Quote:
Originally Posted by ARGold  To see what you mean, I looked at the marine forecast for Cape Mendocino (below)
I assume that anything above 30 knot gusts would be something I'd wait out eh?
Outer Coastal ForecastsMore Outer Coastal Forecasts
CAPE MENDOCINO TO PT ARENA 10 TO 60 NM- 858 AM PDT WED JUN 24 2009
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING... ...HAZARDOUS SEAS WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT... ...GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE SUNDAY NIGHT...
.TODAY...N WIND 20 TO 25 KT. COMBINED SEAS 6 TO 8 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 7 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG. .TONIGHT...N WIND 20 TO 25 KT. COMBINED SEAS 7 TO 9 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 8 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG. .THU...N WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 10 TO 12 FT...BUILDING TO 13 TO 15 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 10 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG. .THU NIGHT...N WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 15 TO 17 FT. PATCHY FOG. .FRI...N WIND 25 TO 35 KT WITH GUSTS TO 45 KT. COMBINED SEAS 15 TO 17 FT. PATCHY FOG. .SAT...N WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 13 TO 15 FT. PATCHY FOG. .SUN...N WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 40 KT. COMBINED SEAS 14 TO 16 FT. PATCHY FOG. |
I just had some friends delivering a race boat south for the Transpac give me a report from this week. They hit 19.5 knots with just a reefed main. Seas were 5-7 seconds apart. A very nasty, lumpy sea state. Picture a gigantic washing machine, and you are in it. They were glad to be going downwind. I have had my own experience on the Columbia River bar. Respect that bar. Ebb currents can exceed 5 knots. We had trouble holding a course with less than 90 deg swings. With the winds and sea state listed above, you may find it almost impossible to make headway, motor or sail. You will have stories to tell. Good luck.