Coastal Cruise

[trdubois]

Hello everyone,
I am planning to move my boat from Dana Point Harbor, CA to Marina del Rey, CA, motor up the SoCal coast, about 70 miles.
I have a 1986 Catalina 22/fin keel with a brand new 5hp Mercury Sail Power outboard. Seems like iff I can maintain 7-8 knots, hug the coast, could make for a lovely day, albeit 8-9 hours, I’m thinking. I’ve never undertaken such an adventure am curious if this is actually feasible. Would be very interested in any words of wisdom to go or no go.

Thank you so much for any input,
Tom

 

[jssailem]

I see this is your first post. Welcome to the group of posters. You have asked a good question. You may not like the answer.

First your 22 foot boat has a water line of 19.33ft. Our sailboats are generally, like yours, displacement boats. Their speed is limited by physics.
Here is the calculation of Hull speed for your boat:
Displacement Hull Speed
Formula : Kts = 1.34 * LWL^½
Length at water line
Decimal Feet Meters
Results
Knots : 5.89 Miles per hour : 6.78
Kilometers per hour : 10.91 Meters per Second : 3.03

You trip will likely take a bit longer than your proposed 8-9 hours. Possibly as many as 12 hours. Certainly the long summer days will help you make your trip during daylight hours.

Your trip planning is a bit more complex. I have no idea how fast your 5hp motor can push your sailboat. This will need to be factored into your planning. Perhaps you should work this out testing your boat in the calm of a nearby bay.

Then there are ocean currents that will try to grab and slow your boats hull. Known as the California Current it swirls along the coast helping and hindering sailors. Here is an image and a link to give you further access.
http://www.sccoos.org/data/hfrnet/

And I hope you will get a favorable breeze to urge you forward under sail. But like all challenges this is often not the case for the Southern Cal Coast. More often than not the breeze is out of the Northwest. I know that is where I live and sail. I'm sorry about the bad breezes.

Those are the obvious challenges you will have. Additionally as this may be a day and night trip, you may want to have other experienced crew members with you so that you can share the stress of cruising for more than 9 hours. On a boat 9 hours can wear you down. You also want to plan your arrival in the daylight. You will want to know and have charts for all ports you plan to stop in.

There are many reasons to make this cruise. It will be a wonderful adventure. Make your plans and have your back-up plans in case the weather changes.
Fair winds and safe sailing.

 

[Michael Davis]

As John said! Enjoy the adventure.

 

[dLj]

Jssalem's post is excellent! The other thing I would throw in there is when you are figuring out how fast that motor will push your boat ya might want to also know how many gallons per hour it consumes. 5 hp shouldn't be bad, but you should have a good idea of how much that is. I like to carry a good bit more fuel with me than what I project I'll need.

dj

 

[rgranger]

I’ve done a lot of cruising in a macgregor 22. The one I owned was a particularly fast 22. Although it is possible to do 7 kts in a 22 (surfing) it is not possible to average 7 over an extended period. Plan on 4 or 5 and stop as needed. Also look into self steering (sheet to tiller) or an auto tiller. And have fun

 

[Kings Gambit]

In my opinion the best route is west to Two Harbors (Isthmus Cove), Catalina Island, then north to MdR. Take two days. Leave Dana Point early, say 0530, to make your westing under engine to Two Harbors while there is no opposing wind. Next day reach or motor-sail to MdR on the afternoon wind, which should be favorable.

You likely will not be able to make MdR from Dana Pt in one daytime interval traveling along the coast anyway unless you leave Dana Pt also very early. The Cat 22 w/5 hp outboard may not average even 5 kt SOG (speed over the ground). So, figure minimally 6 to 7 hr to make Long Beach Harbor if you leave early. The summer afternoon winds, which are westerly to southwesterly, will be building against you staring around noon, increasing to perhaps 15 or more knots by mid afternoon. They are the strongest, perhaps 20 kt, near the San Pedro Peninsula which you must go around if following the coast. By the time you arrive there you will be fighting wind and sea on a typical day. Very wet and slow in your boat. Trust me. So, you’ll likely want to lay over the night, or linger somewhere until sunset when the winds start to die out. Then finish the trip after dark if still wish same-day arrival.

If you want follow the coast, do this. Depart Dana Pt by 0700. Go west or west-northwest for about 3 n.mi. Then set your heading for the east end of the Long Beach breakwater. Motorsail until the wind gets up. When it does you should still be able to lay close to the east end. Pass it on your port, obviously, to enter the protected waters of Long Beach Harbor. Once past, head up to close-hauled and continue sailing until you run out of sea room, about 2 n.mi. Then douse the mainsail and jib, and motor along the lee of the breakwater all of the way to Cabrillo Beach and anchor for the afternoon or through the night. You’ll have wind but not the seas going up there. Next morning early, motor out through the LA Gate, pass the red stand-off buoy for Pt Fermin to starboard. Ten miles northwesterly to clear past Pt. Vincente, then bear off to your course, NNE, to MdR. When the wind gets up again you’ll be broad reaching to destination. Good luck!

 

[capta]

I wouldn't "hug the coast" too much as this gives you little sea room should the unexpected happen. 5 miles or even more would be my suggestion.
I certainly wouldn't count on much more than 4 knots, so it might be wise to have a marina or two lined up if you want to keep the trip during daylight hours.
Good luck and have fun.