Sailing San Diego to Catalina
 

Do you know anything about the normal summer wind direction between San
Diego and Catalina? I've heard it's on the nose the whole way there.
I've also heard that one option is to head west from San Diego then to
tack and head for Catalina. If the latter is the only way to sail from
San Diego to Catalina, how far out west before tacking for Catalina? If
it's more sailing than motoring, I would rather harbor hop up the coast
(Mission Bay, Oceanside, Dana Point) before heading to Catalina.

Got any info to share on this topic?

Thanks,

Bryan

Sailing San Diego to Catalina
 

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 05:17:20 GMT, something compelled bryan
, to say:

Do you know anything about the normal summer wind direction between San
Diego and Catalina? I've heard it's on the nose the whole way there.

Let's assume that's the case. I'd imagine an ocean wind wouldn't
shift much in that distance, so if it's on the nose out of San
Diego, it should be there all the way.

I've also heard that one option is to head west from San Diego then to
tack and head for Catalina. If the latter is the only way to sail from
San Diego to Catalina, how far out west before tacking for Catalina?

How high can you point? Let's assume forty-five degrees.

Get a chart (you'll want one anyway) and draw a line forty-five
degrees from the given wind out of San Diego to the northwest.
Draw another line forty-five degrees from the given wind
southwest from Catalina. Where those lines intersect, is where
you need to make your turn.

Sailing San Diego to Catalina
 

Steve Daniels wrote:

On Tue, 13 Jul 2004 05:17:20 GMT, something compelled bryan
, to say:


Do you know anything about the normal summer wind direction between San
Diego and Catalina? I've heard it's on the nose the whole way there.


Let's assume that's the case. I'd imagine an ocean wind wouldn't
shift much in that distance, so if it's on the nose out of San
Diego, it should be there all the way.


I've also heard that one option is to head west from San Diego then to
tack and head for Catalina. If the latter is the only way to sail from
San Diego to Catalina, how far out west before tacking for Catalina?


How high can you point? Let's assume forty-five degrees.

Get a chart (you'll want one anyway) and draw a line forty-five
degrees from the given wind out of San Diego to the northwest.
Draw another line forty-five degrees from the given wind
southwest from Catalina. Where those lines intersect, is where
you need to make your turn.
Steve,

Thanks for the "Do the math" response. It demonstrates how obvious an
answer can be! I'm actually hoping for something a little less literal
and somewhat more anecdotal based on local knowledge and experience.

I'll dig out my chart when I get home for an idea of how many miles west
of San Diego will get me a nice layline to Catalina (assuming
cooperative wind directions).

Bryan

Sailing San Diego to Catalina
 

Bryan,

You are correct in assuming that the wind probably will be on the nose. On
the other hand, I've had a couple of trips to and from San Pedro to San
Diego where it was a reach both ways! But in the summer this will not be as
likely.

If I understand what you are asking, if you just power up the coast you will
need to go as far as Newport Beach, and probably even further west before
you'll lay the east end of Catalina.

Harbor hopping is a fun way to go if you are not on a schedule. If you plan
to anchor, Mission Bay has some wonderful sheltered areas in which to drop
the hook. Oceanside is OK but nothing spectacular. Dana Point is a very nice
harbor and the city run transient slips were quite inexpensive (at least
when I stayed there two years ago) with good facilities. I think they are
first come, first served, but there were several vacant slips when I went
two summers ago. If not, the anchorage area isn't too bad there. From Dana
Point you could head out for Catalina (though you probably won't lay it
without tacking), or go up to Newport Beach. If you want to increase the
probability of hitting someplace on Catalina on a single tack, then go all
the way up to Long Beach--either to Alamitos Bay Marina or Shoreline (also
known as the Downtown marina). The harbor that puts you in closest proximity
to Catalina is San Pedro. There's some excellent marinas there as well as
some that are run down. There's an OK area to anchor but it tends to be
windy.

Hope some of this helps.

Regards,
Alan Gomes
Catalina 30, "Sola Scriptura"
San Pedro, California


"bryan" wrote in message
om...
Do you know anything about the normal summer wind direction between San
Diego and Catalina? I've heard it's on the nose the whole way there.
I've also heard that one option is to head west from San Diego then to
tack and head for Catalina. If the latter is the only way to sail from
San Diego to Catalina, how far out west before tacking for Catalina? If
it's more sailing than motoring, I would rather harbor hop up the coast
(Mission Bay, Oceanside, Dana Point) before heading to Catalina.

Got any info to share on this topic?

Thanks,

Bryan

Sailing San Diego to Catalina
 

A lot of guys just power up to Catalina and sail it back.

Just my 10 cents.
j

"bryan" wrote in message
om...
Do you know anything about the normal summer wind direction between San
Diego and Catalina? I've heard it's on the nose the whole way there.
I've also heard that one option is to head west from San Diego then to
tack and head for Catalina. If the latter is the only way to sail from
San Diego to Catalina, how far out west before tacking for Catalina? If
it's more sailing than motoring, I would rather harbor hop up the coast
(Mission Bay, Oceanside, Dana Point) before heading to Catalina.

Got any info to share on this topic?

Thanks,

Bryan