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Wayne Wallace
1st Mate

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USA
28 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/21/2004 : 14:58:25

I am in the process of planning a round trip cruise from Dana Point CA (SO CA.) upto San Francisco this summer in my 250 WK. Has anyone completed such a trip or have any links for someone that may have? I have a good cruising guide for the west coast but would like to talk to someone that has cruised this part of the West Coast.

Wayne Wallace
Z MAJESTIC

Edited by - on

JimB517
Past Commodore

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USA
3285 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2004 : 16:33:30

I have cruised extensively throughout San Diego to Channel Islands area. Your cruise is a big undertaking. I'd suggest Dana to Catalina to Marina del Rey. MDR has excellent guest docks. From MDR you can jump up the coast to the Channel Islands Harbor. I stayed at Ventura Marina in the past. Then you can cruise to Santa Cruz Island. Coches Prieto and Willows anchorages on the west side are ideal. Following a leisurly cruise around the east end of Santa Cruz, anchor in Prisioners Cove, then head for Santa Barbara. They don't have much in the way of guest docks or anchorage in summer so try to get a reservation before you leave. You can see some of this on my web page www.indiscipline.org (I did this trip in my powerboat).

From Santa Barbara you will head to the Coho anchorage just south of Pt. Concpetion. You will wait here until there is no wind or swell, then motor around the point in the very very early morning heading to Morrow Bay. Morrow has anchorage and guest slips. That's as far as I've gone. You'll be doing a lot of motoring on this trip directly into the wind and swell (however, summer is gentle).

Pickup Donald Fagan's book Southern California Cruising Guide. They have it at West Marine.

If I was you I'd join our cruise to Catalina Island August 2 - 19, then circumnavigate Catalina with us and follow me on the daysail to Santa Barbara Island (60 NM offshore). After all that, sail on your own to the Channel Islands. If you're really adventurous, visit Santa Rosa and San Miguel. Then put your boat on the trailer and head to SF.

I've cruised the west coast from the Coronados to Santa Cruz and took a year long voyage to the Bahamas. I'm afraid of trying to get North to SF in such small boats. North of Pt. Conception it's a whole other ocean.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2004 : 16:36:44

IMHO follows:

That's going to be a very challenging cruise. You'll need to round Point Conception, which is noted for having some very nasty sea conditions and on top of that, you'll be running uphill against both the current and the prevailing winds all the way to SF. It may be a real bash in a C250.

Even the bigger boats usually defer this passage until the August or September when the prevailing NW winds ease off for a month or two. The old coastal schooners used to tack out a couple hundred miles just to escape the coastal flow.

If it were me, I'd trailer the boat to SF and make the run downhill. When you're done, hop on a United shuttle and bring the trailer back.

Edited by - on

DougA
1st Mate

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USA
73 Posts

Response Posted - 02/21/2004 : 18:48:15

I have to agree with what the others have to say. The trip from about Santa Barbara to San Francisco is a bear. From Morrow Bay to Monterey is a long run with no protection. The run from Monterey across Monterey Bay to Santa Cruz can be a nice easy run or it can also be a beast, I have made this trip in my 250wb several times. You will want to leave Santa Cruz very early (way before daylight) to make it to Half Moon Bay in one day. The Half Moon Bay channel in the daylight is nasty and I wouldn’t consider it after dark. The run from Half Moon Bay to San Francisco could be foggy and nasty.

All in all I would not attempt it in a 250wb. The best advice is to put the boat on the trailer and head up 101 or I5 to San Francisco Bay.

Edited by - on

RichardG
Admiral

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USA
990 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2004 : 13:43:16

The farthest north I've been on my C25 is Malibu, but a friend who was moving to SF for a job change sailed his Columbia 26 (a bit heavier than a C25 or C250) in June a few years ago. He got slammed pretty good off Point Conception. A part on the mainsheet block broke and hit his friend in the head, knocking him unconscious. He tried attaching the mainsheet block to the stern pulpit, but it was ripped out in short order. After his friend was airlifted to a hospital by the Coast Guard, he limped into Morro Bay and arranged for a truck to take his boat the rest of the way.

I recommend caution.

Edited by - on

gnorgan
Admiral

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USA
563 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2004 : 15:44:54

I agree with all the above....unless you've got lots of "nasty weather sailing experience", I'd opt for the trailer. Last weekend my wife and I were out off San Diego is some heavy wind with lots of whitecaps and big swells and we decided it wasn't all THAT much fun

. Whatever you decide to do, be prepared (Boy Scout motto), be safe (My "chickens think safe" motto

), and read past articles written by people who have experience along that stretch of coast. I have camped and traveled that whole stretch many times and can attest to it being a long, trip...sometimes no wind sometimes way too much, with lots of rocky cliffs with big, nasty, crashing waves!!! Other than that, have a nice trip

My wife and I will be doing the coastal cruise to Catalina with Jim B. and others and that will be just fine fun for us.

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Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.