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San Diego to Catalina

NGB

Member II
I am curious as to the route people take when sailing from San Diego to Catalina. Direct seems a bit far for a lazy sailor like me. Up the coast to some convenient spot and then across seems a logical course, but I am interested in how those who have done it did it. Any lessons learned or things you would do differently would also be appreciated. Thanks.
 

Jim Payton

Inactive Member
never have

I never have sailed to Catalina. I have been there many times, and so has my boat (Doldrums). We just have never been there together. I have talked to the previous owners and they told me they sailed her several times from San Diego.
The Coast Guard Auxilary person I know recomends sailing from Shelter Island to Dana Point and then make a left turn and sail toward Avalon. The main reason for that is so that you would be in the shipping lane a minimum amount of time. There is a major shipping lane going in and out of Long Beach Harbor between us and Catalina.
I have talked with several people on this web site and around the Marina about the trip. Several options have surfaced.
1) *from Chula Vista to Shelter Island - spend the night
*Shelter Island to Mission Bay, Mariner's Cove - spend
the night
*Mission Bay to Dana Point - spend the night
*Dana Point to Catalina - spend the night or a couple of days
*Sail home (Its all down wind) aproximately 70 miles
2)*Motor/Sail from Shelter Island to Dana Point - Spend the night
*Motor/Sail to Catalina
*Sail Home (or sail back to Dana and then to Shelter)
3)*Leave sometime in the middle of the night and sail all the way to Catalina (motoring will cut down on the time).
*Sail Home.

As for the best time to go. Everyone I have talked with says September right after school is back in session. Seems the wind is best and crowds are smallest. Friday and Saturday are the hardest times to get moorings, and there is a cool web sight.
www.catalinas.net/livecam1
Jim of Doldrums
 

Jim Payton

Inactive Member
sure

I don't know how much of a wealth I am. I've just been wanting to take that sail for a long time and have never been able to get enough time off to do it. I figure I need at least a week. Doldrums is pretty old and I am slowly getting her into shape for open water. I sail her out toward the Coronados as often as I can and a couple of times have sailed into Mission Bay. Some day I'll have time to go to Dana Point.
There is another web site that is pretty cool and helpful:
www.sailorschoice.com.
This site has a lot of needed info about how to enter different ports along California and Mexico
 

Sven

Seglare
Re: sure

Hi Jim,

Originally posted by Jim Payton

There is another web site that is pretty cool and helpful:
www.sailorschoice.com.
This site has a lot of needed info about how to enter different ports along California and Mexico

Thanks for the information about the San Diego area up to Dana Point and across to Avalon.

I tried the sailorschoice site but get page not found errors. Maybe the site is just down ?

Due to the weather we never did get to try the Marina Del Rey to Two Harbors crossing this last week. We did get some very nice local sailing and we also got to freeze, almost literally, a couple of nights :)


-Sven
 

dpbishop

New Member
if you have a self steering system, give serious thought to a night crossing to Catalina under power. It's usually a lot smoother, quicker, and easier. In a 12 + hour trip with two people sharing watch duties you can get enough sleep to enjoy the day in Catalina. Make sure you have enough fuel for the trip back when you leave Catalina too, the winds are notoriously undependible.
 

whoulihan

Junior Member
Well, here's what I do - go to Mission bay the afternoon prior and anchor in Mariner's cove - it's free.
Leave at first light, set your engine to cruise speed and set the autopilot and get out your book. Depending on the weather in about 10 hours you will be there.
You could go at night, but it's pretty boring and I had the worst trip ever at night with 25 on the nose all night - took about 18 hours in a Mason 43.
You could also stop at Oceanside or Dana Point - but if you do the math you'll see that it will take you at least 50% more time and if you want to visit either you can drive there.

Bill
E-38
Magic
SD
 

Jim Payton

Inactive Member
Sounds Good to Me

Bill,
Your plan sounds fairly reasonable. Do you run into much commercial cargo traffic when you do the trip that way? I've stayed at Mariner's cove a couple of times and its really nice and peaceful there. To make the trip from Chula Vista to Mariner's Cove it takes about 4 or 5 hours or more depending on the wind.
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
For sure you want to go up the coast before going accross the channel, but not because of the shipping lanes (never trust the CG Aux.). The main issues are current and breeze. There is current running from NW-SE (on the nose from SD) @.5-1.5kts depending on conditions (mostly wind speed). Going along the shore keeps you out of it and there is actually a counter current running up the beach if you go in close! Combine a foul current and the prevailing wind on the nose with rough water,and the beach looks like a good place get your "westing" in. If the breeze N or NW, Dana is far enough. If it is W or SW you may want to go to Newport Beach or even Long Beach. This gives you the best chance of fetching accross the channel. The only time you want to go straight over is in totaly calm winds(motoring), or in the rare event of a good easterly breeze. Finally, on most days, rgardless of what breeze you may have leaving the shore, it is usually "nukin"" from the W or NW as you near the Island.
Safe sailing!
 

Jim Payton

Inactive Member
Thanks Seth,
Your info makes alot of sense. I am curious though just how much extra time needs to be allowed when sailing up the coast to Dana instead of motoring straight out of Mission Bay? If anyone has done both and logged the difference I would like to hear about it. Is the difference such that we should plan on an overnighter?, etc.
 

whoulihan

Junior Member
Jim: By going to MB you'll break up the trip, which is good - it is really a long trip from CV. It's long enough from Shelter Island and the Mariner's cove stopover saves about 2 or 3 hours of the trip, which, by about 3 in the afternoon you're ready to end. Particularly if the wind is up which it can be mid-day as you get closer to the island.
You won't see much commercial traffic until about 10 miles south of Catalina when the LB ships cross occasionally. Honestly I have seen ships only a few times. Out of maybe 25 trips I have only been near ships (within 2 miles) 2 or 3 times.
Just remember this - if you think a ship will be close to you make an early significant correction to your course - leave no doubt in the merchantman's mind what you are doing. He won't be able to recognize a 5 degree course change - so make it 30 or 40 degrees - let him know you are staying out of his way - and do it way early.
Generally you're bored to death unless the wind comes up then your bored and pissed because it's taking you so long.
Don't hesitate to harbor hop if you are more comfortable and have the time.
The trip home make in one shot - it's down wind and you may even be able to sail for an hour or two.
Feel free to give me a call anytime at 619-297-9896 with any questions.

Good Luck!
 

Seth

Sustaining Partner
SD_CAT

You can measure the extra distance by scaling it off on the chart, and you will see it is not a whole lot longer. If you are sailing the whole way, my route will be MUCH faster than going straight accross-becasue of the current and the angles.
The straight route is faster only if it is reach or run all the way, or if it is calm and you motor the whole way.

Does that help?
 

macearth

Junior Member
Do any of you plan on crossing this summer?

I'm looking to do a trip this summer over to Catalina. I think that it would be better to group up before heading over. A few boats staying in a pack makes sense for several reasons. Navigation and safty being the best reasons I can think of. Sure we all use GPS and charts but I always felt better when I was out past the sight of land to see another friendly boat out on the horizon somewhere. Any takers?
 

Sven

Seglare
We will be doing the crossing, but it will probably be on the spur of the moment - planning in advance has not worked so far :)

BTW, due to the height of the island you can see it all the way across if it is clear (put a 1000 feet into the calculator at <http://www.boatsafe.com/tools/horizon.htm> ).

There seems to be a steady stream of boats crossing from MDR area so if you hail on 16 you can probably find company on the way across.



-Sven
 

NGB

Member II
Similar to Sven, any trip we make will probably be spur of the moment. Nice offer, though.
 
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