Course Recommendations to San Diego from Hawaii

[jeffparshall]

A buddy is at 24.443003, 1157.200986 a day or so out from Oahu and facing 20-40 kts winds through Friday it would appear. Is the proper course to head mostly due N until experiencing steady westerlies, then E to home port? I'm a SF Bay sailor so wanted to reach out to the experts for advice. 8ft seas and pretty rough seas for this double-handed crew on Bella Vita?

[Stu Jackson]

I haven't plotted the position, but the Pacific High over SF, where you are right now, is moving in, meaning moving north. The weather reports for local weather say there will be rain on Saturday and Sunday. What this means is that the line between the lows to the north and the high to the south will be moving south for the next few days.

Did your buddy get a weather router for his trip?

[jeffparshall]

Stu, I think that's problem. Do you have a recommendation in that department?

[roverhi]

Go to passageweather.com. There is a low pressure system moving east north of the islands with 30mph plus winds. Looks like it will begin breaking up Friday leaving a bit of a mess with variable winds. Not going to be a fast or comfortable passage.

[TacomaSailor]

Originally Posted by jeffparshall

A buddy is at 24.443003, 1157.200986 a day or so out from Oahu and facing 20-40 kts winds through Friday it would appear. Is the proper course to head mostly due N until experiencing steady westerlies, then E to home port? I'm a SF Bay sailor so wanted to reach out to the experts for advice. 8ft seas and pretty rough seas for this double-handed crew on Bella Vita?

Sounds like a normal first week out of Oahu headed for the US West Coast. I've known many sailors who made the trip and the first five to eight days are almost always 20 or more knots from the NNW to NNE.

Did they expect different or more benign conditions? June Pilot charts show E 20 knots 46% of the time, NE 20 knots 42% of the time from 22N all the way to 35N along 160W.

Weather systems move pretty fast when they are north of Oahu and there is not much opportunity to pick a better or more comfortable week to start the trip from Hawaii to the US West Coast.

Good luck to your friends and patience is needed.

[reed1v]

the norm is to head N to NNE for 1000 miles and then turn right. Some do try to motor through the high. Going north is mostly uncomfy but safe. Just steady winds and usually bashing. At 1000 miles you are out of the trades and into the NW to W winds that will make a nice sail to America.

Of course what will actually happen is no winds or winds always on the bow. But the above does work for most folks. As you approach America, currents can produce some nasty seas about 200 miles out

If you go NE to E, you normally will get into the Pacific High(nothing to do with drugs) with light winds, moderate seas, and lots of good weather. Makes a long slow trip with potentially lots of tacking. If you are motoring that is the way to go.

[bailsout]

Spanish 101.


Sorry, retired Spanish teacher.

[jeffparshall]

Thanks for all of the guidance gents! I've passed along and clearly reflects "prior proper planning prevents piss poor performance" . Not exactly the right quote, but that's not an insignificant undertaking without "system" and expectations in place.

[jeepdoesrubicon]

After Trans Pac's we ship the boats back to the west coast! Good luck.

[picklesandjesse]

I've delivered a few boats back to the West Coast, can recommend Rick at Weatherguy. He's based there and will help you plan the trip and update every few days. Worth the money.

[jmschmidt]

I vote for Rick at Weatherguy. His his office is a couple of blocks down the street from me.

[reed1v]

That should work. The eastern North Pacific from May through July is mostly a regional weather system, unlike the North Atlantic which has a lot of localized weather patterns, partly due to the Gulf Stream's meanderings. Still, once you are into your trip, it's going to be a long time till landfall and even regional systems can change over that time span. But the historic odds are with you for a fairly predictable passage.

Even in summer it's cold out there. Nothing quite like arctic air to make you wish you had brought along a winter parka during graveyard watches.