BC to Baja and Beyond - '09

[s/vSouthernCross]

We're planning to depart Newport, Oregon about August 1st (weather permitting, of course), and gunkholing our way down the coast. We won't cross the border into Mexico until about Dec. 5, as I'll be telecommuting until then. We look forward to buddy-boating with anybody else we run into along the way. There are at least a half-dozen other PNW boats that are heading south around this time, according to traffic on the "Southbound" forum (Yahoo).

[luepetri]

Tell me more about Southbound forum. Lue

[Amgine]

I don't know for certain, but I expect xe was referring to the Southbound_Group.

[s/vSouthernCross]

That's the one. Reading from its description:
"The Southbound Group is used by cruisers on the West Coast of the Americas to share relevant information on areas of interest between San Diego, California and South America including the Galapagos."

[highseas]

After 2 more months of shakedown will be ready?, to jump south.Repitched prop is right on.Installing 40E watermaker this week,loving my Alfa 500mw usb,the Engenius Omni antenna on 10ft. usb cable,getting a high speed connection from 2 miles away. AIS is working on laptop but can't get working on my C80 plotter.Now if our dollar would just go up a bit more.

[Amgine]

Heh! Where did you pick up the Alfa? or did you order it online?

I have my boom half-way put back together, but now I need to drop the mast to send in the standing rigging (Ocean Rigging here in Steveston, they're going to match the US quote.) And a small windfall may mean I can have mechanical rather than swaged fittings.

My biggest concern of the moment is replacing the nav lights with LEDs, or upgrade the mainsheet blocks to a 3:1/6:1 combo. I think the lights would be cheaper.

How much did the watermaker set you back? Not that I have any spare budget, just curious...

The shakedown is supposed to start in mid-July for me. There's a lot of timing issues: I absolutely must be back to Canada by mid-to-late October, and I'll be flying back after getting the boat hauled onto the hard. But that means I'll be getting south of San Francisco no later than 3rd week of September, and probably earlier to avoid time stress. But there's a slight risk of tropical depressions still in September in the waters between California and Hawaiʻi.

And at this point I'm just babbling with all the details going through my head and nowhere near enough time to track everything. Thank the gods for lists.

[highseas]

I ordered the Alfa from Data Alliance and the antenna from Ashlin Computers,in Ontario ,Canada.Shipped in about 10 days.Make sure you get the Engenius 2408,with correct connector cable.Super happy with performance!Looking towards end of July as departure window.4 Large,but I only have about 80 gallon of tankage,so it was a necessity.For portable hot water ,the Coleman on demand is great.Also liking the 50lb. Manson plough,already tested in 30kn.!

[Amgine]

Thanks for the advice on the wifi antenna; still not sure if I'm going to be buying one. But I bet it will start climbing the priority list once I'm on the boat.

I should be working up the Island late July as well. I'll try to keep an eye out for you. If scheduling works we should try for a meet up at some point. I think our plans are to be at Tofino in mid to late August.

[ixtlan22]

Leaving in mid to late August. IF 41 coming up out of Olympia, WA...final departure out of either Victoria or Port Angeles....possible weather hold in Neah Bay, WA.

[Charlie]

Did the trip from Port Townsend to Astoria OR last September. Got stung pretty good in the Straights and then no wind from Saeta (sp?) south of Neah Bay to Astoria. In May of last year I brought the boat from Astoria to SF. Lots of wind out the Colombia River Bar and for 24 hours and then nothing. From SF to SB again no wind in Oct. From SB to SD (still in Oct) Santa Annas one day and then no wind. Maybe I should have bought a motor boat

[Amgine]

::laughing:: I well remember your trips, Charlie! I still wish we'd managed to meet up at some point.

I spent 4 days waiting at the eastern entrance to the Juan de Fuca, and occasionally getting beat up by it, trying to get out. 24/7 it was blowing a minimum of 25 knots, and more than 40 at times. We got so tired of it we gave up our holiday plans and went off wandering up Georgia Strait for a month.

The next year we ran out of fuel in dead calms, and I towed the boat by rowing the dinghy 5 miles to the nearest port. And it turned out there wasn't any fuel station there, either, even ashore.

Eventually, if you average it out, you get mostly 5-10 kt breezes, with low swell and chop. It just seems to be portioned as blowing like snot, or completely dead.

[Charlie]

Where are you headed amgine. Hawaii via CA. If you make it to the Bay Area I'm sure I can find an excuse to come have a beer. My boat likes 25 knots. With a #3 jib and a reef she feels a little under powered. Never tried 40

[Amgine]

Yes, Hawaiʻi via California. Whether I stop in San Francisco will really depend on the weather and how things are going - I won't know until I'm a few days away. But I'll be happy to bend your wallet for a drink!

As for my boat... at 20-25 upwind things become much less fun, but the Juan de Fuca - because of its shape acting like a funnel - ends up with surprisingly steep and high wave patterns on the east end. After two tries to get past Race Rocks near Victoria, one at 3am in hopes of catching an overnight 'lull', the crew decided they didn't want to beat into it even motor sailing as we were with the storm jib (our #3) and double reef. I suspect we'd have done okay once we got away from shore, an unpleasant ghastly thrash in 2-3 meter waves + chop for 60 miles wasn't on the '10 things I want to do on summer holiday'.

So far I've managed to never be facing up into anything over 30, but have had a couple of long downwind stretches in that. What's amazing is how nice those conditions are downwind. Sure, the rain's still coming horizontal, but the boat's storming along, the motion is rocking rather than slamming, and the GPS speed does these crazy peaks that make you wonder if the satellites are screwed up or something.

::grumbles:: Now I'm wanting to go sailing rather than working on the boat...

[highseas]

Leaving a bit earlier may bring better winds,when I sailed down in July, never saw prolonged calms or tailwinds more than 35kn.Never had headwinds,makes me wonder if the inshore route may be best.Travelling at night up Olympic penninsula side is supposed to be better way to deal with Juan De Fuca.Amgine,be careful sailing back from Ha. so late in season.The other advantages of leaving earlier are longer days and not so damn cold,although a longer wait in Socal.

[svmist]

Can be a great trip with caution to the weather... your months timing is perfect as you probably know.

Juan De Fuca is always the big 'scare' but have had flat calm both times...as I watched the weather and wave patterns pretty well... I know it can be rough around Cape Flattery as it can be around any point such as Point Conception - but planning and timing is everything....so far for me over the years so good...with SSB, VHF, good charts and plotters, weather resources while underway.

Several ways you can head down the coast - on staying inland going buoy to buoy - as the fishing boats do...the other which I did and prefer, is going out about 100 or so miles, say beyond the shipping channels and coming down that way. Depends on you, your boat and what you want to do or if you wish to stop along the way. I came from Vancouver to Coos Bay; then to SF. From there Monteray; Santa Barbarba and the rest is cake, until Baja then you need to rethink if you want to beeline and stop in the usual Turtle Bay and Mag Bay then Cabo before rounding to La Paz or stopping coastal at the more remote anchorages along the outside of the Baja - all are doable. And you could join up with the Ba ha ha in San Diego which could be fun to sail in company. Sounds fun. Do you have crew?
Susan
s/v Mist