Give me Encouragement to Sail from Washington to SF

[northoceanbeach]

I really don't know what I did wrong. Isn't it a good thing that instead of insisting I can do it, I am listening to advice I'm given and exploring my options?

Charlie's Charts arrived today. That will provide some useful reading.

[s/v Beth]

You are actually doing quite a few things right nob, that's why this conversation is still going on. Just looked at the weather while patching up some plumbing in the bilge. You could have made it down to Astoria this week. How's the training going?

[cwyckham]

Originally Posted by northoceanbeach

I really don't know what I did wrong. Isn't it a good thing that instead of insisting I can do it, I am listening to advice I'm given and exploring my options?

Charlie's Charts arrived today. That will provide some useful reading.

Actually, I think most of the recent posts have been complimenting you on listening, considering the advice, and making smart decisions. You'll know more about yourself, your boat, and offshore conditions after this summer.

[Capt Phil]

Experience is going to be your most efficient and profound teacher, NOB... looking at your boat, my biggest concern is the prevailing following sea you will find once you turn the corner at Cape Flattery. You will be in it until you turn Point Conception. Boatman has some sound advice he learned from in the the B of B... not a place to be unprepared!
Puttering around the San Juans and Gulf Islands may be helpful from a navigation and boat handling/familiarization point of view but it a whole different world on the outside!
Good Luck... Phil

[northoceanbeach]

Busy past couple of days. Drove up to the boat from oregon and I've been installing the batteries, unpacking, draining old fuel.

I had the new sails arrive today. Those are a beauty. Nice heavy 7.2 oz cloth. I'm meeting the rigger later on today. He's going look over everything and give me advice on what needs to be done.

The sailmaker was also very helpful. Advice on everything. Working out my reefing systems and pointing out a few minor things that need to be done.

They have both been up and down the coast many times and say the boat can handle it. They both recommended staying closer to shore. The rigger has sailed to hawaii 25 times! This summer he is taking a 27 foot boat from Washington.

Hopefully I'll be out practicing within a couple days.

[Glenn.Brooks]

Good luck on your trip. Iam thinking of making the same run to SF in late august, and have already decided to run well offshore. The grib files often show a general southerly, hence downwind flow often out at 200 miles or so offshore, even when coastal winds are adverse.

Also I haven't cruised the PNW coast and have not made a bar crossing, or even seen a bar crossing in Oregon or Washington so am no expert, but have run in from the ocean through a lot of bars while commercial fishing in Alaska for 10 years. during bad weather we always waited till high slack. Often even when bars are closed, breaking seas will lay down for 20 or 30 minutes during the change of the tide. So time your run with the flood and steer away from white water, should allow you to run in with an extra degree of safety. Even if this means loitering around outside the channel in heavy lump. When you run in, White water means the shallows. Usually the deep channel lays between or around the breaking seas. High water slack usually calms things down long enough to power through.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by Glenn.Brooks

Good luck on your trip. I am thinking of making the same run to SF in late august, and have already decided to run well offshore. The grib files often show a general southerly, hence downwind flow often out at 200 miles or so offshore, even when coastal winds are adverse.

Also I haven't cruised the PNW coast and have not made a bar crossing, or even seen a bar crossing in Oregon or Washington so am no expert, but have run in from the ocean through a lot of bars while commercial fishing in Alaska for 10 years. during bad weather we always waited till high slack. Often even when bars are closed, breaking seas will lay down for 20 or 30 minutes during the change of the tide. So time your run with the flood and steer away from white water, should allow you to run in with an extra degree of safety. Even if this means loitering around outside the channel in heavy lump. When you run in, White water means the shallows. Usually the deep channel lays between or around the breaking seas. High water slack usually calms things down long enough to power through.

Interesting, Glen. It sounds like you really know what you are talking about, and you are going offshore as some suggested. Not Noob though. He's going to meander along and gunkhole down the coast. Might be towing his dinghy which is too big to fit on deck.

I thought this was especially good advice for a boat with a powerful diesel engine:

"Often even when bars are closed, breaking seas will lay down for 20 or 30 minutes during the change of the tide. So time your run with the flood and steer away from white water, should allow you to run in with an extra degree of safety."

'Course if all ya had was an outboard in a well ... well, Dang.

[scottthomson]

I made the trip (Vic. to S.D.) myself in a 28 footer in 2008. (albeit a relatively heavy displacement 10,000 lb 28' er). It was awesome, and at times scary. I waited sometimes a week at a time for the right weather, as I harbor hopped down the coast. There was either no wind or too much! I must have motored at least half the way, and used the 3rd reef in my main way more than I ever imagined I would. Some times forcast would change when I was out there, and I had to spend one night hove too 30 miles off the columbia river in 30 knots 8ft 8sec. seas. Not life threatening, but for me, unpleasant.

Auto pilot was great for motoring, but capehorn wind vane was worth its weight in gold while sailing. I don't know how I would have managed to sail without it. Contrary to what some may say, I was able to keep sailing down wind, steered by the vane, while reefing the main. It would have been scary to have to round up into irons to reef in those large waves.

I was inexperienced at start of trip, but definitely earned my stripes as I went along. I did a lot of practice, and a lot of reading about what to do in various situations. I felt confident and it was just a matter of putting theory into practice. eg. I had never hove too over night before this trip.

I never went more than 30 miles off, and never got steady wind.They say the wind is better farther offshore. When I did sail, it was really windy in the afternoons( 35 + knots off Mendocino, and a couple other points), and most nights it would die down to the point where you couldn't even sail. Things were just flapping and banging. Maybe that was just my experience of when I did it, but it made me wish for trade wind sailing!

I survived it and will never regret the life changing experiences I had!

[Glenn.Brooks]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

I thought this was especially good advice for a boat with a powerful diesel engine:

"Often even when bars are closed, breaking seas will lay down for 20 or 30 minutes during the change of the tide. So time your run with the flood and steer away from white water, should allow you to run in with an extra degree of safety."

'Course if all ya had was an outboard in a well ... well, Dang.

Yes, lots of power and some speed on a planning hull is great if you have it. it means you can run up the back side of big swells and sort of surf along towards the bar on the back sides of the waves - up out of the trough the wave acts as a buffer, until it runs away ahead of you and next one runs up your stern. But in the channel it's a way to get in if staying outside is to dangerous. At slack tide a small boat with an outboard could run in over the bar same way, there is usually no swell or current for a short time, usually enough to get through the dangerous part - the bar- before it starts to break again. When the bar calms down it is very visibly calm, particularity if you sit outside and watch the ocean conditions subside and go slack. So just offering an observation if Nood ever finds himself in the situation...

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Interesting, Glen. It sounds like you really know what you are talking about, and you are going offshore as some suggested. Not Noob though. He's going to meander along and gunkhole down the coast. Might be towing his dinghy which is too big to fit on deck.

I thought this was especially good advice for a boat with a powerful diesel engine:

"Often even when bars are closed, breaking seas will lay down for 20 or 30 minutes during the change of the tide. So time your run with the flood and steer away from white water, should allow you to run in with an extra degree of safety."

'Course if all ya had was an outboard in a well ... well, Dang.

I'm a fan BC. Almost fell off my chair with that one.
But Glen does bring up an interesting technique that people talk about here for crossing banks: that of surfing a swell to make it through the danger zone.
Haven't done it.
Would need a varly powerful aux to catch the swell.
Not recommended
What a ride!!!!

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by scottthomson

I made the trip (Vic. to S.D.) myself in a 28 footer in 2008. (albeit a relatively heavy displacement 10,000 lb 28' er). It was awesome, and at times scary. I waited sometimes a week at a time for the right weather, as I harbor hopped down the coast. There was either no wind or too much! I must have motored at least half the way, and used the 3rd reef in my main way more than I ever imagined I would. Some times forcast would change when I was out there, and I had to spend one night hove too 30 miles off the columbia river in 30 knots 8ft 8sec. seas. Not life threatening, but for me, unpleasant.

I never went more than 30 miles off, and never got steady wind.They say the wind is better farther offshore. When I did sail, it was really windy in the afternoons( 35 + knots off Mendocino, and a couple other points), and most nights it would die down to the point where you couldn't even sail. Things were just flapping and banging. Maybe that was just my experience of when I did it, but it made me wish for trade wind sailing!

I survived it and will never regret the life changing experiences I had!

10%sailing
30% motoring
30% puking
30% wondering what am I doing out here in the thick fog...
Yeah that about does it

[s/v Beth]

BTW, does any one know how far offshore you have to be to avoid the gales of Mendocino?

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

BTW, does any one know how far offshore you have to be to avoid the gales of Mendocino?

There is a string of weather buoys from Cape Mendicino out to 600 miles offshore. Watch them some time the Cape is in full swing. I've rounded the Cape south bound 4 times. The worst weather was 60 miles offshore, the best was right near the sea buoy. Of the other 2 times, they were in the 6-12 miles range and were OK. The Cape can be dead still and foggy or it can be blowing 40 kts. The good news is if Cape Mend. offers you a dead calm and smooth rounding, it just means that one of the southern Oregon Capes already gave you a pasting.

[Blue Crab]

Thanks Newt. I want no part of the OP's voyage. He asked for encouragement but I don't think he heard what he'd hoped for. I've never been seasick [knock knock] but if I had to do it cuz I was too green to listen to experienced folk and truck the teensy boat, I'd go offshore.

I am a west coast guy ... Hawaii ... all that ... but I'm scared witless of that stretch the OP is considering. He'll likely make out OK cuz he's obviously no sissy but he doesn't have enuf boat for the inshore passage IMO.

[Glenn.Brooks]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

BTW, does any one know how far offshore you have to be to avoid the gales of Mendocino?

NOAA maintains a great web site with 4 hour updates having grib files and other weather charts, plus daily sat imagery of cloud cover. For the life of me can't remember the URL at the moment, but you could follow weather patterns daily around the cape and see what happens offshore. Very interesting stuff watching the weather patterns blow in from the western pacific.