I agree that over period of 4 to 5 yr one should see at least a few times winds of a westerly (to northwesterly) enough direction in summer to be favorable for laying the isthmus. It's happened for me too; just not often in 15 yr of sailing out of Long Beach/Los Angeles. *LOL* It's just your statement: ...I sail out of San Pedro and go to the Isthmus all the time, and in the prevailing weather I can typically lay the Isthmus without a problem.--that I questioned--i.e., in the prevailing summer winds (?), which is what the OP requested information on. If the "prevailing conditions" are from the WNW, N, NE, E, SE, then no hay problema, but we see that mostly in other seasons.Well, KG, I'll just summarize the data from my log book (just for the Ericson 26 that I've owned since 2012).
I make frequent trips to Catalina, not all of them to the Isthmus. (I also frequent Avalon and, to a lesser extent, Cat Harbor.) But I have made 19 trips to the Isthmus specifically on this boat. (Realize that when I leave in the late morning the wind has often not come up, which explains some of the trips where I begin by motoring and finish by sailing.)
Of these:
3 trips where I sailed 100% of the way, laid the Isthmus on one tack.
4 trips where I sailed the last half or more of the way, laid the Isthmus on one tack.
1 trip where I sailed 2/3 of the way but was only able to point within 10-deg. of the Isthmus
2 trips where I motored but clearly could have sailed because there was sufficient wind from the correct direction to lay the Isthmus on one tack. (Don't rag on me for this, guys! In one case I was in the process of swapping out a traveler, and in the other I felt sick and just wanted to get there!)
5 trips where I motored the entire way because there was no wind.
4 trips where there was wind but I motored the entire way because the wind was on the nose.
Well, there you have it!
--Alan
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