Best Time to Head South from PNW in Spring?

[Charlie]

Hi Luepetri:

Here is a link to some pictures from our sail down the coast from Astoria to SF in May. Sailing - Astoria to SF We had to watch the weather closely and it worked out well except for the amount of motoring that we had to do to make the schedule. I had planned on doing the 2008 Baja Ha Ha but ended up not being able to do it b/c of boat projects. Good luck with your trip. We may run into you as we plan on going down to SD for the winter and then bringing the boat back up to SF for the summer and getting all the boat chores done. Here is a link to the thread about my trip from Astoria Or to SF. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...-sf-15096.html I don't know if you are looking for advice but I would recommend having four or five people on the boat from Canada down to SF. After that you can get away with overnight sails. That is going to be our plan next week when we bring the boat to Santa Barbra. SF to Santa Cruz. (~12hrs) Then SC to Port San Luis(~22hrs) then PSL to Santa Barbra including rounding Point Conception (~14 hrs).

[luepetri]

Thanks Charlie. the story/pictures are great.

[highseas]

With the weather in Baja right now,goes to show how timing in travel plans are crucial.Some time ago(cant remember year,early 80s'?)when the big one hit Cabo,unexpectantly,everyones boat got washed up on beach and wrecked(including Bernard Moitessior's Joshua).

[snowyegret]

Originally Posted by Amgine

Frankly, if you can safely cruise in the PNW, you're experienced enough to sail south. Juan de Fuca and Georgia Strait can be as nasty as any other patch of water, and if you've done your Vancouver Island circumnavigation then you have been out on the big water; heading south is like the west coast of Vancouver Island, only with less hospitable holes to duck into.

Thank goodness you said that. The only place I've sailed is the Pacific Northwest and I thought my experience limited. The Strait of Juan de Fuca gets really wild sometimes. We want to sail from Seattle to New Zealand and I'm the researcher looking for a good route.

You should know we are in a 30 foot Columbia Defender. Not the biggest boat designed to make the trip but our little Defender is tough. We've just got to get rid of the old Atomic 4 gas engine.

We've heard several different opinions about taking this size boat. Some say she'll make it fine just watch the weather (which applies to anyone) and some say they wouldn't do it no matter how much they were paid.

I'd love to hear the opinions of some of you long time cruisers.

[Amgine]

Every time you accomplish one of the major projects you see standing between your boat and your offshore voyage, you'll find another, perhaps slightly less vital, major project. If you replace your A4 with a good diesel, your next project might be replacing the standing rigging and sails (which, to be honest, are more important than the engine when passaging.) The point is you can spend your entire life getting the boat ready; at some point you need to just go.

I think it's important to determine where you're going, and what is really required to be done to get there. Then make a realistic plan including some deadlines, and stick to it. And plan on accomplishing some of your not-vital projects en route.

[Boracay]

Snowyegret

It sounds like your boat was built around 1965.

While there can be much to love about the old fibreglass boats taking one on a long voyage through some of the toughest seas on the planet is going to test every part of it.

At the very least I strongly suggest getting an experienced surveyor to look at your boat, preferably before you start any major upgrades.

You could find that your boat may sell for enough that when the money is added to upgrade, modification and voyage costs you have enough to buy a respectable cruising boat in Southern California, Mexico or many of the other cruising areas around the world, with some left over for petrol to drive your car south.

[Charlie]

Originally Posted by snowyegret

Thank goodness you said that. The only place I've sailed is the Pacific Northwest and I thought my experience limited. The Strait of Juan de Fuca gets really wild sometimes. We want to sail from Seattle to New Zealand and I'm the researcher looking for a good route.

You should know we are in a 30 foot Columbia Defender. Not the biggest boat designed to make the trip but our little Defender is tough. We've just got to get rid of the old Atomic 4 gas engine.

We've heard several different opinions about taking this size boat. Some say she'll make it fine just watch the weather (which applies to anyone) and some say they wouldn't do it no matter how much they were paid.

I'd love to hear the opinions of some of you long time cruisers.

I'm not a longtime cruiser but I have done the trip from Mexico to NZ. I saw a 26' boat in the Marquesas. It can be done in a 30' boat. The sails and the standing rigging are going to be real important. You can not carry enough fuel to motor 1/4 the way. IMHO the engine is important b/c you need it to charge the electrical system. It will take a long time. Typical route is Seattle to Califronai leaving in Aug Sep. Then stay in So Cal till end of Oct or Nov then work your way down the coast of Baja. Jumping off points vary but I think Mazatalan is the furthest south most people go unless they are heading for Galapaogos. The coast trends east too much. From Mexico you go to the marquesas then tahiti then Fiji or Tonga and then NZ. It will be a long trip in a 30' boat. If the two of you don't love sailing . . . . it could be hard.

[daedaluscan]

We did that trip to the Panama from Victoria in a 32 wooden boat. Our children were 3 and 4. We had a great trip. We are heading off again this fall with them at 12 and 13 in a 37 plastic boat. We too may put the trip off until the spring, and maybe head straight to the Marquesas from Oregon. Look at a great circle chart, it is surprising!!

Charlie