Need Help - Sailing from San Diego to Monterey

[Mortgage Man]

Will be in San Diego 3rd week of March. Coming in from Boston for a business convention. Thinking of chartering a sailaboat with 2 accomplished sons and a 1st time wife & 16 yr old son. Any tips in terms of time, harbors, etc. would be most appreciated. Also, if you have a charter company you're comfortable referring would love a contact. Thanks! It's a good life.

[Steve Bean]

That route is right against the prevailing northwesterly winds. March is still in what we call "winter" here - nothing like what you call "winter" in Boston, but it can be stormy.
There are not a lot of harbors of refuge along the California coast; one of them, Morro Bay, may be closed by order of the Harbormaster in bad weather due to breaking swells at the entrance. It's best to have enough time to wait for a good weather window for this trip. Storm winds are generally southerly, but I wouldn't say you could expect "fair winds and following seas."
I suggest from San Diego to Catalina and the Channel Islands National Park and Santa Barbara would be more likely to be a pleasant trip, especially with a first-timer on board.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by Steve Bean

That route is right against the prevailing northwesterly winds. March is still in what we call "winter" here - nothing like what you call "winter" in Boston, but it can be stormy.
There are not a lot of harbors of refuge along the California coast; one of them, Morro Bay, may be closed by order of the Harbormaster in bad weather due to breaking swells at the entrance. It's best to have enough time to wait for a good weather window for this trip. Storm winds are generally southerly, but I wouldn't say you could expect "fair winds and following seas."
I suggest from San Diego to Catalina and the Channel Islands National Park and Santa Barbara would be more likely to be a pleasant trip, especially with a first-timer on board.

+100....

Just charter out of SD, LB, or MdR... Go to the islands.... Couple days in Avalon to get the charm of the place (too touristy for my tastes)... Two Harbors @ the Isthmus for a few, and a zip around the N. Channel islands... 2 week extremely easy paced trip.... Heading North to Morro is likely to be a real beating and a race to make it happen.....

[MarcHall]

As others have mentioned Monterey is a bit of a run from San Diego.
March is bit unpredictable as far as weather. Could be beautiful perfect sailing weather, could be one Low front passing thru after another.


If I was coming to San Diego for a week, I would likely charter the boat and use it for daysailing, coming back to the slip at the end of the day and enjoying the features of San Diego.

Sailing out of San Diego Bay is quite good in the afternoon. Winds have usually picked up by 1:00 PM each day. You can choose to spend the afternoon sailing in the Bay down the city waterfront and under the Coronado Bridge (calm waters, more boat traffic particularly on the weekends) or out the bay past North Island, the submarine pens and Point Loma.

There are a couple of anchorages in San Diego Bay and one in Mission Bay if you were interested in overnighting somewhere.

From San Diego Bay I typically allow for 12 to 15 hours to get to Avalon on Catalina Island on my Crealock 37 and that usually a motorsail against prevailing current and wind direction. Sometimes I break up the trip stopping in Newport and either anchoring at the public anchorage or picking up one of the moorings. Catalina has a number of anchorages/mooring fields that are worth exploring. Avalon, Whites, Fourth of July, Cherry, Emerald and Cat Harbor would all be worth a couple of nights stay. Typically with a week of time I head to Avalon for first night and then one of the anchorage on the front side of a couple of nights, then Cat Harbor for couple of nights and then the final nite spent back in Avalon, leaving early the next morning for a hopefully mostly sail trip back to San Diego. If I am eager and want to depart my slip on Shelter Island after work before the week off I will head out of San Diego, south to get past the southern extension of the Point Loma kelp beds up and around to Mission Bay and anchor in the public anchorage before departing the next morning for Catalina.



Have fun!!

Marc Hall
Crazy Fish, Crealock 37, Hull 207

[HappyMdRSailor]

Marc had some really good info!

One note, if you do charter out of MdR, you will be central to Catalina and the N. Channel islands... MdR to Catalina = 6 hrs, Catalina to N. Channels = 1 day, back to MdR = 1 day.... These guys have some pretty nice rides.... Yacht Charter, ASA Sailing School and yacht sales in Southern California - Marina del Rey, Los Angeles (CA). Blue pacific Boating is the premier sailboat charter business in the greater Los Angeles Area. Group and Private Sailing Classes available.

[carlylelk]

I chartered a Hunter 35 out of Blue Pacific Boating, and I have to say that they were the least helpful Charter Co. I've ever run into. We were the only charterer the day we picked up the boat but we had to wait for an hour until they had time to for us. They didn't tell us not to show up before 10 ahead of time either. We asked for extra pillows and they made it seem like we wanted their firstborn son! The boat had a leak in the cabin top, even though it was a fairly new boat.

[rebel heart]

I used to work for these guys: San Diego Sailing Charters | San Diego Sailing School | West Coast Multihulls

Nice dudes, good people. Bobbi runs the place, and Lance is one of the most chilled out captains I know if you need anything on that front.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by carlylelk

I chartered a Hunter 35 out of Blue Pacific Boating, and I have to say that they were the least helpful Charter Co. I've ever run into. We were the only charterer the day we picked up the boat but we had to wait for an hour until they had time to for us. They didn't tell us not to show up before 10 ahead of time either. We asked for extra pillows and they made it seem like we wanted their firstborn son! The boat had a leak in the cabin top, even though it was a fairly new boat.

YIKES!

When was this???? I know it changed hands and basins.... PO Suzanne was kinda Germanyish gruff, but fair enough.... I also met a skipper from there 4 months ago, long after the change and he seemed pretty cool....

I have heard good things about the guys that Rebel endorses....

[boating2go]

Originally Posted by rebel heart

I used to work for these guys: San Diego Sailing Charters | San Diego Sailing School | West Coast Multihulls

Nice dudes, good people. Bobbi runs the place, and Lance is one of the most chilled out captains I know if you need anything on that front.

I have never done business with them but they moved their offices to Intrepid Landing Marina and they are very friendly people. I have talked to several people that have chartered the cat they have here and they all said nice things about them and the boat.

[carlylelk]

I believe it was January of 2010. I'd like to think I'm pretty laid back so it's not because I'm a perfectionist. But you never know, everyone has their bad days.

[Charlie]

Have you read Two Years Before the Mast? I did that trip recently. Logistics were strange but we did it this way. SD to Dana Point signle handed. Met high school friends in DP. DP to Avalon Catalina 7 hour motor/sail. Avalon to Two Harbor 3 hour sail. Two Harbor to Santa Barbara. left at 4am arrived 6pm. Motor/sail. Drove high school friends to LAX picked up sailing friends. Left at 9pm arrived SF Bay 41 hours later. Got lucky. Southerly wind around Point Conception and all the way to Half Moon Bay.

I agree about a shorter trip for a charter. Here is a good book about sailing the California coast -- The Cruising Guide to Central and Southern California: Golden Gate to Ensenada, Mexico, Including the Offshore Islands: Brian Fagan: 0639785801825: Amazon.com: Books

[sww914]

Point Conception can be a lake or it can be a wet cold hell. What will it be that week? March is usually pretty windy out of the NW.

[cuthbert]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

Marc had some really good info!

One note, if you do charter out of MdR, you will be central to Catalina and the N. Channel islands... MdR to Catalina = 6 hrs, Catalina to N. Channels = 1 day, back to MdR = 1 day.... These guys have some pretty nice rides.... Yacht Charter, ASA Sailing School and yacht sales in Southern California - Marina del Rey, Los Angeles (CA). Blue pacific Boating is the premier sailboat charter business in the greater Los Angeles Area. Group and Private Sailing Classes available.

I would second this as the nicest option for some first time west coast sailing. MDR to Catalina or down to Newport Beach, up to Santa Barbara. But heading north beyond SB and coming round Pt Conception is best done with plenty of days to spare so you can choose the best weather.
Heading to Monterey is a long motorsail unless you have the time to come offshore some distance.

[socalsailor]

Ahhh The Point! The Cape of California, LOL. I have sailed around it off shore (not too far about 40 miles) and I was beat hard with a NW swell and winds, even ot far there was a a short chop on top of the twenty foot seas. I wasn't fun but we came away from that experience better sailors. As stated it could also be like a lake (usually summer mornings), Good luck with whatever you choose.

[tommyh]

Like wise with the previous reply,I got my @#$ kicked coming around the point in 09. 40 knot winds and 10 foot seas,wild ride in a catalina 30.