C30 from Long Beach to San Francisco?

[Mark]

Is a Catalina 30 sea worthy enough to sail from Long Beach to Catalina? Or even further up the coast?

 

[LaDonna Bubak - Planet Catalina]

Definitely

You need to pick a good weather window, for sure, but if the boat is well-found, you should have no trouble going up the coast. My guy, Rob, took his from Portland to SF, Hawaii, Puget Sound, etc. LaDonna

 

[Don Fitzpatrick]

C-30 goes offshore

I have sailed my '79 C-30 from Rhode Island to Florida (1500 miles) and back 3 times. We sailed the ICW from Va. to Fla., But offshore for the 350+ miles from RI to Va.I keep a close eye on the weather and have not experienced winds over 35 knots offshore (ICW squalls up to 50 Knots though).The boat has a triple reefed main and roller furling genoa and handles bad weather quite well (reef early!). My engine is only 11 hp diesel and when loaded down with liveaboard stuff (2 adults, 1 child, 2 dogs), dinghy... it is IMPOSSIBLE to motor against wind or current. A 25 hp would be nice.Take your C-30 anywhere, just be smart.

 

[Richard]

probably under most conditions

I have had my old 27 out in 10 foot seas and 30 to 40 knot winds once. It took it better than me! I imagine my 30 would handle it better. Sailing in San Francisco bay I have seen many days of 30Knots this year and I really want to add a second reef now!I would not even consider taking one anywhere but coastal crusing. Some claim they are a strong boat, but I just don't believe it.I am quite amazed with the newer design catalinas where all the shrouds come to a single chain plate on each side of the mast. This way with a single weld failure or bulkhead failure you are guarenteed to loose the mast.Richard

 

[Willy Benjamin]

Do your homework

I've owned my C 30 for just over a year now and have taken her back and forth around Point Conception 6 times without major mishap. I keep her in Morro Bay and enjoy cruising to Santa Cruz Island, It's a real pleasure in the C30 compared to the trips I used to make in my old O'day 27. The only caveat to making the Channel Islands passages is to 1)Know the weather, things can turn nasty in a hurry in the channel 2)Know your boat and all of her systems inside and out, carry plenty of spares 3)Sail conservatively, trouble comes in spades when you push too hard. I've had Rascal in 35kts with large, choppy seas and she likes it just fine with a double reef and a working jib.Do your homework and then go sailing!