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AWindSmurf · 06-12-2010, 11:24

I am planing on sailing down the coast from Vancouver to San Francisco sometime next summer (2011). Is anyone else planing on going around the same time?

lowride14 · 06-12-2010, 11:40

oh buddy that will be an awesome trip, wish i could go with you. still working up towards wind power, around the time yours leaving i hope to be upgrading the the sailing realm.

bruce smith · 06-12-2010, 12:54

leave early, spring is better than summer

AWindSmurf · 06-12-2010, 13:10

I never made this trip before, so all the information I have is second hand. I hear spring and fall avoid the fog and high winds that summer has, but I am not going to be able to leave until July at the earliest. I thought summer would be better than fall because I would avoid the storm season. I was worried that if I left late I might get caught in the front end of the storms. Is this thinking correct? What time are other people leaving? I have purchased a copy of "Charlie's Charts" but if anyone can recommend more reading on the subject, I would be grateful.
-Colin

highseas · 06-12-2010, 17:17

Summer or early fall is the time to head down the west coast from the PNW unless you like storms.Even in summer you can expect winds in the 35 to 45 knot range off Oregon and Northern Cal. Fog is something you will have to deal with no matter what.Have done the trip twice. 60 to 100 miles out is optimal then shelter may be a day away,providing there is somewhere to stop.Most harbours have Bar entrances and can be deadly for small boats if the swell is up.GPS,radar and AIS are mandatory as far as I'm concerned.

Patrick_DeepPlaya · 07-12-2010, 00:22

Pick up a copy of Jimmy Cornell's World Cruising Routes or at least go look at one at the bookstore. It covers all the common routes based on prevailing winds and seasons and discuss when to move to from various world regions. Great book!

markpierce · 07-12-2010, 01:11

Leaving Victoria BC. Hope you have an "iron genny."

markpierce · 07-12-2010, 01:19

Based on my six decades of observation, I'd say late August to early October is the best period to transit nature's often hostile West Coast.

AWindSmurf · 07-12-2010, 08:55

It sounds like I'm leaving the right time. What about other people? How common is it go travel in groups? I'd really like to find out who is planing on making the trip around the same time.

senormechanico · 07-12-2010, 09:23

I did the trip twice. August first time to Mexico, Sept the second to L.A.
60 to 100 miles out the first time on my boat, second time as crew with one foot on the beach. Lots of motoring the second time, but a quicker transit around Cape Mendocino.

bruce smith · 07-12-2010, 09:33

Trouble with groups is boats have different speeds, not to mention routes.
We're not running from pirates here.
Many like to hug the coast, but there are fishing fleets, and rougher water close in , by close in , 200 miles is close in. When the weather goes bad, "shelter/bars" can be more dangerous than the sea.
From the Straights, I like to reach out 600 miles ,then, reach 600 miles back to SF. After 200 out, very little traffic or bad weather .Catch up on sleep while offshore, and be alert for "re-entry".

AIS is your friend, definatley.

highseas · 07-12-2010, 20:49

Bruce,why would you sail out 300 to 600 miles for a 800 mile voyage?Most go between 60 and 120 miles off the coast.If you were sailing nonstop to Mexico,300 miles out max.Have you done the trip?The problem with leaving early spring or summer,if you plan to continue into Mexico is that it is a long wait in California till November when Hurricane season ends.

Bash · 07-12-2010, 21:27

I'm looking at the chart right now, and I can't see any reason to go more than 200nm west of Cape Mendocino, given the prevailing winds. It seems to me that you'd have the angles right at that point.

wristwister · 24-12-2010, 10:17

Colin, my daughter did the Baja Ha Ha this year. Organized cruise from San Diego to Cabo that happens every year around October. There were around 200 boats this time around.

The reason I mention this is because it seemed about half the boats in this years cruise were from the PNW, and there seemed to be collaboration between them for the cruise down to SD. Even if you don't want to join the Baja Ha Ha (although why not! Looked like a blast!), perhaps you can time your voyage down to sail with the crowd. Something to think about.