how bad?


Very far south and very bad in WINTER.


You don't need weather experts, just go to weatherunderground and check stats.



Your OP was "west coast." Maybe you should have included Ecuador.

[Stu Jackson]

from another thread about a British guy in BC, this is a reply to a question about when someone sailed from BC to Mexico:


End of August last year and it was not fun. Light southerlies almost all the time with the occasional big NW storm (which kicked all the seas up for a couple of days afterwards) rolling through so I basically motored in 36-hour stretches from port to port. It was also freezing cold (I didn't have a dodger) and dodging fishing vessels all night was fun (I was also single-handing).

One thing I would say is find out when crabbing season is and try to go before or after it, I was lucky and missed it but apparently it's a nightmare.

Once around Point Conception I started getting moderate NWs so could sail, the temperature went up, the seas went down and it all got a lot more fun.



THAT WAS AUGUST, not winter........