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Old 02-03-2017, 06:14   #1
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How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Hi! I have been living aboard my sailboat in Miami Fl for over a year and sailing around bit. I have to say it's really a breeze to sail in Soflo and the upper keys. Weather is never horrendous in Biscayne bay or the ICW and usually not even offshore. even if you screw up there is always someone around to help out. I have heard that the West coast where I will be soon moving is rougher. Considering buying a boat there but I'm concerned I don't have enough balls. How bad is the weather? How difficult is it to sail around and find good anchorages with services available? I see that boats can be had cheap, but is it really something I am going to enjoy in this seemingly less supportive place? I don't have very big balls when it comes to dealing with authorities also. Where are the best anchorages on the west coast?
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Old 02-03-2017, 06:17   #2
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

West coast is a large area. Done a bit of sailing in San Diego - mostly light winds. Did a delivery from Moss Landing to Berkley - Choose your weather window carefully.
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Old 02-03-2017, 06:19   #3
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

See, I avoid your area as much as possible, way too many people, I go for the West coast and Panhandle.
Weather is forecasted very well in my opinion, however there are Summer squalls, just a fact of life, but if Coastal, your usually have cell phone coverage, and I think your never out of VHF range of the USCG?
My opinion is the weather in the Gulf is more benign compared to a "real" ocean, others will disagree. You can of course get into trouble anywhere.

I took it to mean West coast of Fl?

By the way, your use of the word balls could be considered offensive and really doesn't add to the topic, maybe we can refrain from it in the future?
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Old 02-03-2017, 08:07   #4
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

If by "West Coast" you mean California, Oregon, and Washington, then the northern part is often pretty hairy, and there are few foul-weather coastal hideouts. Still, there is glorious sailing available, you just have to know your weather. The water is generally colder, since the current flows down the coast from Alaska.

Southern California is usually easier, warmer, and calmer (but of course can get rough as well). The dividing line is usually considered to be Point Conception, just north of Santa Barbara, CA. Cape Mendocino (north of San Francisco) is another transition point -- north of that it is often rougher and there are even fewer hidey-holes.

North of Pt. Conception, most sailing is done in Monterey Bay, San Francisco bay, on the Columbia River near Portland, or in the Salish Sea / Puget Sound area between Seattle and Vancouver Island.
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Old 02-03-2017, 09:01   #5
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Massive..
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Old 02-03-2017, 09:04   #6
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Balls? You will find it efficacious to leave those where you usually hide them and rely on seamanship and common sense instead :-)!

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Old 02-03-2017, 09:05   #7
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Quote:
Originally Posted by a64pilot View Post
See, I avoid your area as much as possible, way too many people, I go for the West coast and Panhandle.
Weather is forecasted very well in my opinion, however there are Summer squalls, just a fact of life, but if Coastal, your usually have cell phone coverage, and I think your never out of VHF range of the USCG?
My opinion is the weather in the Gulf is more benign compared to a "real" ocean, others will disagree. You can of course get into trouble anywhere.

I took it to mean West coast of Fl?

By the way, your use of the word balls could be considered offensive and really doesn't add to the topic, maybe we can refrain from it in the future?
I read OP as meaning Pacific coast. Who in Miami thinks the Gulf coast is a very different environment? As for "balls", I thought CF was one place where we could be safe from snow flake PC. Guess I was wrong.
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Old 02-03-2017, 09:09   #8
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Left coast sailing needs planning. San Diego Bay is a dream and can be sailed year round. As stated its pretty benign up to Pt Conception then progressively tougher as you go north. Like everywhere weather preparedness is the key - just more so on the Pacific side. IMHO.
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Old 02-03-2017, 09:14   #9
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

No balls here. Winter storms in northern california and points north can be rough. In a marina, no problem, just check the dock lines for chaff. On the hook it is rougher. Storm winds 30-40 gusting 50 mph. I don't anchor out in winter.

Spring, summer and fall are quite nice with lots of brisk sailing in the daily 20-25 knot winds (all summer long on the bay and Delta). But it's low humidity so a big plus compared to Florida.

I came to California from Florida and the biggest issue was temperature as it's cold here (compared to Florida) Why I spend summers in the delta with it's 85-95 degree F heat.

Socal is like Florida, mostly mild and light winds. Actually better weather, but a bit spendy for my taste and way too many happy people.
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Old 02-03-2017, 09:50   #10
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Balls are fairly inexpensive. For example, $26.00 will get you on Amazon100 Multi-Colored 3 1/8" Plastic Balls, for Ages 2+

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Old 02-03-2017, 09:58   #11
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Sailing on the West Coast is a marvelous experience. Start slow, and build on your skills. The further North you go the weather becomes more demanding. There is excellent weather forecasting, and projections, remember, the weather gauges are automated, not always currently accurate.

You will know you have arrived when you sail into San Francisco Bay flying a spinnaker in 40 knots of wind under the Golden Gate.
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Old 02-03-2017, 09:58   #12
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Well first of all when you said balls, I thought you were referring to mooring balls - ha ha!

Sailing San Diego will rival anything south Florida has to offer. The Marina's and Marine Services are first class.

In the summer months, the Pacific High builds off the coast and San Diego Bay sailing is awesome, with diurnal sea breeze on-shore winds creating winds of 10 - 20 knots from about 11am to 6 or 7pm.

Off the coast from San Diego northward, the prevailing wind is North West, at about the same 10 - 20 knots or higher...making it difficult to sail without the iron genny. especially when going to Catalina Island.

In the winter the high shrinks, allowing low pressure systems to sweep down through to the east, changing the wind patterns, so you just gotta check before you head out.

Many San Diego sailors will sail to Mission Bay, Ocean Side, Dana Point and Catalina Island, also Coronado Island off the coast of S.D. or down to Ensenada, Mexico.

The only warning I would stress is, the California current which follows the west coast southward from Alaska, is cold. The warmest I've ever seen the water temp in San Diego is 69 degrees! And when you get an air flow from the southwest, warm moist air moves across that current, creating fog. Usually foggy in the morning until about 11am. This prevails quite a bit in May - the Gray May and in June - the June Gloom. August, September and October are awesome.

An old TV weatherman in San Diego used to say in San Diego, "Spring comes in Summer, Summer comes in Fall, comes in Winter and Winter comes not at all."

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Old 02-03-2017, 10:04   #13
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Quote:
How much balls do you need on the West Coast?
None. Women sail all the time. Incidentally, welcome to the 21st century. This language displays ignorance and insensitivity.
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Old 02-03-2017, 10:16   #14
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Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

I've sailed the entire West Coast from Porta Vallarta, Mexico to Fiordland, BC (200 m south of Ketchikan, AK). Much of it in both N and S directions. I’ve also sail to and from Hawaii from California and to South Pacific from Porta Vallarta. Twice during summer while sailing the west coast I've had sudden storms with waves of 20 - 30' that we had no choice but to sail through or with.

I currently reside on Camano Island and sail a Cal 31 which last summer we spent 4 months cruising to Fiordland Park, BC from Everett, WA and then back. We traveled with the wind most of the time by timing our departures and never saw conditions that made it hard for my wife and my 70 year old body to handle. Remember you are never more than a few hours from secure anchorage or harbor.

Southern Calif is too crowded for my taste but to each his own. There really are not many bays or harbors North of San Francisco. And many of those have significant "bars" which means you have to time your bar transit with the tide. I read back in the 1990's that Cape Mendocino (just S of Eureka, CA) is the hardest cape to sail past on the N American continent according to an old US "Coast Pilot." Predominately during the summer there are currents and winds from the N running down the coastline. I sailed out of Newport Bay (mid Oregon coast) for several years. A good day sailing to windward in the summer meant green water over the bow repeatedly in a Dufour 31.

Once you get to the Straits of Juan de Fuca you can head into Puget Sound and an entirely different experience from anything else on the Coastal US. It is all "protected" water. From Olympia, WA to the Strait of Georgia and the Queen Charlotte Sound which carries to the Northern end of Vancouver Island (300 NM total as the crow flies). There are several hundred or thousand significant islands. (Island counts or estimates vary depending on how small a rock you count as an island). You can spend many summers cruising this area and never see waves over 3.' Below Campbell River, BC there is not enough fetch to ever create the large swells and huge crashing waves of the ocean coasts. There are thousands of bays, coves, and 1000’s of marinas, many with transient moorage. The only disadvantage of cruising Puget Sound is the cold water which limits swimming. Actually, some areas of S coastal BC and S Puget Sound have some water that warms significantly in the late summer and is very swimmable (65-75 degF). Otherwise in the summer the water will probably be in the 50degF range. The summer also has significantly less rain although it is now dry all summer like say Southern California. You will have pay attention current and tide tables since the tides can reach 20’ and the currents over 10knots in the many narrows.

Then you have the “inside passage” to Alaska that is north of Vancouver Island on the BC coast. Once you leave the protection of Vancouver Island you have 1-2 days sailing of exposed Pacific Ocean sailing. Then you enter a magic cruising area of hundreds of islands and hundreds of long river inlets and fiords with no one there! You often sail between snowcapped mountains accompanied by whales. More than half the time we anchored last summer, we had the entire bay or cove to ourselves. Again you can stay in protected water until you have 2 days sailing when leaving BC toward Alaska. The marinas are about 1 – 2 days apart with only one marina at each stopping point. Often there is no town at all; only the marina who exists to service the cruisers. Fuel stops are 150-200 miles apart but not always with fuel. The entire area is serviced by barge; the roads are none existent or too circuitous to be useful for good transport to the coastal towns or marinas.
If you want warm water and don’t mind being in Mexico, then the Gulf of California protected by Baja California is a good way to go. Again there are lots of bays to anchor in. However the storms driven waves can be ocean sized and summer is very hot. There are so many cruisers there now that it is not much different than cruising the USA as far as amenities and services go.

So if you want to protect your personal “jewels,” don’t mind colder weather, and want new cruising grounds, then try Puget Sound, the Strait of Georgia and Queen Charlotte Strait and the Inside Passage to Alaska.

Contact me if you want a detailed log of my cruise of the inside passage last summer with pictures and videos.

Greg
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Old 02-03-2017, 10:16   #15
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Thumbs down Re: How much balls do you need on the West Coast?

Well said a64pilot. I'm referring to your "by the way". The only thing it did add to the OP's message was their age. I'm figuring between 11 and 15. Maybe they should just stay in where they are and wait for their friends to come down for "spring break"
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