Window for Hawaii to PNW Deliveries, When Does it Close?

[CharlieCobra]

We have a Catamaran to sail over to do extensive mods to. I know the season is getting short but when does the window for this usually close?

[jeremiason]

Try this thread

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rnia-8960.html

[s/v Beth]

Funny thing Charlie, I was just reading about this in world cruising routes by Jimmy Cornell. he states the best times are between may and October. You looking for a crew?

[Dsanduril]

when does the window for this usually close?

The problem is the "usually" part, this has been a little bit of an odd weather year in SF.

I've done this trip a couple of times lately, the latest we've left Hawaii is right about now, with arrival in SF around the third week of September. IMHO going in to October could be fine during a "normal" year, the typical Indian Summer in SF at that time usually means the high is still pretty robust, preventing storms from coming in (but also meaning you really have to go around it). Every year is different, however, and there are some years where the storm window opens early for the winter and October would be less than pleasant. The later into October (or even early November) that you wait, the more the statistics will end up against you.

[Cheechako]

Yeah, late Oct can get some huge blows for sure.

[Paul Elliott]

I wouldn't worry too much about late-season hurricanes. When you're in Hawaii you can see these coming from a long way off, and decide to head north or wait. Once you are a couple hundred miles north you're out of reach of these tropical storms.

The more significant issues for heading north are the location and nature of the Pacific High, and the low-pressure systems coming down from the Gulf of Alaska. We were able to take advantage of one of these lows during our Hawaii - Cape Flattery trip last month (see the VALIS blog for our daily reports), but these lows can also generate really tough conditions. These systems usually get worse during the fall and winter.

The reason that the Transpac, Vic-Maui, Singlehanded Transpac, and Pacific Cup sail in July is that is when the Pacific High usually shifts north and tightens up, making for a good race to Hawaii. That, and people's summer vacation schedules.

[Jim Cate]

FWIW,

Charlie, we've done the Hawai-SF trip twice, once leaving in mid-Septemner, once in early October. The first was pretty ok, except we were using celestial and had 11 straight days of heavy overcast. Fortunately it cleared when we were about 50 miles off of the Farallones... whew!

During the second voyage (1987) a late season hurricane developed off of Baja. No worries about it directly, but it sucked the high way down south and we had a series of 5 polar lows come across our route. We didn't have access to wx charts then, so we didn't know that if we had gone back south a couple of hundred miles we could have avoided the thrashing we copped as we traveled eastward along about 40 N.

Worst passage ever for us... by far!

So, keep a good eye on what is going on down in the tropics.

Cheers,

Jim

[CharlieCobra]

Thanks folks... Newt, think I have crew already but will know more as this firms up.