Safe to go to Catalina Island ?

[curtis from carlsbad]

Any members out there with vast experience going to Catalina Island from either LA harbor,Long Beach, Dana pt.or Oceanside?Will I really be safe in the 26m taking my wife and two young children?I will be leaving Carlsbad,Ca.(7 miles north of Oceanside)on Saturday mornings wanting to be back home by 9 pm.Should I trailer up to LA,Long Beach,Dana pt. or just launch out of Oceanside? The last option will involve @ 70 miles to Cat harbor on my 2 stroke evinrude v-tech.How many hours would I expect to get out of that motor?I would also like to make some trips in the winter if the conditions look safe.I keep getting bad reviews on the boat saying it is unsafe in anything other than bays or nearshore coastal.If I launch from LA I can get the crossing from the mainland down to 23 miles.I havent gotten the boat yet from the factory and dont want to jeopardize my family but I really like everything about the boat.I dont want to be limited to sailing close to Oceanside or San Diego and am buying the boat expressly to go to Catalina Island.My dream trip when the kids are in their low teens is from San Felipe,Mexico to various points south up to perhaps Bay of Conception(drove there 3 times before kids with wife.)Other internet forum members(non Macgregor) telling me to get a used longer beamier boat that will be tied to a 350 a month dock,Iwant trailerable but only if it is safe to take the family to Catalina.I could get a used Irwin 33 and keep it tied up in Newport or Long Beach but then no local fishing,sailing or other spontaneous trips on a whim.Just not going to be the same.But point blank if this boat is unsafe to Catalina I can back out,walk away from my $1000 deposit and get something bigger used.Or I can buy a Catalina 250 mkII wing keel (@ 15k more).I cannot afford the Hake Yachts Seaward 33 trailerable (150k).I really want this boat but just need to be 100 percent sure it will be safe for my family to Catalina.Thanks to anyone who can respond.

[SkiDeep2001]

I keep getting bad reviews on the boat saying it is unsafe in anything other than bays or nearshore coastal.

Curtis, here is The Video, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smlP6iXn ... r_embedded you decide, what kind of skills do have It's your call. You will probably get some replies from some on this board with personal experience specific to your request. It looks to me like the Mac can handle some extreme conditions if you have the skills. Good Luck, have fun and boat safe/smart and check extended weather forecasts if you go. Rob

[Kelly Hanson East]

Nothing we do in life is 100 percent safe, including the car ride to the boat ramp.

There are several people who routinely go to Catalina on their Macs, and will be happy to share their plans on this.

The boat is absolutely designed for trips like this, it is always the responsibility of the skipper to make the judgements as to go/no on any trip.

[Hardcrab]

Curtis,
We sail an M out of Marina Del Rey.
It's a 30nm trip from MDR to Two Harbors.

We have made 7-8 trips to Two Harbors and one to Avalon.
We have taken our 3 grandchildren several of the trips.

I'm not known for a death wish or listening to narrowed vision robots tell me every clueless thing about
boats they've never been on.
Ask them, and the best and fastest boat in the world is the one they happen to crew on, but don't own one yet, mind you.

We usually high-speed motor over and back early in the morning before the sailing crowd can cast off.
The most dangerous thing about the trip is crossing the shipping lanes.

The boat's safety will not be the issue with any crossing in decent weather.
Of that, I'm 100% sure.
The Captains skill level and knowledge of sound seamanship trumps any boat.
If you have that already, great.
If not, spend as much time on the water in different conditions as you can to learn your new boat before the trip.

You mention doing a round trip in one day.
Why not get a mooring and spend the weekend?

You'll love it.
Especially the part where you fly by the snobs doing 6 knots.
Be sure to wave.
3 out of 4 would not be caught dead by waving back.

Welcome to the bashed club.

[Gunkholer]

Hardcrab, how many gallons does it take you to get to 2 Harbors?

TIA

[Hardcrab]

My 90 Tohatsu, running empty ballast, not heavily loaded, 46-4800rpm's, 16-18 knots, 11-12 gallons, about 2 hours time.
Motorsailing, 6 knots, ballast in, some wind help later in the trip, 3-4 gallons, about 5-6 hours time.

[curtis from carlsbad]

I will be wanting to return Sunday on the weekends I go to Catalina ,sorry about the mistake.Thanks for the tips so far and keep pouring em in !-Curtis the cab driver(60 horse engine ok for the quick morning jaunt out there?)

!	kmclemore:
	Topic merged to maintain continuity.

[David Mellon]

I regularly go to Catalina, both ends, and now prefer launching at South Shore Launch Ramp near the Queen Mary on Queensway Drive, Long Beach. It's a very protected spot and has a large parking lot, restrooms, washout, a great ramp with four docksides available and costs ten dollars a day, bring crisp bills for the ticket vendor. I used to launch from Cabrillo Beach ramp as it is a mile or so closer to the island but it isn't a good ramp, no washout and only one side of one dock available. I have the Evinrude ETEC 60 and use less than 10 gallons at full speed one way. You can find the ramp by looking at the Queen on Google Earth and moving past the Queens Way Bridge to the North West, same side of the channel as the Queen. The bridge is plenty high so you can raise your mast in the parking lot before launching. Use the center of the channel as there are sand bars along the shores. The No Wake zone ends after you pass the queen. Just North East across the channel from the Queen is a large marina with two free pumpouts for your holding tank. The trip is about 23 miles depending on your destination, takes me about an hour and twenty minutes dock to bouy.

These two sites have a wealth of information on Catalina:

http://www.catalina.com/yachting.html

http://www.visitcatalinaisland.com/twoH ... sGuide.pdf

This site has the maps and information on Long Beach Harbor:

http://www.polb.com/facilities/maps/default.asp

I look foreward to meeting you over Buffalo Milk at the bar in Two harbors!

[richandlori]

Absolutely the Mac is a capable boat to take to Catalina Island and I would do so with my family.

Now, having said that, the items that need to be considered are:

1. Skill/experience of the Captain. Can the captian navigate in fog, bad weather, and bring the boat (ie his family) in safe and sound?
2. Is the Captain and Crew ready to make the trip to Catalina and then turn around and go right back home if the anchorage is blown out....this is a true reality of Catalina, and the Captain and Crew need to be ready for this possibility. Along with ugly seas that can pop up in the crossing.
3.Will you and the crew be able to miss work on Monday if the weather gets ugly enough to keep you at the Island for an extra day...schedules make people do dumb things....so consider this BEFORE you head out in way of provisions and the reality of being at sea.

look, I personally would have no problem in taking my Mac (the one I once had anyway) down the outside of Baja Mexico and into the Sea of Cortez. I've been there on my "real" boat and can say confidently the Mac can handle it...but once again...it's all about the CREW...can they handle it.

Rich
Santa Rosilia
Sea of Cortez Mexico
http://www.sailblogs.com/member/svthirdday/

[irayone]

It's all about the weather.....Check it and check it again.Any swell over 4 feet and it gets uncomfortable.

[Bobby T.-26X #4767]

i do 2 Harbors from O'side.
it's abt 60 miles.
if you leave in early morning, it's generally an easy (but long) trek.
with a 50hp, it'll take you a good 4 hrs at WOT into the prevailing breeze and current.
with my 90hp, it generally takes 3 hrs @ 20mph.
the way home is with the current and although i usually go early morning, i have left as late as 4pm.
i've always done the trek w/out ballast.

the benefit of going out of Oceanside is that it's free parking on the back lot. and free wash-down.
i have done both the Marina Del Rey & Long Beach drive, launch, and short trek across to Catalina.
i didn't like the traffic and extra park/launch/hose-down costs.

Bob T.
"DāBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

[pokerrick1]

What irayone said - - - - if the weather is good - - - GO MAN GO

Rick less in Las Vegas

[socalmacer]

I've gone to Catalina over a dozen times mornings, noon and at night under all types of different weather conditions. These trips have been on two different Macs, one a 26X and another a 25S. Here's a couple words of advice.

1. If you can see Catalina from the mainland it is probably best to stay home as the wind will be blowing and it will be rough.
2, Get an early start. You don't want to be out in the channel in the afternoon if you can avoid it.
3. I've been in the channel in 14+ foot swells and it was not fun. Be prepared to add ballast, don't wait to be almost knocked down as the family may not want to do the trip agian. The going will be slower with ballast but will be smoother and safer. Conditions usually change as you transition the
4. Keep a close eye out when transition the shipping lane. These ships are going much faster then they appear and will not (in most cases) change their course to avoid you even if they see you. A radar reflector might be something to consider adding before making the trip.
5. When at Catalina, keep an eye out for "dust clouds" from the Mainland. Living in SoCal these are what the Santa Ana winds look like from Catalina. You don't want to be anchored/moored on the front side when the swell from these winds hit. Don't expect to see these winds until September or after.
6. Always have someone on the look out when making the crossoing! You will be travelling over a well travelled route (even though it might no look like it) with other boats on auto pilot, people not paying attention, etc. This would seem obvious, but things can go "south" pretty quick out there. I've had some close calls.

Hope this helps.

Brian

[pokerrick1]

WHOA!!! I just reread the part where you wanted to return the same night - - - that is NORMALLY a NO NO unless the weather is perfect - - - - those channels kick up in the afternoon creating VERY DANGEROUS conditions - - - I nearly killed my whole family one afternoon trying to return to San Pedro in a 25' Bayliner with a flybridge helm.

The best plan is to stay overnight (even if you have to anchor somewhere) and return early AM when the water is usually like glass again!!

Have fun - - make safe decisions

Rick less in Las Vegas (it's cooler today - - only about 98)

[czentner]

Hey Curt,
Thought I'd add my bit here too. Hope you decided to proceed with the MacGregor - I'm also here in S.Cal, and consider the purchase to be one of my better decisions. I was never aboard a sailboat before getting our 26M, and have since taught myself to sail (admittedly not the preferred approach) after reading numerous books and putting in many hours of cautious practice.

My family of five has been out to Avalon and Two Harbors a number of times, launching out of Newport or Dana Point. I always check the weather and swell forecast, have the links bookmarked on my PDA. Afternoon swells are generally from the NW, and can get fairly large, but watch for SW fronts as well. I concur with the other posts; morning crossings are ideal, but swells can still be 4 ft. or higher, depending on weather and wind. I have however, come back in the afternoon on a few occasions (after checking forecasts), but you may want to build your experience level first, as heavy following seas can be tricky, unnerving, and uncomfortable in such a light boat, even with full ballast. But even on the worst return, with +8 ft swells, my kids sat comfortably in the cabin (with lifejackets on) and watched 'Jaws', oblivious to the constant maneuvering I was having to perform while crossing the channel.

I've also gone over in the late afternoon (a very uncomfortable, wet battle to two harbors, with my miserably seasick son on board), something I probably won't try again. We've made the trip both with and without ballast; I'd only recommend trying it without ballast on flat days, and after you get some experience wtih how the boat handles. If conditions change and you need to stop and fill the ballast tank, you'll probably want to avoid doing so while bobbing in the shipping lanes, in the path of a huge container ship (I won't provide any more details on that).

I don't know what the consensus is regarding mast-up vs. mast-down configuration in questionable weather, but I've usually elected to keep the mast in the down position, fastened securely, whenever there's a concern about heavy swells. I just feel like the boat is more stable, though I've read that the mast raised can provide roll stability as well. The tradeoff is that the you lose the inherent failover benefit of switching to sail in an engine failure situation. Never attempt to raise that mast when any pitching or rolling is occurring.

On one crossing to Two Harbors, from Marina Del Rey, I enjoyed the top speed I've experienced with the boat: +9 knots using the main and the standard jib. Granted, conditions were ideal, and I've never been over 7.5 since, but it was truly exhilerating. I wish my whole family was there; I'm trying to get them as excited about the sailing aspect as I've recently become. On other occasions, we've seen giant ocean sunfish, stopped midway (but not in the shipping channels) to catch fish, raced pods of dolphin, made slight detours to check out the oil platforms, and came within 100 ft. of a blue whale as it raised it's fluke high out of the water. In other words, from a relative newbie that has learned a few things, don't be concerned about making the trip in the 26M - those family adventures are priceless; just plan ahead and be safe.