Hello to all, I'm a new guy to So Cal waters, so I thought I'd better ask a few questions. Next weekend, we are planning to make our first "long range" shake down trip. We have decided to sail up to Ch Is Harbor. I think I will motor most, if not all of the way there so I can check my MPG. We have GPS, VHF, and 24 gal fuel on board. I plan to follow the coastline, about 2 - 3 miles out. We will most likely RON there and head back the next day. Is there anything about the trip that you would suggest to us before we head out? Wind, Water, Waves, that sort of thing. Any ideas for the best online weather site before we go?
We're just a little nervous.
Thanks.
MDR to Channel Islands Harbor, Questions?
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Catigale
- Site Admin
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Welcome Hardcrab...you can post these enquiries into 'Events and Venues' too...after some feedback we will move the thread into that area for future reference....welcome aboard!
There are quite a few MDR sailors around - maybe check the Events venue and search on MDR....check the 'Search all terms' box too....
There are quite a few MDR sailors around - maybe check the Events venue and search on MDR....check the 'Search all terms' box too....
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Frank C
Bob White wrote up his Mac 26D cruise from MDR to Santa Cruz. Your trip should be much easier than his - which relied much more on sailing into the teeth of the coastal current and winds. But reading his account will give you some idea of the conditions.
Several powersailor owners have cruised your intended path but I believe those stories were less comprehensive ... you can scan the Events forum for threads about Ch.Islands, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, etc.
Bob White's trip log is on his Mac website, but I can't link directly to it. From his main page, click the link to "My Pages." From there, scroll down to a boxed section, gold in color, called "Cool Stuff." The trip log is titled, "My 1998, 9 Day, Santa Cruz Trip."
Several powersailor owners have cruised your intended path but I believe those stories were less comprehensive ... you can scan the Events forum for threads about Ch.Islands, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, etc.
Bob White's trip log is on his Mac website, but I can't link directly to it. From his main page, click the link to "My Pages." From there, scroll down to a boxed section, gold in color, called "Cool Stuff." The trip log is titled, "My 1998, 9 Day, Santa Cruz Trip."
Last edited by Frank C on Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:32 am, edited 1 time in total.
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ssichler
- First Officer
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- Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 9:22 am
- Location: Redondo Beach, CA 06 M 60hp E-Tec
I usually check weather here -
http://www.socalsail.com/wx/forecast/
If you are unfamiliar with the area make sure to consult a chart so you can understand the geographic references in the forecast.
http://www.socalsail.com/wx/forecast/
If you are unfamiliar with the area make sure to consult a chart so you can understand the geographic references in the forecast.
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aya16
- Admiral
- Posts: 1362
- Joined: Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:29 am
- Location: LONG BEACH CALIF Mac M 04 WHITE
Although I have my boat at MDR for the last 2.5 years I never made the
run up to the channel Islands. But I can help in the first leg.
If you cut across towards malibu instead of following the coast line. The ride will be better and shorter. In Santa Monica bay the most confused water and wet ride will be closer to shore. The bay is like a big bowl and
wind and swells will pile up near the shore. your better off staying farther off shore in deeper water to get a better ride.
So by leaving MDR if you were to angle out and towards Malibu you will get into deeper water where the swell will be on your port quarter.
The bay also has a steep drop off and comes up towards shore
fast. This will make the swells larger and closer together closer to shore
Once past Malibu I cant say whats best.
The depth close to shore is between 60-and 30 feet. farther out can drop off to 600 feet and more. You dont have to worry about running aground but you can see how the swells will slow way down coming into shore and back up on top of each other.
On the way back the swell will be aft starbard. If youre sailing and you go across the bay then in to MDR raise your center board and the ride is much better. That is if the swell is aft. Go early in the morning, But keep an eye out for Santa anna winds. motoring you want some Santa anna winds because it will cancel out the off shore winds. Dead calm.
but if the winds are strong it will make a nasty ride coming and going.
I have noticed the last couple weeks that Fog is heavy in the morning till about noon. I mean real heavy.
But there are alot of people here that have done the trip all the way that can help you.
when your down MDR way give me a call 310-994-4212 If Im there Ill come over give ya a hand we can go over the charts.
Mike
run up to the channel Islands. But I can help in the first leg.
If you cut across towards malibu instead of following the coast line. The ride will be better and shorter. In Santa Monica bay the most confused water and wet ride will be closer to shore. The bay is like a big bowl and
wind and swells will pile up near the shore. your better off staying farther off shore in deeper water to get a better ride.
So by leaving MDR if you were to angle out and towards Malibu you will get into deeper water where the swell will be on your port quarter.
The bay also has a steep drop off and comes up towards shore
fast. This will make the swells larger and closer together closer to shore
Once past Malibu I cant say whats best.
The depth close to shore is between 60-and 30 feet. farther out can drop off to 600 feet and more. You dont have to worry about running aground but you can see how the swells will slow way down coming into shore and back up on top of each other.
On the way back the swell will be aft starbard. If youre sailing and you go across the bay then in to MDR raise your center board and the ride is much better. That is if the swell is aft. Go early in the morning, But keep an eye out for Santa anna winds. motoring you want some Santa anna winds because it will cancel out the off shore winds. Dead calm.
but if the winds are strong it will make a nasty ride coming and going.
I have noticed the last couple weeks that Fog is heavy in the morning till about noon. I mean real heavy.
But there are alot of people here that have done the trip all the way that can help you.
when your down MDR way give me a call 310-994-4212 If Im there Ill come over give ya a hand we can go over the charts.
Mike
Last edited by aya16 on Sat Oct 28, 2006 9:49 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Captain Steve
- Captain
- Posts: 722
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 9:40 am
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26X
- Location: Oxnard, CA "Wildest Dream" '98X Nissan 50
I have made the trip and Aya is right...head out and around the point going north. Most motor....you can sail back on broad reaches. Once in channel islands harbor stop at the harbor patrol offic for a guest slip.....15 bucks for a Mac. Give me a buzz if you have any questiions about the area call me...cell 805 573 4429.
A little farther and you get to Ventura harbor...more night time activities there.
A little farther and you get to Ventura harbor...more night time activities there.
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zuma hans 1
- Engineer
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:29 pm
I live at Zuma Beach and drive the coast road to Oxnard daily, and boat there frequently.
It is amazing to see how different the winds and oceans can be on the coast.
Southeast of Point Dume, the Santa Monica Bay has the above-mentioned slosh issues. But in the mild offshore winds that often blow in the fall, the water here will be glass flat, out to at least a mile, with 5-15 miles winds from the NE.
I went fishing last weekend in a mild offshore wind, it was like sitting on a lake.
Between Dume and Point Mugu, even with gentle offshores, the marine wind pattern is most often your typical coastal westerlies, building in the afternoon.
Northwest of Dume is Santa Barbara channel weather - usually colder and windier.
All bets are off, of course, in major Santa Ana conditions.
In the past week, we have largely had an offshore flow - it was 101 in Woodland Hills and 87 at Zuma beach yesterday, Nov. 7. There's a big blow predicted tonight ... winds from the desert at up to 50.
The good thing about sailing near LA is you can ALWAYS look up the coast and see if the wind is blowing onshore or offshore ... the Santa Anas always leave a telltale layer of smog out to sea!
It is amazing to see how different the winds and oceans can be on the coast.
Southeast of Point Dume, the Santa Monica Bay has the above-mentioned slosh issues. But in the mild offshore winds that often blow in the fall, the water here will be glass flat, out to at least a mile, with 5-15 miles winds from the NE.
I went fishing last weekend in a mild offshore wind, it was like sitting on a lake.
Between Dume and Point Mugu, even with gentle offshores, the marine wind pattern is most often your typical coastal westerlies, building in the afternoon.
Northwest of Dume is Santa Barbara channel weather - usually colder and windier.
All bets are off, of course, in major Santa Ana conditions.
In the past week, we have largely had an offshore flow - it was 101 in Woodland Hills and 87 at Zuma beach yesterday, Nov. 7. There's a big blow predicted tonight ... winds from the desert at up to 50.
The good thing about sailing near LA is you can ALWAYS look up the coast and see if the wind is blowing onshore or offshore ... the Santa Anas always leave a telltale layer of smog out to sea!
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zuma hans 1
- Engineer
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Sun Jan 15, 2006 12:29 pm
I hate to sound defensive about the local waters, but there is some fine sailing between Oxnard and MDR.
Paradise Cove, on the lee side of Point Dume, is a great anchorage under almost all winds conditions. A south swell will roll throught there, but winds are generally diminished. A nice restaurant at the little pier is easy to get to with a zodiac, or even a kayak, unless a south surf is way up.
The Malibu coast is fun to look at. Look for the FV Scorpio, the new/old dayfishing boat based at the Malibu Pier, and see where she is fishing. Usually she is over the BKR ("Big Kelp Ridge"), which runs east from Little Dume Point and is populated with rockfish.
True, the waters west of Point Dume are a bit more choppy and windy in the afternoons. But mornings are generally 10-20 mph winds out of the west, and no whitecaps. If I were heading from MDR to Oxnard I would overnight at Paradise Cove and motor west from there early in the day - before 1pm or so.
It's about 30 miles from Avalon to Paradise Cove, and another 25 to Channel Islands Harbor. A lot of Hobie Cat sailors used to zip back and forth in one day, in the 1970s they even had Malibu-Two Harbors races.
Particularly with fall-winter offshore winds, it's a lot of fun to sail the Malibu coast.
Paradise Cove, on the lee side of Point Dume, is a great anchorage under almost all winds conditions. A south swell will roll throught there, but winds are generally diminished. A nice restaurant at the little pier is easy to get to with a zodiac, or even a kayak, unless a south surf is way up.
The Malibu coast is fun to look at. Look for the FV Scorpio, the new/old dayfishing boat based at the Malibu Pier, and see where she is fishing. Usually she is over the BKR ("Big Kelp Ridge"), which runs east from Little Dume Point and is populated with rockfish.
True, the waters west of Point Dume are a bit more choppy and windy in the afternoons. But mornings are generally 10-20 mph winds out of the west, and no whitecaps. If I were heading from MDR to Oxnard I would overnight at Paradise Cove and motor west from there early in the day - before 1pm or so.
It's about 30 miles from Avalon to Paradise Cove, and another 25 to Channel Islands Harbor. A lot of Hobie Cat sailors used to zip back and forth in one day, in the 1970s they even had Malibu-Two Harbors races.
Particularly with fall-winter offshore winds, it's a lot of fun to sail the Malibu coast.
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Frank C
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jetta01
- Engineer
- Posts: 171
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2005 8:26 pm
- Location: Forest Falls, CA --- 2005 26M Yamaha 60
Hardcrab, did you make the trip?
Zuma hans 1, didn't mean to offend the local waters. I consider it all my local waters too. I bought my bought from H&S in Oxnard and sailed there for the first few months. Then moved down to MDR, primarily because I can't take my dogs onto the Channel Islands. Anyway, point Dume is not to be taken lightly as it can be pretty rough out there. I do recommend the Oxnard area, especially Spudnuts!! But if I had the choice, I would probably just trailer it up there.
Mark, we should get a group and head up to Paradise Cove. I have never tried to anchor there, but it is a nice place. The restaurant is great, we ate there with the Harley club a while back.
Zuma hans 1, didn't mean to offend the local waters. I consider it all my local waters too. I bought my bought from H&S in Oxnard and sailed there for the first few months. Then moved down to MDR, primarily because I can't take my dogs onto the Channel Islands. Anyway, point Dume is not to be taken lightly as it can be pretty rough out there. I do recommend the Oxnard area, especially Spudnuts!! But if I had the choice, I would probably just trailer it up there.
Mark, we should get a group and head up to Paradise Cove. I have never tried to anchor there, but it is a nice place. The restaurant is great, we ate there with the Harley club a while back.
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Hardcrab
- Captain
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- Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 8:25 pm
- Sailboat: MacGregor 26M
- Location: "Cease-fire", White 05 M, 90hp, Boggy Bayou, Niceville, FL
Jetta01,
We got too late of a start (1pm), but we cast off anyway. The trip was partly to evaluate a 10" pitch prop on my 90TLDI, and get a feel for fuel consumption. By 3:00 or so, we were a couple miles north of Point Dume with increasing winds with a really nasty and wet angle to the swells and chop when we turned more northerly for the last leg. Decided to turn around and backtrack the 19NM rather than continue the 24NM to CH IS.
Learned at least two things. One, the 10" prop is way to little pitch. Two, don't leave MDR so late.
Now a question. Do you know the correct pronunciation for Point Dume?
Does it sound like doom or room, or is it more like doom-A ?
We still plan a motor trip there / sail back, but it needs to wait until just after the holidays. I hope the group trip to Paradise Cove works out. Depending on dates, we could be interested to tag along.
We got too late of a start (1pm), but we cast off anyway. The trip was partly to evaluate a 10" pitch prop on my 90TLDI, and get a feel for fuel consumption. By 3:00 or so, we were a couple miles north of Point Dume with increasing winds with a really nasty and wet angle to the swells and chop when we turned more northerly for the last leg. Decided to turn around and backtrack the 19NM rather than continue the 24NM to CH IS.
Learned at least two things. One, the 10" prop is way to little pitch. Two, don't leave MDR so late.
Now a question. Do you know the correct pronunciation for Point Dume?
Does it sound like doom or room, or is it more like doom-A ?
We still plan a motor trip there / sail back, but it needs to wait until just after the holidays. I hope the group trip to Paradise Cove works out. Depending on dates, we could be interested to tag along.