Thank you all for the kind words and suggestions.
cdennyb,
It's good to see that there are divers on these boards as well. Above or below, the ocean is a magnificent place. I have been diving since I was 12 and had my checkout dive in Monetery Bay. Although this is not the trip for it, a trip out to Catalina and the like sound like amazing fun that I will have to do. Sailing and diving all in one? MMMmmmm
Talbot,
Navigation is the next chapter in my book. I know little of it now but I'm sure it will be something I can handle.
What is the best way to keep track of the weather?
I hadn't given much thought to food/water or watchkeeping. I guess because I figured we would be on such a leisurely schedule, it wouldn't be a problem going to shore when in need of something, though I don't know how frequent harbors are. Is it unwise to cast anchor and go to shore when not in the convines of a harbor? I could see the possiblity of a runaway boat or a theif but I am quite nieve to this sort of thing.
With that said I'm rethinking this whole thing. My initial plan, to buy a boat in SF and sail it down to SD is flawed for a couple reasons. The first and foremost being that I would be buying a boat that would meet the needs of the trip, instead of meeting the needs of what I want in a boat. The second, would be that whatever boat I buy would need to be trailerable. If I sail the boat the San Diego, the trailer is still sitting in San Fransisco. And lastly, I would have a window of only a couple weeks to buy the boat. I don't know exactly what I want yet and would like to make a more educated decision if I'm going to be dropping several grand.
What I'm thinking now is to buy the boat in San Diego. I'll have time to research it, to check the local listings and I won't be rushed into the whole thing. Once I have a boat, I can take it out for the day and get comfortable with it. A weekend trip to LA or Catalina would be the next step and I can progressivly get more ambitious as I grow confidence. I'm not going to jump in over my head before I know how to swim, so to speak.
I'm going to start a new thread asking for recommendations of boats based on what I'm looking to do with it but I thought I would also ask those questions here as well since this is where my quest originated.
So, as you guys are aware, I would like to make a passage along the California coast. I'd like to be able to be able to make it out to Catalina and down the Baja Mexico. Sailing for the day or even only a couple hours is also something I'd like to be able to do.
I'm not rolling in money and need to be able to trailer the boat. I can't and won't afford dock space or a mooring even if it were available. Ideally, I would like something that I can rig myself, solo. I don't know how difficult it is to step and unstep a mast but I'm sure there will be times that I'd like to go out sailing for the day and won't have a friend to lend a hand.
I understand foldable keels and daggerboards make trailering much easier. Will I be in for trouble trying to take a boat with a foldable keel on such a trip as I listed above?
I've got a '05 tacoma truck. I'll have to look up the recommended towing loads but I presume it will be able to handle anything I'm looking at.
I'm not sure what I need in the cabin (stove, fridge, head, etc). What are my options if the boat doesn't have these sorts of things? I'm a fairy tall lad, 6'1" and the berths that I've seen look small though I'll admit that the last time I slept in one I was probably 6 years old. Will a 22'-30' boat be able to sleep 3 people of my size?
My budget is about 5 grande but if there is something just up of that please mention it and I will take a look.
Thanks again for all the help. I really do appreciate it.
Adam