reading recommendations for off shore cruisers?

[Carpediem44DB]

I've been boating for going on 30 years and have experienced just about every extreme weather and water condition that the bay and delta and local lakes offer. Over the years we have on occasion ventured past the golden gate bridge for a few miles and turned around mainly because it was always just a segment of a bay cruise, never ventured out to go down the coast. I was always struck by how different the water is out there, big swells and big ass waves crashing on the shore and always remembered being much more comfortable once back inside the bay. One big reason to buy the 51 foot Carver was to have a more comfortable boat to begin venturing down the coast 50 to 100 miles for weekend excursions. I am wondering if any of you guys that run off shore had good reading recommendations on the subject. I would probably join a group of experienced cruisers on a trip before venturing out on our own but want to be well read on the subject rather than just follow along. I know some folks don't see it as a big deal, its only wind and water after all. Those are the guys that end up on the evening news though after giving the Coasties an opportunity to be heroes. I tend to approach flying and boating with a heaping spoonful of caution however.
Thanks
Carpe Diem

 

[WV 320 Dancer]

looks like you have a craft well suited to the job sir...

 

[FootballFan]

I have always heard the pacific is different than coastal boating on the east coast. No personal pacific experience. Closest would be a couple of trips we made to San Juan islands. Furtherest west was Victoria.

I would engage every boater/delivery captain I ran into to pick their brain. Maybe check with a couple brokers,see if they know some captains that would be open to you buying lunch/dinner or drinks to pick their brain.

 

[JHornsby3]

Carpe, we see guys in 12' skiffs going out past the break all the time. And they either have a lot of time on the water or balls the size of paul bunion's head. I have talked to many of guys that say it's no big deal. To just watch the water and respond to what it's telling you. I've been out in 24' sleds during big seas and it's always the same thing. Keeping the waves at the bow and to ride the backs. I have a buddy that runs a Cal20 out past the bridge all the time. Very experianced racer of small and medium craft. PM me and I can put you two in touch. He might be able to help. Either himself or others.

I personally have set a 10' wave limit. Anything 10' or larger, I won't go out over the bar. I know a couple of guys that run 28' and smaller fishing and they always say that up here, once you get out a ways from the shore and in the deeper water, it calms down. 30 to 50' at a mile out is pretty shallow. But in the storms, thats the big water too.

 

[hughespat57]

I've been boating for going on 30 years and have experienced just about every extreme weather and water condition that the bay and delta and local lakes offer. Over the years we have on occasion ventured past the golden gate bridge for a few miles and turned around mainly because it was always just a segment of a bay cruise, never ventured out to go down the coast. I was always struck by how different the water is out there, big swells and big ass waves crashing on the shore and always remembered being much more comfortable once back inside the bay. One big reason to buy the 51 foot Carver was to have a more comfortable boat to begin venturing down the coast 50 to 100 miles for weekend excursions. I am wondering if any of you guys that run off shore had good reading recommendations on the subject. I would probably join a group of experienced cruisers on a trip before venturing out on our own but want to be well read on the subject rather than just follow along. I know some folks don't see it as a big deal, its only wind and water after all. Those are the guys that end up on the evening news though after giving the Coasties an opportunity to be heroes. I tend to approach flying and boating with a heaping spoonful of caution however.
Thanks
Carpe Diem

Going to sea is very much like going flying. Once out its is very unforgiving of the ill prepared.

"Aviation in itself is not inherently dangerous. But to an even greater degree
than the sea, it is terribly unforgiving of any carelessness, incapacity or neglect."
— Captain A. G. Lamplugh, British Aviation Insurance Group, London. 1930's

"A man who is not afraid of the sea will soon be drowned, he said, for he will be going out on a day he shouldn't. But we do be afraid of the sea, and we do only be drownded now and again."
— John Millington Synge

I have not had the pleasure of sailing the Pacific. But on the east coast I was one of those Coasties. I have been hundreds of miles offshore in all types of very foul weather. Fortunately it was always in vessels that were quite capable 95' 82' 44' 41' 31' yet even such vessels each have their limitations.

The single most import thing I have learned is how to interpret a NOAA Marine Forecast. Get a good book on marine weather. Knowing when to stay in port a day or two longer beats any amount of seamanship skills that you should not be testing in the first place.

Knowing how to read and cross a bar from the seaward is the next most important. As is knowing when to wait it out offshore as uncomfortable as that might be. Again not that you should be testing your skills, but there may be a time where you have little other choice.

 

[ocgrant]

When we lived in SoCal we would leave on Thursday for Avalon all the time and usually in the afternoon. 4-6 was normal and and occasional 8-10 in the channel was to be expected. Sticking the bow and Green water over the window was a regular occurrence. You have to trust your equipment. Then add fog to the mix… I remember my kids and wife on the floor wrapped up soaked many times. Hence the water maker so when you get there you can wash her off. That cold water was no joke.

on the east cost it is more of a wind and weather thing. Zero viz is real and lightening is no joke.

you just have to get out there and do it!!!

 

[Pirate Lady]

I've been boating for going on 30 years and have experienced just about every extreme weather and water condition that the bay and delta and local lakes offer. Over the years we have on occasion ventured past the golden gate bridge for a few miles and turned around mainly because it was always just a segment of a bay cruise, never ventured out to go down the coast. I was always struck by how different the water is out there, big swells and big ass waves crashing on the shore and always remembered being much more comfortable once back inside the bay. One big reason to buy the 51 foot Carver was to have a more comfortable boat to begin venturing down the coast 50 to 100 miles for weekend excursions. I am wondering if any of you guys that run off shore had good reading recommendations on the subject. I would probably join a group of experienced cruisers on a trip before venturing out on our own but want to be well read on the subject rather than just follow along. I know some folks don't see it as a big deal, its only wind and water after all. Those are the guys that end up on the evening news though after giving the Coasties an opportunity to be heroes. I tend to approach flying and boating with a heaping spoonful of caution however.
Thanks
Carpe Diem

“How to avoid big ships”, its a best seller.

 

[Shoyrtt]

I am fairly new to offshore boating, buying our 450 EB last Summer in Isleton, CA in the Delta. I have logged around 180 hours so far on the boat with the relocation trip to Long Beach and weekend trips to Catalina and up and down the coast. I am certainly not an expert. To prepare for a journey, I usually check the National Weather Service's local marine forecast daily on my phone in the week preceding the trip for the conditions. They are usually pretty spot on in predicting the wind, swell height and direction, along with fog and other weather related events. I also find the Windy app to be helpful to supplement the NWS report. It has been a year since I checked the Bay Area zone, but if it is like the LA/Oxnard zone, the forecast tends to be very conservative as most of the severe conditions are near Point Conception.

This past weekend we took a really calm trip from San Pedro to Newport Beach to visit with some friends who were down from Elk Grove. We picked them up and headed down the coast to Dana Point for a late lunch. The NWS report was for a 2-3' West swell at 7 seconds and a South swell, 2' at 12 seconds. The predicted wind was out of the West at 10-15 knots. Windy tends to be more precise as far as location, confirmed the NWS report. The trip down the coast was easy with the following sea, averaging 20-21 knots at 2400 rpm. Heading back in the afternoon, the winds picked up to 15 knots and I'm heading directly into the 3' and sometimes 4' swell at 6-7 seconds as soon as we pull out of Dana Point. I slowed her down to 14 knots and just cruised to Newport. The boat was happy, the passengers were comfortable and yes it took us a little longer, but it was still a wonderful trip. You just get a feel for what the conditions will allow for.

I believe that the next three months tend to be the best time of the year for cruising outside the Bay. Maybe plan a trip to Monterey and overnight at their guest slips. If you haven't seen this, here is my "relocation" thread from last August about our journey. http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php...-delta-to-long-beach-ca-in-im-in-deep.100285/
Of course there are other things that you might want to consider (ACR use comes to mind) but the biggest issue to me is the weather and sea conditions. As far as reading recommendations, I read several articles I found online about sailing down the coast. Most of them talked about weather conditions and where they stopped for safe harbor and fuel.

 

[Carpediem44DB]

I am fairly new to offshore boating, buying our 450 EB last Summer in Isleton, CA in the Delta. I have logged around 180 hours so far on the boat with the relocation trip to Long Beach and weekend trips to Catalina and up and down the coast. I am certainly not an expert. To prepare for a journey, I usually check the National Weather Service's local marine forecast daily on my phone in the week preceding the trip for the conditions. They are usually pretty spot on in predicting the wind, swell height and direction, along with fog and other weather related events. I also find the Windy app to be helpful to supplement the NWS report. It has been a year since I checked the Bay Area zone, but if it is like the LA/Oxnard zone, the forecast tends to be very conservative as most of the severe conditions are near Point Conception.

This past weekend we took a really calm trip from San Pedro to Newport Beach to visit with some friends who were down from Elk Grove. We picked them up and headed down the coast to Dana Point for a late lunch. The NWS report was for a 2-3' West swell at 7 seconds and a South swell, 2' at 12 seconds. The predicted wind was out of the West at 10-15 knots. Windy tends to be more precise as far as location, confirmed the NWS report. The trip down the coast was easy with the following sea, averaging 20-21 knots at 2400 rpm. Heading back in the afternoon, the winds picked up to 15 knots and I'm heading directly into the 3' and sometimes 4' swell at 6-7 seconds as soon as we pull out of Dana Point. I slowed her down to 14 knots and just cruised to Newport. The boat was happy, the passengers were comfortable and yes it took us a little longer, but it was still a wonderful trip. You just get a feel for what the conditions will allow for.

I believe that the next three months tend to be the best time of the year for cruising outside the Bay. Maybe plan a trip to Monterey and overnight at their guest slips. If you haven't seen this, here is my "relocation" thread from last August about our journey. http://www.clubsearay.com/index.php...-delta-to-long-beach-ca-in-im-in-deep.100285/
Of course there are other things that you might want to consider (ACR use comes to mind) but the biggest issue to me is the weather and sea conditions. As far as reading recommendations, I read several articles I found online about sailing down the coast. Most of them talked about weather conditions and where they stopped for safe harbor and fuel.

I remember reading your thread, I will likely do a first trip just to half moon bay and back and then Monterey or north to bodega bay coming up in the fall. The wife is my main concern but I may just send her by car and take a buddy along for the first couple of runs. If we don't sink it the wife may just come along eventually. Ill do some reading on interpreting the marine weather charts and wave/ swell conditions for sure.
Thanks for the responses