Michigan to San Diego

[hartandcol]

Hi everyone, First post here after reading though a lot of posts here over the last few days. Our family have the opportunity to sail from MI to San Diego on a "delivery trip". However there is no time crunch at all, currently we are planning on 9 mths to a year to get there leaving in Mid August. Currently focusing on the timing and first half of the route planning getting to the Caribbean.

The big question we are having is timing with Hurricane season and getting to the islands. Here are the issues, Both of us are quite experienced sailors so going open ocean if it were just the two of us would not be a big deal, however we have two small boys and are wanting to stick closer to shore for the east cost, possibly the ICW (at least for the beginning of our trip, once we have a month or so with them we would consider some longer passages)

We are in the very beginning stages of planning and research on this and are open to all suggestions on route or timing. We would prefer to do St Lawrence, and thinking of cutting though Lake Champlain, But at the same time going all the way to Newfoundland would put us going south after hurricane season, but we read somewhere that for that route you would want to start by July 1st at the latest.

Once south we were hoping to get down to FL and then head Bahamas and further east. But from everything I have read it is doable, but basically going against the winds most of the way.

Boat is a 39' mono hull 5.5' draft - not positive on make/model but later 70's cruiser. Thanks so much for any all input.

[dwedeking2]

Having sailed up and down the Florida east coast I don't understand the general "closer to shore is safer" mentality. I'd rather be out in open water. Less traffic. Less bridges. Less skinny water.

I'd jump offshore in the Carolinas and go directly to the Bahamas

[hartandcol]

Agreed, on the mentality side of things and that open water is often much safer. Biggest thought is that we would be able to give the boys a break from being on the boat/do some sight seeing... that being said if we left from Hatteras area straight to Bahamas wouldn't we be straight into the current? also wondering on time frame and when it would be safest to make that jump

[dwedeking2]

Stopping to sightsee and break up the voyage are understandable.

The gulf stream. You have to cross it at some point but once you do it's done. If you do it in the Carolinas then you head due south on the other side.

It gets more marginal at Georgia/Jacksonville as the stream widens and moves more.

I've planned trips up and down the Jacksonville / Miami section of coast and the weather forecast accuracy sucks. You deal with what is out there when you're there.

[Svsumurun]

Where in Michigan ? Big difference between being in Detroit to start or in traverse city !
The cruisers on Lake Erie taking the Erie Canal leave in early sept. If you go out e st Lawrence it adds 1000 miles ( without taking into account sight seeing,etc) so yeah , probably early July would be the time! If you are in Lake Michigan , then for sure early July, or you are moving in delivery mod and not enjoying the great cruising grounds.
I don't understand the Lake Champlain thought - one of the advantages of the st Lawrence is no need to de mast, but if you are going via Lake Champlain, you have to do it anyway.

[hartandcol]

Funny you say Traverse City... thats pretty much where we will be starting, Was thinking the Champlain route would be more scenic than the Erie Canal, was the only thought on that option.

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, hartandcol.

[roland stockham]

Start looking at the west coast side NOW! Unless there is another San Diago that I am not aware of you have to go through the canal then have 2-3,000 miles against wind and current up a hostile coast with very few services. Timing is critical, fuel stops need to be planned. The 'Baja bash' is infamous or you are going to be doing a month+ leg out to sea and back. Most of this coast is at least in part 'developing world' status with services to match so if anything breaks it can take 2 months to get it shipped etc etc. By contrast the east coast and islands are a Sunday stroll rather than an expedition.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by hartandcol

Hi everyone, First post here after reading though a lot of posts here over the last few days. Our family have the opportunity to sail from MI to San Diego on a "delivery trip". However there is no time crunch at all, currently we are planning on 9 mths to a year to get there leaving in Mid August. Currently focusing on the timing and first half of the route planning getting to the Caribbean.

The big question we are having is timing with Hurricane season and getting to the islands. Here are the issues, Both of us are quite experienced sailors so going open ocean if it were just the two of us would not be a big deal, however we have two small boys and are wanting to stick closer to shore for the east cost, possibly the ICW (at least for the beginning of our trip, once we have a month or so with them we would consider some longer passages)

We are in the very beginning stages of planning and research on this and are open to all suggestions on route or timing. We would prefer to do St Lawrence, and thinking of cutting though Lake Champlain, But at the same time going all the way to Newfoundland would put us going south after hurricane season, but we read somewhere that for that route you would want to start by July 1st at the latest.

Once south we were hoping to get down to FL and then head Bahamas and further east. But from everything I have read it is doable, but basically going against the winds most of the way.

Boat is a 39' mono hull 5.5' draft - not positive on make/model but later 70's cruiser. Thanks so much for any all input.

The trip up the Baja Coast to San Diego has a number of threads, and if you use the CF Custom Google Search (in the menu under the Search button), you will be able to pull up what people have written about it. It is sometimes called the Baja Bash. Some people go way offshore to make it, including to HI. It is both upwind and up current, so if anyone aboard has trouble with jerky motion, you will want Stugeron, which you may be able to buy in Mexico, but check. You might even want to carry suppositories (in case someone can't keep anything down that comes in by mouth); those will require a prescription, and are best stored refrigerated.

I think you need to get the young people out in the ocean long enough to recover naturally from seasickness, if they will. Some unfortunates are highly prone to it, like me but knowing you will recover is something really good to know when you're coping with it.

It is a long trip you're proposing, and not a whole lot of time to do it in. It will be more fun if you plan a while for sightseeing along the way, but do be prepared for the possibility of mal de mer striking, and be able to treat it.

Panama Canal is below the hurricane belt, but Mexico has them somemtimes as early as May, through the end of November, so your timing is going to be difficult. They do get out all the way to HI, too, so that route is only for sea conditions, not weather routing.



Ann

[Paul L]

Here's a strawman route
July to Nov to get to Fla. You run much of it in the ICW and get the kids used to things and be in Fla post hurricane system
Dec to Feb - Bahamas, get the kids enjoying the water
Mar to Colon, Panama via Jamaica, Provdencia
Transit Canal
March, April, early May - Pacific Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, S. Mexico.
May, June - Mainland Mexico, lower Baja, and up to San Diego just as hurricane season starts.

Some fun, but pretty much a hard delivery once you leave the Bahamas

[SV Sailfish]

Originally Posted by roland stockham

Start looking at the west coast side NOW! Unless there is another San Diago that I am not aware of you have to go through the canal then have 2-3,000 miles against wind and current up a hostile coast with very few services. Timing is critical, fuel stops need to be planned. The 'Baja bash' is infamous or you are going to be doing a month+ leg out to sea and back. Most of this coast is at least in part 'developing world' status with services to match so if anything breaks it can take 2 months to get it shipped etc etc. By contrast the east coast and islands are a Sunday stroll rather than an expedition.

+1 100% agree.

I have done Panama to San Diego and northward 3 different times. Once on my boat and 2 times skippering friend's boats. It is not a cake walk and can take a lot longer than you think.

After these 3 trips, if I had a boat in Michigan and wanted to get it to San Diego, I would have it trucked.

But good luck to you in going the very long way around.

[flyingnut40]

Originally Posted by SV Sailfish

+1 100% agree.

I have done Panama to San Diego and northward 3 different times. Once on my boat and 2 times skippering friend's boats. It is not a cake walk and can take a lot longer than you think.

After these 3 trips, if I had a boat in Michigan and wanted to get it to San Diego, I would have it trucked.

But good luck to you in going the very long way around.

How about this...... might even be practical.:-)

Go to Chicago, turn south and pretend that you are on the great loop. Once you hit the Gulf hang a right and call a trucking company to take the boat across Texas west to SD.

Most of the fun and none of the misery. A win-win!

[captlloyd]

Originally Posted by flyingnut40

How about this...... might even be practical.:-)

Go to Chicago, turn south and pretend that you are on the great loop. Once you hit the Gulf hang a right and call a trucking company to take the boat across Texas west to SD.

Most of the fun and none of the misery. A win-win!

Damn good idea.

[hartandcol]

Thanks so much for all the input. We are defiantly still evaluating whether we are going to do it or not. We knew the Pacific side would be tough, If we did not have the two boys we would be 100% go on it.

Since there is not set time frame on this and weather/winds are the biggest planning issue. would it be possible to do this over two seasons and park the boat somewhere is Caribbean somewhere and get a better window going up the pacific side... or it that just going to be a pain regardless. Good possibility is that Mom and the boys jump off at Cabo and myself and the owner deal with the bash North as fast as we can. Or is is posable to hop north slowly waiting for decent weather windows.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by hartandcol

Thanks so much for all the input. We are defiantly still evaluating whether we are going to do it or not. We knew the Pacific side would be tough, If we did not have the two boys we would be 100% go on it.

Since there is not set time frame on this and weather/winds are the biggest planning issue. would it be possible to do this over two seasons and park the boat somewhere is Caribbean somewhere and get a better window going up the pacific side... or it that just going to be a pain regardless. Good possibility is that Mom and the boys jump off at Cabo and myself and the owner deal with the bash North as fast as we can. Or is is posable to hop north slowly waiting for decent weather windows.

Don't sweat the Baja run. It is only 650-700 miles of your trip. If you split this into two years then it can be much more a cruise rather than a delivery. There are a number of good places to store the boat in the off season: Grenada, Trinidad, Curacao and Shelter Bay at the Canal.