Caribbean to California Passage planning help

[Limpet]

What specifically is the issue with the "Baja bash"? What makes it so potentially unpleasant? I live in Northern CA and the thing I dislike about the CA coast is that it is almost always windy, and usually cold. I personally dislike sailing in cold weather. It just saps the joy out of sailing.

[dana-tenacity]

On one occasion I did Cabo to Isla Cedros with a 20 kn tail wind, just wait for a hurricane near Puerto Vallarta.

[Intentional Drifter]

You might want to pick up a copy of Cornell's World Cruising Routes. He has an extensive discussion of the options in this "difficult and arduous" passage. Essentially, he argues that one of the better options for going further up the US west coast is to go to Hawaii, first. The problems boil down to: prevailing winds out of the Gulf of Alaska, several difficult capes, seamounts, long stretches of lee shore with few options for escape. If taking the inshore route, he advises using the offshore/inshore wind patterns by tacking toward the coast in the mornings and then going offshore in the afternoons.

Cats won't have it much easier. The recent experience of the 420 bound for Oakland is illustrative -- the averaged 3.75 kts, almost all of it motoring -- on this leg. A 440 doing it two years ago averaged 3.5 kts.

ID

[dana-tenacity]

There are cats and there are cats. We did it as part of a delivery on a Catana 431. 8-8.5 kn through the water, did it in about 4.5 days, spent most of the time playing board games, cooking and eating or listening to music. Wind 20-25 on the nose. Almost got boring.

[Limpet]

Dama-tenacity, what time of the year was that?

[dana-tenacity]

Too Late, well into June, I would not recommend it, something like running the gauntlet. You would be better to leave earlier and deal with headwinds than risk an early hurricane. early fall isn't too bad either.
Two ways to go about it, work the little anchorages all the way up (there are more than you think) or stick it on starboard till you can lay the port you want in the US.

[dana-tenacity]

Of couse I'm looking for another delivery so for a small fee I could do it for you.

[Charlie]

Its an old post but I'll respond anyway. I have delivered two race boats up the Baja Bash. The trick in my opinion is to start sailing first thing in the morning and then head offshore. the wind swings a little and around the afternoon you are often headed up the coast on port tack. Then put in before dark. I think that there is only one passage -- from Cabo to Bahia Santa maria (?) where you need to sail overnight. If you have time it isn't horrible. If you are in a hurry it is horrible.

[Kanani]

I've made that trip twice. Once on a delivery and once on my own boat.

We went from Panama to Galapagos (very light air, slow trip) about 750 miles 10-15 days (without motoring). Head SW to 10*S. Then head due West on the 10*S line until you get to 115*W turn rt and head for San Diego or San Fransisco. The hardest part is getting across the ITCZ (10*S to 10*N). From there, it's hard to windward in fairly light air, most of the way. You want to get to 20*N before June 15 (hurricane season starts June 1 but is closer to the coast at that time). Both times that I made that entire trip, it took 60 days (including stopping for a week in Galapagos).