Seattle to LA in March

[OneBoatman]

As for Seattle to LA trip March I say it is at least a month or so too early to be considering such a long trip. The weather can get down right life threatening fast. A newbie is most likely to end up injured and or be terrified as it being their first time sailing. Most any reasonable captain probably would agree the windows are pretty small this time of year. It can be a pretty rough trip for a cruise ship which are typically capable of speeds 3 times that of most 39 footers.

[Glassdog]

I fully agree with Dan CL, with your skill level it would be silly to commit to this trip and especially this time of year. Get some local experience racing and cruising around your area before you take on something this advanced.

[capn ken]

I would recommend you check on something a little less challenging for your first outing! San Francisco has a wonderful, cruising community and latitude 38 is a monthly periodical. You should pick up. They have an annual cruise called the Baja ha ha. It is not unusual to pick up a ride during this time best wishes and never go down the coast or up the coast in a month ending in R

[JPA Cate]

^^^^Isn't the Baja HaHa in October?

[Kudos]

As someone that has commercial fished and operated in these waters for over 40 years, if a friend of mine come up and ask me that question I would tell him definitely not. And I don't mean to put down anybody's boat but that boat is going to beat the crap out of you in that sort of weather anyways. Choose something more in summer and even then I've been out over the 4th of July or Labor Day and got my butt kicked

[capn ken]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

^^^^Isn't the Baja HaHa in October?

But the Baja travels south . I would never attempt to passage from Seattle south in October.

[Leighpilot]

Find out the skipper’s reputation. Too many guys are idiots and you really don’t want to find out at sea that you’ve shipped out with an idiot.

[Renegde_Sailor]

Originally Posted by maxal1917

Hi,

I'm absolute newbie, trying to hear the voice of advice.

I have an opportunity to join a trip on sailboat from Seattle to LA in March as a crew member. I never sailed before, but sailing is the thing I aways wanted to try, the item on my bucket list.

Reading this thread , not knowing much, I now have some concerns about the safety of such adventure.

The boat is Beneteau Oceanis 390.

So, my questions are:

1. Is it a right place to ask this question? If not, please advise where should I post it?
2. Do you think it's sound idea, or it's a crazy one, and I should look for another opportunity in different time of the year to fulfil my dream? The thread above says don't do it in the winter. Is March is still considered a winter in this context?
3. What questions should I ask the skipper?

I consider myself adventures, but I like calculated risk, not stupid kind of risk.

Thanks.

I am in the Seattle area, have sailed from here all the way to Alaska and back, I have seen how big the swells out there on the big blue can get in a storm, and I am very familiar with the winds this time of year.

It is possible to do that trip in March, the Beneteau Oceanis 390 is a fin keel boat that while it would be fine other times of the year, I would not be making the trip in march on her as that is going to be a rough ride.

So for me being a seasoned sailor if asked to make the trip on that boat this time of year, the answer would be aw hell naw!

That being said, there are a ton of opportunities to get out and go sailing in the Seattle and Tacoma area, I would recommend that you look into the Corinthians Yacht Club as they have regular races and that is a good way to get out and get some sailing experience.

As well doing so you will learn how to trim sails, and you will get the occasion to get on many different boats and make friends in the sailing community.

I would also consider making it part of your routine to get out and walk the docks as often as you can, stop and talk to sailors, we are a pretty sociable bunch and enjoy meeting new people.

You have no idea how many people got their first sail because they said hello to me at a dock somewhere I was moored.


If you have any more questions about getting started in the Seattle area, feel free to ask.

[capn ken]

Originally Posted by Leighpilot

Find out the skipper’s reputation. Too many guys are idiots and you really don’t want to find out at sea that you’ve shipped out with an idiot.

Good advice

[capn ken]

Start in warmer weather .LA or San Diego

[captchetco]

I have traversed this coast line many times from the straights Of Juan de Fuca to San Francisco; only 3 passages below that. Unequivocally would NOT try it in March. Southbound, wait for the Pacific high to set in in late June.
March is still winter off Oregon and Washington, and above Latitude 38. It is very subject to major storms, winds to 100 kts and seas to 30', breaking, are common. There are windows, but they can close unpredictably, and if you are not skilled in river bar crossings, there is no place to hide. Once in early June, I hit an unpredicted one day/night storm with 80kts and 20' seas between Winchester Bay and Newport. I never hope to do that again.
Southbound after the Pacific High sets in for the summer, can still find occasional strong winds and big seas, but the wind from the north makes several ports more accessable, And its a lot warmer. Best Ports: WA- Gray's Harbor, OR-Newport, Coos Bay, Brookings, CA-Crescent City, Eureka, Bodega. Call USCG for bar report from a couple hours out.

[Windswept-windy]

March... We did this passage "Gig Harbor to Moss Landing Ca. in 2017 when we purchased Windswept "Hylas 46" a well founded hull. At that time, I had over 100K under my belt. March, Straits of Juan deFuca and the N. Pacific kicked our butts. Cold is an understatement. The only medium going south was the current. Wind was N bound big time. Once we rounded Flattery we were hard on the wind, course was port tack, approx. SSW. We continued that course to approx. 200 miles out. We came about, starboard tack and made land fall at Eureka CA. We missed Wa. and Or. Tuff to say the lest.

Luck'ly once we made Eureka Ca, the sea state fell off to a mirror like finish...to which we motored to Moss Landing, Ca.

Why March? We were not retired yet....we had a work window, not a weather window. Would I have done it with a lesser hull? Absolutely not.

I did have my newbie Nephew with me whom did great. Best of all.... I did find out, the newbie Admiral was a keeper!! The Admiral is now a proud Shellback with about 12K under her own belt. We are now in Fiji and bound for the rest of the planet.

Bottom line... Don't underestimate the North Pacific in March.... she can be brutal with no safe harbors in the upper latitudes. Don

[CapNemo]

Let me introduce myself. Andre Nemo. From Russia, Moscow. 41 years old.
Sailboat Beneteau Oceanis 390, 1988
1440 miles. 12 days under way. Start April 2, arrived April 26.2024
Seattle, WA - Port Angeles, WA - Makkah tribal Marina, WA - Newport, OR - Coos Bay, OR - Crescent City, CA - San Francisco, CA - Half Moon Bay, CA - San Pedro, CA.
I’m that Captain who knew nothing about sailing 2 years ago. My first sailboat was CAL29 and a had experience of 150 day going in local waters around Catalina island only.
And I have arrived to Los Angeles from Seattle with my crew of 6. There are 2 American people and 4 from Soviet Union republics.
Arrived only 4. We ate them jocking)) they had to escape for a reason.
Only two of us had any experience of sailing and no one had such a long trip before. Others were just friends of mine who don’t have a seasick, and I taught them in real time)
So it was intense and fun. Scary as hell and achingly beautiful
We did it. Don’t think, just do it! I don’t want to hire any professional skipper to deliver my own sailboat. I wanted to become a professional by practicing in real situations. If you afraid and hire all the time someone, you will never ever become confident and experienced sailor. Trust me.
Most dangerous for us were river bars, because you should pass them at exact time and moment of tide. All the time we called to Coast guard about real time situation and we were allowed to come in only after confirmation by channel 16 vhf. At Coos bay they met us outside by red and green buoys and escorted down to Marina on their big USCG boat.
So we had no injuries, no accidents, no nothing, no breakdowns.

[capn ken]

Congratulations on your successful trip what doesn't kill us makes us stronger. Looking forward to hearing of your adventures Fairwinds and calm seas my friend.

[maxal1917]

Andre, truly happy for you! So glad your adventure was enjoyable and safe. I hope you are not offended by my questions in this thread And I see you went month later after all