Port San Luis

Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
That is a good read! We had similar winds here in So Cal and Central Cal just this past week— > 45 kt. Not ones we’d generally venture out in!
 
Jan 18, 2016
782
Catalina 387 Dana Point
Yup. "Challange" is the right term. From a nice peaceful sail around the islands to holycrap weather in an instant.

As the United States Coast Pilot publication of 2012 notes:

Point Conception has been called the Cape Horn of the Pacific because of the heavy NW gales encountered off it during the passage through Santa Barbara Channel. A marked change of climatic and meteorological conditions is experienced off the point, the transition often being remarkably sudden and well defined.

Hence why my tale of it being flat, glassy, and windless is a very boring story.

Also why KG's plan of motoring around in the early AM is the right one - local knowledge (what little I know) says to do that, not try to sail after the winds pick up towards the afternoon. Going N in Calif is almost always simultaneously upwind and up current.
 
Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
The weather in Port San Luis today was mild. Sunny, a light westerly breeze, low seas, and a lot of beach-goers turning lobster red! Evidently, today was the first day in a month and a half that did not see cold, high winds w/clouds and/or rain, etc. We’re all looking forward to a great spring and summer.
 
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Johnb

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Jan 22, 2008
1,420
Hunter 37-cutter Richmond CA
The weather in Port San Luis today was mild. Sunny, a light westerly breeze, low seas, and a lot of beach-goers turning lobster red! Evidently, today was the first day in a month and a half that did see cold, high winds w/clouds and/or rain, etc. We’re all looking forward to a great spring and summer.
Are you there already?
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
So, installed a couple of cockpit jack lines today. These run the 7-ft length of the cockpit stb & port, attached to pad eyes fore and aft. The pad eyes were in the boat when purchased. These are in addition to the jack lines that run along the deck. The cockpit ones are custom made of very strong flat nylon 1” wide (the blue stuff), looped through the eyes at one end and lashed w/ spectra line at the other end; 6,000# strength each. As long as the Wichard pad eyes don’t pull out, we should be good taking a hard roll w/boarding seas. Can hardly wait:yikes:! Also made new wash boards of polycarbonate. Not too sure about those; 3/8 in.

Got the self-tacking feature of the ST6000 autohelm tuned up. This will be helpful if I need to stand watch alone. Also got the injectors rebuilt. Diesel runs good! There is more to do.:beer:
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Testing the bilge pumps’ clearance rates. My 1800 GPH (rated) electric bilge pump as installed cannot keep up with an influx rate of about 360 GPH. If I get on the gusher and start pumping at a moderate rate of perhaps 1 stroke per second, dewatering gets ahead of the influx. So, I get a brief respite of maybe 40 sec b/f I have to start pumping again.:( I may need to install a new one.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
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Just arrived Coho Anchorage in preparation to pass off California’s most treacherous puntas tomorrow. Anchored now in front of “the culvert”—the preferred berth according to Coast Pilot 7 and Professor Fagan. Absolutely the calmest conditions I’ve beheld in these parts. Good for diesel work, but certainly not for sailing!!
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Your on your way KG. Safe passage. Sailing is preferable but have never heard a sailor complain on getting past Point Concepcion on a smooth ocean.

What you need is a Santa Ana to come up for a day or so. But not the season for such wishes.

Safe passage and keep checking in.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Your on your way KG. Safe passage. Sailing is preferable but have never heard a sailor complain on getting past Point Concepcion on a smooth ocean.

What you need is a Santa Ana to come up for a day or so. But not the season for such wishes.

Safe passage and keep checking in.
We’re around. Lumpy as with any other point. Hardly any wind, perhaps 3-4 kt. Slowed down some a few minutes ago so could raise the mainsail and do some motor “sailing.” No fog for us the entire way so far :).

ETA Port San Luis 1400-1430 PDT today. Hoping for sailing wind from NW before then. COG is 359 T rhumb line to destination. Have some recent (practical) experience entering new “harbors” to share.

KG
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
Arrived PSL yesterday afternoon near 1530. A light sailing wind (close reach) came up which eventually built to 10-12 kt that took us into the harbor, which is very spacious. Weather today magnificent although a return to gale or near-gale conditions by Thursday-Saturday is forecast :what:. Picture (looking NE) is part of Avila Beach & Pier. San Luis YC is blue building at head of pier to left.
21D06AA8-46F0-45FE-8961-5667E50ED9A1.jpeg
 
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Nov 22, 2011
1,192
Ericson 26-2 San Pedro, CA
Maybe you already mentioned it somewhere, but is this your final destination or is it a stopover to somewhere else?
 
Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
Nice site.
We are looking forward to a nice breeze tomorrow. 10-15 would be nice. Making one last run to the Barrier Reef. Ray Caye (formerly known as Hachet Cay. Local islanders are working with the Government to enhance the growth of the reef. We must a camera crew from California headed out to I’ll the project.
Have a fun sail.
 
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Jul 27, 2011
4,989
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
San Luis update.

It was a nice warm afternoon anchored in here with only a brief stint of cool wind near 16 kt. Gale warning beyond 10 n.mi. offshore for tonight through tomorrow evening. Offshore fishing fleet came in about an hour ago and anchored about a half mile south of me. Several boats. A bright waxing cresent moon is toward setting, sky is amazingly clear. Some evident high pressure influence although barometer is still at 1016.:doh:

KG
 
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Oct 22, 2014
20,995
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
KG looking at Windy.com. The High providing the sunny weather is compressing as it steers a Pacific Low north.
E786D877-BAFE-487F-BAE9-9C1320FA6A09.png 9B4069E1-D478-4A4B-B297-E787ABAA4312.png 43EB21F0-04AA-4D7E-A26C-B7201E025A7B.png E931B2DF-4A16-4C2E-B0A2-D692A7EABB2F.png
Looks like Saturday or Sunday before the high moves north to reduce wind fields. Bummer is the fill in Low (1013) sneaking up from south might give you sea fog or breezes from a contrarian direction.

Stay safe. Enjoy the central coast. Certainly a good adventure.
 
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