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Old 18-12-2015, 10:38   #16
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

Thanks everyone for the replies. What I'm looking for are accounts of boats that have gone north along the coast - time of year, did they go close to shore or further out, conditions met, boat type and rigging, number of crew, straight thru or numerous stops, etc.

I know that sailing to windward is harder and that wind and tides are against you, but it's also something I will have to do each time I poke my nose into the pacific. What I hope to gain from reading these accounts is insight into what gear and tactics work what doesn't. For instance - do boats with a cutter rig tend to do better than sloops? Are roller-furled headsails a benefit or a hindrance in these conditions? Weather permitting, does standing out further to sea work? etc.
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Old 18-12-2015, 10:41   #17
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast - Video

September 3 between Cape Flattery and Newport, Oregon heading south about 60-miles out. Not much wind, not much waves, not much fun!

https://youtu.be/VxvYpSX-Rwo?list=PL39E52DAECF557494

https://youtu.be/BwWdNrEb-Ew?list=PL39E52DAECF557494

https://youtu.be/VxvYpSX-Rwo?list=PL39E52DAECF557494

try to imagine what going north would be like.

After the video above we had to duck into Newport, Oregon due to a suddenly forecast gale from Southern Oregon to Point Arenas. The winds were over 35-knots for over 36-hours BUT the waves were from the NW at 10-seconds at 15' and breaking. That would be a hazard going north. We waited in Newport for 3-days and then had a wet foggy sail/motor south.

And Fog - always an issue once north of San Francisco. I've spent 24-hours in fog so thick I could not see the bow:

https://youtu.be/x_oIp3_n2ns?list=PL39E52DAECF557494

https://youtu.be/jadnDV4pagM?list=PL39E52DAECF557494
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Old 18-12-2015, 10:49   #18
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

I ran a delivery business out of San Diego and delivered many vessels, both power and sail, north to the PNW, some to Alaska, a couple to the Columbia River and many to Seattle and Canada. The reason most folks hired me was to avoid either the Baja Bash up from Mexico or the slog north from Pt Conception into prevailing northwesterlies and heavy seas.
There are a few spots to duck into but you need to be experienced crossing bars into small harbors. Most folks want their boat delivered ASAP and were willing to put up with some gear damage to get it there. Some were brokers who, having sold a boat in SoCal, wanted it delivered in pristine condition to a buyer up north. Ain't going to happen! Phil
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Old 18-12-2015, 11:02   #19
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

We are currently based in Ventura. We plan to move our boat up to Puget Sound in April. On a truck.
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Old 18-12-2015, 11:13   #20
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

Mackconsult, I know that boat, that's Kenzie's 50ft. Valiant "Resonance" that is one of the nicest boats I've ever been on. Well, it WAS Kenzies boat, So, it's in Portland now.
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Old 18-12-2015, 11:19   #21
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dmk56 View Post
Thanks everyone for the replies. What I'm looking for are accounts of boats that have gone north along the coast - time of year, did they go close to shore or further out, conditions met, boat type and rigging, number of crew, straight thru or numerous stops, etc.

I know that sailing to windward is harder and that wind and tides are against you, but it's also something I will have to do each time I poke my nose into the pacific. What I hope to gain from reading these accounts is insight into what gear and tactics work what doesn't. For instance - do boats with a cutter rig tend to do better than sloops? Are roller-furled headsails a benefit or a hindrance in these conditions? Weather permitting, does standing out further to sea work? etc.
You did not describe your experience or your boat. Based on the questions in the first paragraph above I wonder if you have the experience to appreciate what you are being told in this thread. Have you studied the weather and wave patterns off the Northern California, Oregon, Washington coasts? The data is all available at the NWS buoy data site. I posted several detailed threads about that data and how you can easily acquire and analyze it.

The question about non-stop -vs- many stops is answered by the weather. You never know. We left Cape Flattery in a fast boat headed non-stop to Monterrey, CA but after 48-hours we saw a major gale coming up off the Northern California coast and had to stop in Newport for several days.

Another time we left Coos Bay headed to Half Moon Bay but had such great sailing weather we made it all the way to Moro Bay non-stop.

Going out -vs- staying in is based on which risk do you want to assume and avoid?

- Going out - fewer fishing boats, more big fast freighters (we've had very close encounters with five out there), less fog, little chance to get into a harbor of refuge if a big storm comes up and you are 200 miles out (35 hours and the bar closes 12-hours before the storm arrives - we've been warned off two bars by the USCG because we didn't get there in time. We've crossed two closed bars because the danger of staying outside was greater AND I've crossed dozens of breaking bars over the years)

-Staying in - more fishing boats, lots of fog, more tugs and tows, you have a good chance of making a harbor of refuge.

Your questions about roller furling and sloop-vs-cutter also indicates a lack of experience. Those questions were answered years ago and have been well discussed here for years. Even my ex-Coast Guard commander who has sailed his 1967 Columbia 38 from Seattle to Turkey and has spent 7-years in the Mediterranean Sea decided to put on RF gear after an aborted attempt to sail from Ft Lauderdale to Bermuda.

Your first sentence/question in the 2nd paragraph indicates you do not understand the fundamental problem with going north. It is NOT the wind and the tide is only a factor when crossing a bar. The real problem is the prevailing NW swell at 5' or 8' that never diminishes. That swell is alway there and is what you will be fighting every inch of the way. The winds and wind driven waves can be an issue but the really uncomfortable part of going north is getting up and over that swell, even when there is no wind.

The boat type (if it is a sailboat) is of little consequence, as long as it has a strong engine that can run 24-hours a day for many, many days. You will be motoring about 90% of the time. I've made three trips south in great sailing boats with big light air sails. I keep detailed hourly records and know that we sail about 50% of the time going south. I am sure your northbound sailing will be more limited.

The other really important equipment consideration is the autopilot. Can it drive the boat into that 9-second 6' swell without fail? The Tartan 42 had a wheel pilot that worked perfectly up to 15-knots apparent from ahead of the beam - after that it could not keep the boat on track which meant we had to hand steer much of the time - it 60 air, 55 degree water and constant spray.

Another mandatory piece of equipment is the radar. You absolutely need it and need to really know how to use it. I had to rescue a 45' sailboat off of Newport, OR in heavy fog because they had no radar and there were hundreds of fishing boats milling around. They had come from Juneau, Alaska with no problem but were afraid to move in the fog with all the boats around. They had set in one spot all night until we came upon them at daybreak. We used our radar to find the Newport Jetty and led them in.

A strong cabin heater is also mandatory. I began sailing in Puget Sound in 1971 and did every major winter race for decades. I know how to stay warm but found it an enormous challenge for days at a time off the Washington and Oregon coast. We have a powerful Ardic heater on our boat that ran all night long, every night.
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Old 18-12-2015, 11:29   #22
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

Hello!

We don't have the depth of experience that some commenters here have, but we did take our Tayana 48 from SF up to the Salish Sea this past summer, then back down, all the way to Baja, where we are now.

We left SF Northbound sailing on the 10th of July, stopped in Bodega Bay (had never been there, wanted to see it!) then made the big jump (motoring/motorsailing all the way) up to Crescent City, which is right at the Northern end of CA. The forecast was for honking NW winds and seas, so we stayed a week in Crescent City (great place, btw - nice harbor & marina, no bar to cross and great in any weather EXCEPT tsunamis!) checking out the Giant Redwoods and other local attractions.
We left there and got up to Astoria (Columbia River) before ducking in (ya gotta cross the Columbia River Bar at least once to have bragging rights.. ) for a couple of days. This leg was mostly motoring with about 8 hours of sailing to weather just South of Astoria.
We left Astoria with light SW winds blowing, and motored/motorsailed all the rest of the way to Port Townsend, arriving on July 25th at about midnight. We did sail perhaps 3-4 hours on that leg, including the last hour or so before turning the corner into Port Townsend.

We spent the rest of July and most of August cruising the San Juans, etc. and returned South at the end of August, stopping at Crescent City and SF, then joining the "SoCal Ta-Ta in Santa Barbara on September 11th.

All in all, the heaviest weather we experienced was South of San Francisco, North of Monterey (25-30 knots and 10-12' seas), though it wasn't difficult and lasted only a few hours, and two days off of the Washington coast with 18-25 knots and 6-10' seas. In both cases we were Southbound, so no problems, though they would have been tough to go Northbound into.

We had Internet via the 3G/4G cell system (Verizon) pretty much all the way North and South within 20 miles of the coast, so checking the Marine forecasts was easy - and that made a huge difference, as we could time our legs to avoid problems. We are also retired, with absolutely NO NEED to rush - and that is essential, IMHO..

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Old 18-12-2015, 11:33   #23
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast


The seas were eleven feet high that day,..

the waves were so high that they touched the stay.

The crew and the goat puking off the lee,..

What a hap, hap, happy day at sea!


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Old 18-12-2015, 11:45   #24
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

I am a little confused, do you have a boat or are you trying to decide which kind of boat is best for the trip? You just need a boat that goes well to windward and has a nice sea-kindly motion because you'll be living with it for a while. Personally I'd do it in hops in summer when wind and swell are in harmony. Typically mornings are foggy and calm and afternoons are breezy. I'd plan on mostly a working jib and a reef in the main and be ready to reduce that in the afternoon. I have a good friend who even did it in a Signet 20, which we had sailed down from SF to Santa Barbara a few weeks earlier. So it can be done in a very small boat! Are you going up to Oregon? on the way up anchor at Cojo (Point Conception) and go around in the morning go to Avila Beach. Next hop up to Morro Bay (not far) if you need fuel, if not go to San Simeon, beautiful cove. The next hop is probably the longest and most potentially uncomfortable and there is no good place to stop till Monterey. But you can anchor in the lee of Point Sur in a pinch, which has good protection from wind, less from swell, and good holding ground but go in in daylight and watch for rock outcrop near north side. In an emergency there is a good cove at Point Lobos called Whaler's Cove, south of Carmel. Then Monterey to Santa Cruz is not far and then everyone in SC can tell you how to hop up to SF, Pillar point (Half Moon Bay) is a nice place to pull in to and stay too if needed. Anyway, get Brian Fagan's book about cruising the California Coast, it's a good one.
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Old 18-12-2015, 12:22   #25
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

I have done it in May. Not the most pleasant trip and one needs to be prepared to motor unless infinitely patient, which I am not.
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Old 18-12-2015, 12:26   #26
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dmk56 View Post
Thanks everyone for the replies. What I'm looking for are accounts of boats that have gone north along the coast - time of year, did they go close to shore or further out, conditions met, boat type and rigging, number of crew, straight thru or numerous stops, etc.

I know that sailing to windward is harder and that wind and tides are against you, but it's also something I will have to do each time I poke my nose into the pacific. What I hope to gain from reading these accounts is insight into what gear and tactics work what doesn't. For instance - do boats with a cutter rig tend to do better than sloops? Are roller-furled headsails a benefit or a hindrance in these conditions? Weather permitting, does standing out further to sea work? etc.
Okay, first boat:
-Yankee 30, 30 ft. S&S sloop, 25 ft. on the waterline, 2 or 3 trips from the Channel Is. to SF. Coastal hopping. Crew of 2. Anchored out, except for stop in Moro Bay. We had to get back to go to work, so on a schedule. Month of August. All sailing. Piston type hank on sails. Jim had beefed up the boat following S&S directions to eliminate oilcanning.

Second boat:
Palmer John Standfast 36. Franz Maas designed sloop, 29 ft waterline. SD to SF. SD to Cojo to Moro Bay. MB to SF. All coastal. Crew of 4. February. Did some motoring, but mainly sailing. The boat had a foil, and a full set of sails.

Comments:

We never sailed further north than Drakes Bay, out of SF, except for Jim going out around the Farallones during races (he used to singlehand race) in the Yankee.

A person can get a lot of useful experience sailing along the coast from SF to Santa Barbara and the Channel Islands. If you're based in SF, there's a lot to learn from racing out of there, especially ocean racing. The boat may be a lot smaller than most people buy these days and you can still have a whole heap of fun and learn a lot. We used to go out in storms on SF Bay to practice using the storm jib and then come back to warm showers and take out food.

Sailing north was no big deal that time of the year. However, it is wise to put it in the context that we frequently went out into the ocean, like it wasn't the first step. First was bay sailing. We stopped at night, and we left early after a good sleep. We did not try the offshore route, but from Baja, we talked about going via HI.

Now, boats vary in their windward capabilities, and people respond differently to different types of motion. I get seasick. Mostly, it is lurchy motion that bothers my body. You need to learn about how your body responds at sea, because you, like me, may need to medicate.

Do understand that August is a pretty benign month for the trip north that we did. We just pounded into it, tacking every couple of hours, and staying in close. Even at that time of year, it was rougher further offshore.

I think your questions kind of miss the point a bit, because how one learns about sailing is to do it. You can intellectualize about it from here to next Tuesday, but experience is key. There will be uncomfortable times. There will be times you are scared, tired, and make mistakes. I sure did, the first time I tried to tack the boat singlehanded, got us aback, and the wind instrument fell off the mast. I said, "Oh [expletive deleted]!" and Jim appeared in the cockpit and talked me through recovering from my ineptness.

Join a race crew, would be my advice. Arrive a little early. Show up for haulouts and start learning about that, too, by helping out.. A good skipper lets all crew members have a turn at all positions--except you have to work your way up to foredeck work--and will often give you orders about how to improve what you're doing. A good skipper is not a screamer, I would never sail twice with one, and you don't have to put up with it, either.

Ann

To put this post in context for you, Jim and I have been sailing together now for 35 years, and have been full time live-aboarders about 30, cruising, roughly 25 yrs.
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Old 18-12-2015, 12:43   #27
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

i sailed from SF to santa cruz, waited 2 weeks for a southerly, then sailed back to SF. Was a dead run both ways. I think it was april.
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Old 18-12-2015, 12:49   #28
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Question Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

We've had at least a dozen similar threads over the last 10-years. And, I can't remember a single one where the OP came back and gave a detailed report about the trip north to Puget Sound.

I wonder if any of those folks actually made the trip?
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Old 18-12-2015, 12:55   #29
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

When I took my boat from Santa Cruz to SF in March, the winds were light southerlies for nearly a month without a break. New boat to me and getting it ready for the trip took longer than I expected. Was sweating bullets the winds would switch back to the typical NW. Fortunately they held and we had a wonderful sail north on a reach.

According to the Pilot Charts, January and February are the months with the greatest chance of southerly winds.

Have made the trip south in January and July, both times with strong NW winds that made for a quick sub 3 day from SF to Point Conception in W32's. Strangely, it seemed that it was actually warmer in January than July.
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Old 18-12-2015, 13:17   #30
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Re: Sailing NORTH along California coast

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Originally Posted by cruisetime View Post
We are currently based in Ventura. We plan to move our boat up to Puget Sound in April. On a truck.
I've sailed down from Washington to Southern California and beyond three times, once on my own boat.
I trucked that one back to Washington and purchased my current boat in Mexico and trucked that one as well.
I've never regretted spending the money for the trucking for a single second.
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