San Diego to San Francisco opinions wanted

[Savvyauto]

Has anyone day sailed from LA area to San Francisco? Stopping in ports or harbors to overnight.
Thinking of buying a sailboat and bringing it up. Best route? Best time frame? Thanks in advance for thoughtful replies.

[Bowdrie]

Originally Posted by Savvyauto

Has anyone day sailed from LA area to San Francisco? Stopping in ports or harbors to overnight.
Thinking of buying a sailboat and bringing it up. Best route? Best time frame? Thanks in advance for thoughtful replies.

Yes, I did it solo, stopped every night.
Although I started south of LA and kept going past SF, these were the places I stopped at south of SF.

Marina Del Rey harbor.
Channel Islands harbor.
Santa Barbara harbor.
Coho (anchored).
Port San Luis, (got a mooring).
Morrow Bay.
San Simeon, (anchored).
Pheiffer Cove, (anchored,)
Be careful if you use Pheiffer, it's good holding, but no place to screw around with, it's small and there is a kelp line.
Stillwater Cove, (got a mooring).
Santa Cruz harbor.
Half Moon Bay, (anchored).

Before I went to bed each night the next day's run was carefully charted/plotted, including courses for departure from the present locations, and I would leave port at whatever time necessary to be sure of arriving at that day's destination well before nightfall.

The Coast Pilot was the Bible, (and I had EVERY chart).
Don't go into strange places at night.
Don't lollygag, keep the boat speed up, have a "bailout time", trying to continue into worsening weather is a fool's errand.
North of Pt. Conception the Pacific Coast is not a hospitable place if the weather turns against you.