Shake out to Alaska

[Lepke]

Moss Landing to what delta is 60 miles? Just to Mile Rocks off Frisco is 70-80 miles from Moss Landing. Probably with a NW wind blowing in your face. It's a day to Rio Vista from there if you catch the tide. And you want to do that. I've seen Carquines Strait have an ebb tide of 22 knots when the rivers are flooding.
When I commercial fished I often stayed in the Sac/San Joaquin delta in the winter. The further west, you get more sun. The valley can have fog for weeks on end in the winter with temps just above freezing in the day. Good Striped Bass fishing, though.
On your trip north, north of SF the ocean and weather is rarely your friend. It's best, if time isn't an issue, to do is in jump between ports when it's in your favor. My only recent experience is in a power boat. Unless you luck out, the trip north, sailing, is something you endure.

[Dirk Williams]

Lol, man I'm taking an ass wooping here. I googled the distance from Moss Landing to the entrance of the bay, at between 60/70 miles. " by sea" I anticipate roughly 18/20 hours from moss landing, to the delta, which is outside of Lodi, where I'm thinking I'll end up.

I'm retired no hurries. Bottom line I'm enjoying working on the boat systems. I'm in Oregon now, and won't be back down to the boat until I've got the motor squared away. And running.

I don't know, like your all saying the weather is critical, maybe I'll have time to go on the hard, in. mL, and do the bottom awaiting decent weather. Either way, the bottom must be done.

Thanks for the heads up.

Dirk

[exMaggieDrum]

Hey Dirk,

Well, it is all doable. Keep at it as you are and you'll get there.

Joe

[Dirk Williams]

Thanks Joe. Im Gtg, if I've got to stay in moss landing no worries. I'll just sail the Monterey bay, area, as applicable. However I've done zero research on sailing their.

The up side is, my boat is literally 300 yards away from a killer little Mexican restaurant, biker bar combo, and avocados are 10 for a dollar, next door at a fruit veggie stand, I'm alright with the marina, actually enjoyed the folks running the marina, payed back and helpful.

sounds like I'm their until next summer. I'll spend the time squaring the boat away if that's how it is.

Anybody know how sailing in Monterey bay is, in the winter month So? What's the bar like.

Thanks again to all who have suggested needs, critical equipment, and weather related issues.

Dirk

[Schooner Chandlery]

Do you mean the bar getting in and out of Moss Landing? There be shallows 😏

If you're footloose and fancy free take the boat down to Southern California for the winter and head back up to the North including your AK trip in early April.

We winter in SoCal preferably and go north in spring.

Going to the Bay from Moss landing is a nice day to Pillar Point and then a nice day into the Bay.


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[roverhi]

Buy a book called Cruising the Northwest Coast by George Benson. He made the trip north in a small sailboat several times. Took advantage of the prevailing NW winds to anchor in shallow bays and points almost every night.

[Dirk Williams]

Thank you both for the return reply. I'm reluctant to go farther south. It's a 7/8 hour drive from home to moss landing as it is. Those decisions will be made after the boat motor is back am running smoothly. Gotta say sure sounds like fun, and I'm planning on a week to two weeks a month, again after the motor is in and checks good.

As for the book, as soon as I'm done here I'll review it, for purchase.

All my gaskets, filters and belts arrived today. Start buttoning her up tomorrow.

Appreciate all the help. I'm reading nightly, I know nothing but being on the boat and sailing is really going to teach me the most important things I need to know.

Dirk

[Dirk Williams]

Cruising the northwest coast, Benson., Amazon doesn't show that title, by Benson. Perhaps the title is different or maybe a different author?

If I can I'd it, I'll purchase it.

Dirk

[model 10]

The closest place to you is the Napa Valley boat yard. It is also the least expensive haul out and you can live on it while you are working on it.

[exMaggieDrum]

This company is based in Anacortes and has several well respected pubs that you might take a look at. I used one of the planning guides to go down the coast and found it very useful. I also have the Waggoner's which is good for some things and is widely used up here.

FineEdge.com

I know there are some other guides that are better in some ways but I can't recall right now.

[Dirk Williams]

Thanks Guy, right now it seems that most of the experienced open water people Here are saying, coming up the coast from ML,,to the bay or Napa, or wherever I end up is not practical right now.

Do have a family connect, for Lowerys marina, haven't touched base their either. To many variables in play. Motor in first, then complete re wire, AUTOHELM on, Bimini and dodger on.

We will have a look. So,some told me that the entrance to the Napa harbor was shallow? Any truth to that. They said in/ out only on the high tide.

Dirk

[Schooner Chandlery]

Originally Posted by Dirk Williams

Thanks Guy, right now it seems that most of the experienced open water people Here are saying, coming up the coast from ML,,to the bay or Napa, or wherever I end up is not practical right now.

Do have a family connect, for Lowerys marina, haven't touched base their either. To many variables in play. Motor in first, then complete re wire, AUTOHELM on, Bimini and dodger on.

We will have a look. So,some told me that the entrance to the Napa harbor was shallow? Any truth to that. They said in/ out only on the high tide.

Dirk

I take it the DIY yard at Moss Landing is no longer a good deal?

Between there and Napa are many good options. I'm not familiar with Santa Cruz but know someone who did a good DIY haul out there in 2013.

We hauled out for a great DIY experience at Napa for a week in 2010. However we were later burned by Napa miscommunications (some would use the stronger word of lies) in 2013 when we confirmed a haul out with them before leaving San Diego and then after sailing up to the Bay 3 days strait through we called coming in the golden gate at 0830 to report we'd be at their dock the next morning as planned. Kirby only Then said "oops we don't haul out boats as big as you anymore. " and I was like "duh-we discussed tonnage and size and don't you think you coulda told me this 4 days ago before the sail up from SoCal??? ". He had the gall to say "well I didn't think you'd sail up here from down there anyway." Needless to say my husband and I were not impressed with that.

The good news is we did the DIY work at Ladds in Stockton and they're great folks.

Other Bay Area DIY friendly yards include Berkeley as well as the one on the south side of SF (can't recall the name). Bay Marine and KKMI are DIY friendly for some projects. All depends.

The point being you can do your work in many many places around the Bay and elsewhere.

Enjoy your projects as well as the sailing you'll undertake shortly.

Do be careful of what you do but don't let people scare you into not enjoying the sailing the entire coast has to offer you.


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[UNCIVILIZED]

Lots of good tips in this thread on yards, marinas, & guide books. I surely will be sorting through all of the combined info in order to update my wisdom on this part of the Pacific & it's coast. Thanks all

[Dirk Williams]

I guess I'm not clear on exactly why we shouldn't move my boat north. What is it that make this 100 ish mile trip UN desirable. I get the part about weather, but boats are continuously moving up and down this area daily.

My friends are not overly concerned, as long as we have a weather window.

Why not go north. Just another long day.

Dirk

[exMaggieDrum]

Originally Posted by Dirk Williams

I guess I'm not clear on exactly why we shouldn't move my boat north. What is it that make this 100 ish mile trip UN desirable. I get the part about weather, but boats are continuously moving up and down this area daily.

My friends are not overly concerned, as long as we have a weather window.

Why not go north. Just another long day.

Dirk

Just go! You have the right attitude and it isn't dangerous if you are prepared and look out for weather. You could get killed walking across the street or taking your car to the grocery store too. You are less likely to get killed on your boat a few miles off shore. Know your navigation, get your boat set up, have working radios, and go for it.