Repositioning to San Pedro

kimelmore

kimelmore

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Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
This is it!
We are moving our new to us Catalina 380 from San Diego to San Pedro this weekend. Two good friends with lots of blue water experience will accompany us on our journey. We have hopes for a trouble free trip. The boat didn't get sailed much if at all over the last 4 years so we have spent the last two weekends going thru all of the systems and cleaning checking etc. We did a test sail (not sea trial which we did before we bought it) in the beautiful harbor there in San Diego. Everything seemed to go real smoothly. We plan on a 10-12 hour jaunt up the coast with an overnight in Dana Point swinging on the hook. Then we will have a 6-8 hour trip to our home marina. We are so excited neither of us are sleeping much.
 
Skipper

Skipper

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Oct 9, 2008
1,742
Bristol 29.9 Dana Point
It might be longer to DP than you think. It takes forever just to get out of SD harbor.
Chart Oceanside Harbor as an alternate if it gets late.
DP to San Pedro is a nice quick sail up the coast, with the wind out of the west. Just tack south a few miles first to catch the wind going northwest.
 
kimelmore

kimelmore

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Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
Thanks Skipper, We are allowing 14 hours of daylight just in case. 3 GPS's and a spare radio. With 2 extra hands I think we will be ok. We plan on a very very early departure. We will be anchoring in the west side anchorage.
 
Skipper

Skipper

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Oct 9, 2008
1,742
Bristol 29.9 Dana Point
Good luck and have fun. Weather should be good, with a nice 10-15 knot west wind.
By the way, they're dredging in Dana Point Harbor, with lots of equipment and pipes in and near the west anchorage. I know you mentioned early start, but try very hard to come in before dark.
 
Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,180
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Congratulations on your new acquisition! My wife and I have made that run a few times--San Diego (i.e., Pt Loma) to Long Beach Harbor--add an hour to San Pedro. So for us it's about a 12-13 hr total run if averaging 7 to 7.5 kt SOG. Looks like you're planning for 6 kt SOG average if allowing 10-12 hr to Dana Pt.

Dana Pt. Harbor is the best overnight stop in my opinion--going into Oceanside Harbor adds at least a couple of more hr to the trip so I would avoid it. Upon leaving Dana Pt., if you go straight out (west) about 4 n.mi. before turning NW you might be able to ride the afternoon SW sea wind all the way into harbor on the one (port) tack, if you are mindful about working the boat to weather when possible. The shore drops away from you past Huntington Beach, so if you keep your rhumb (or higher) you gain sea room to leeward as you approach the harbors. (Of course, you still have to avoid the federal breakwater protecting them!) The wind starts getting up at a mile or two past the Huntington Beach Pier. By the time you're passing Platform Eva on her weather side you could be well into it (i.e., the breeze). This begins the area of the notorious "Huntington Flats" where the wind waves get up a bit in 15+ kt; it gets lumpy, and usually there is some spray reaching the cockpit. But it's fun (thrilling) on a nice boat like yours. I remember my first time there in an Islander 30 chartered out of Marina Charters in Long Beach. Whew! Did not know if I was having fun or not! Anyway--have a great trip!:thumbup:

PS: You might find some interesting reading re: the stretch between Newport Beach and Long Beach in this thread started by Don Guillette a couple of years ago.
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/decision-time.160551/
http://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/decision-time.160551/page-2
 
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Skipper

Skipper

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Oct 9, 2008
1,742
Bristol 29.9 Dana Point
"Straight out" of DP Harbor entrance is SSW, not west. West is towards Isthmus Harbor, and straight into the prevailing wind.
You won't average 7-7.5 knots VMG from SD unless you're motoring. There's the tack out from SD harbor to get sea room and angle for the trip up, and the wind, while likely to be relatively stable in the afternoon, will shift and fluctuate, especially in the morning. So 12-14 hours is a more realistic sail time from inside SD harbor to DP.
 
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Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,180
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Skipper said:
"Straight out" of DP Harbor entrance is SSW, not west. West is towards Isthmus Harbor.
You won't average 7-7.5 knots VMG from SD unless you're motoring. There's the tack out from SD harbor to get sea room and angle for the trip up, and the wind, while likely to be relatively stable in the afternoon, will shift and fluctuate, especially in the morning. So 12-14 hours is a more realistic sail time from inside SD harbor to DP.
Click to expand
Sorry, you turn and head west once clearing Dana Pt. Harbor. Straight out here means "straight out toward sea w/o adding distance." Yes, we're motoring or motorsailing out the 4 n.mi. toward west. The true course to destination is NW, so if heading west you're closing the distance some. Also, on that trip, we can make that VMG b/c we do use the diesel when the wind is down or the angle bad. That's why we could do the whole distance (SD-LB) in one day if desired. Normally, we get plenty of sailing in as well. Yes--it takes some time to clear SD Harbor but we usually cut between G5 & G3. There are clear patches through the kelp. Also, the giant bladder kelp beds are thin seaward of the 90 to 100 ft depth contour.
 
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Skipper

Skipper

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Oct 9, 2008
1,742
Bristol 29.9 Dana Point
Kings Gambit said:
Sorry, you turn and head west once clearing Dana Pt. Harbor. Straight out here means "straight out toward sea w/o adding distance." Yes, we're motoring or motorsailing out the 4 n.mi. toward west. The true course to destination is NW, so if heading west you're closing the distance some. Also, on that trip, we can make that VMG b/c we do use the diesel when the wind is down or the angle bad. That's why we could do the whole distance (SD-LB) in one day if desired. Normally, we get plenty of sailing in as well. Yes--it takes some time to clear SD Harbor but we usually cut between G5 & G3. There are clear patches through the kelp. Also, the giant bladder kelp beds are thin seaward of the 90 to 100 ft depth contour.
Click to expand
Yep. It's important to know that, for a first time visitor to DP Harbor.
Also using the motor when optimal would certainly improve trip duration in this case. Might be a wise move for a long distance outing in unfamiliar waters and harbors, that is primarily a relocation task.
 
Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,180
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
The Cat 380 is about 2 tons heavier than my Bavaria 38E, but slightly less beamy with slightly more LWL; Southern California PHRF handicap of 120 compared to 105 which does not amount to much time difference on a 60 n.mi. trip everything else being equal. But, she will need some wind to keep moving evcn at 6 to 6.5 kt if attempting to sail the distance.
 
Skipper

Skipper

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Oct 9, 2008
1,742
Bristol 29.9 Dana Point
I'm in DP Harbor now. 10:30am Friday.
Looks like they moved the dredge to the east part of the outer channel. This is the channel you will use to get to the west anchorage.
The pics are looking SE past the entrance, and south at the outer breakwater.
The dredge is a significant nav hazard where it is, in daylight. Would be quite strange for a new visitor at night.
Just keep an eye out. They might even move it prior to your arrival. They have the dredge, ancillary equipment and piping day-marked.
 

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kimelmore

kimelmore

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Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
Thanks for all the help everyone. We did 11 hours from the dock in San Diego to Dana Point. Arrived right around 6PM. Anchoring went well in the west end. The dredge barge was tucked up against the sea wall by then along with all the pipes. We got a very early start Sunday morning and "Perfect Match" was tucked away in her new slip 7 hours later. The tough part was after cleaning up the boat and going to purchase new dock lines and getting her all settled in, we took a short 1 hour nap and then headed down the 5 to San Diego to retrieve the car. Back home by 2:30 am and now back at work. Yikes am I tired. The weather was awesome and we told lots of sea stories and ate some great food the admiral had prepared in advance. All in All it was a fantastic shake down cruise. It shook out some minor issues with rigging and a few plumbing issues but the motor ran like a champ. It also gave us a glimpse at some of the comfort issues like a lack of lighting in the aft stateroom that need addressing. Went by the boat and gave her a fresh water wash down today and a general post cruise interior cleanup before work. Admiral had the day off. Like I said, I'm working tonight. Ok break is over...back to the real world.
 
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marke14

marke14

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Aug 12, 2014
214
Universal Marine Montego 25 San Pedro, CA
Welcome to the area, kimelmore! I may be joining you up in SP sooner than later - we are currently "way back" in Wilmington, at the back of the L.A. Harbor.
 
Brian D

Brian D

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Feb 17, 2006
5,274
Lancer 27PS MCB Camp Pendleton KF6BL
Congrats on the safe move. Glad you enjoyed the trip.
 
kimelmore

kimelmore

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Dec 28, 2010
462
Catalina 380 san pedro
Marke, I had my Catalina 30 here in Peeeedro for the last 14 years. I'm in Holiday Harbor. It's a nice place and it's a quick jaunt to Angels Gate. Thanks Brian. I had two great knowledgeable crew members and learned a lot about the boat on the way.:wow3:
 
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