esheufelt
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2016
- Messages
- 28
- Location
- US
- Vessel Name
- Wanderer
- Vessel Make
- Sunnfjord 42 Pilothouse
Cape Blanco in August
This was quite a few years ago and in a 33 ft sailboat but I'll share because I learned a lesson.
This was late August but it can happen June- Sept.
In the summer the North Pacific high and the desert continental low create a squash zone off the Oregon California border.
Usually, when looking for a weather window high pressure is good but here's an exception. We left Newport OR, headed for San Francisco with a 1040 mb high. We also drank the kool-aid about being off shore headed south.
As we were passing about a mile from the sea bouy that's about 25 miles offshore from Cape Blanco the Coast guard weather reported winds gusting to 62 kts and seas 22 ft. We got pooped a couple of times that night but my wife was on watch so I didn't get wet so it was OK.
These were the biggest seas we've seen in 60,000 miles offshore. One circumnavigation and one Pacific Loop. Seattle, Panama, NZ, Japan, Alaska back to Seattle.
Now I'll for under 1020 mb High and I stay within 5 miles of shore headed south.
We have a 42 ft Sunnfjord now. Great hull but the windows are too big for safe offshore. I think windows are the limiting factor for most boats. I'm comfortable doing any coastal in her because I have a lot more control over the risk of hitting really heavy seas.
This was quite a few years ago and in a 33 ft sailboat but I'll share because I learned a lesson.
This was late August but it can happen June- Sept.
In the summer the North Pacific high and the desert continental low create a squash zone off the Oregon California border.
Usually, when looking for a weather window high pressure is good but here's an exception. We left Newport OR, headed for San Francisco with a 1040 mb high. We also drank the kool-aid about being off shore headed south.
As we were passing about a mile from the sea bouy that's about 25 miles offshore from Cape Blanco the Coast guard weather reported winds gusting to 62 kts and seas 22 ft. We got pooped a couple of times that night but my wife was on watch so I didn't get wet so it was OK.
These were the biggest seas we've seen in 60,000 miles offshore. One circumnavigation and one Pacific Loop. Seattle, Panama, NZ, Japan, Alaska back to Seattle.
Now I'll for under 1020 mb High and I stay within 5 miles of shore headed south.
We have a 42 ft Sunnfjord now. Great hull but the windows are too big for safe offshore. I think windows are the limiting factor for most boats. I'm comfortable doing any coastal in her because I have a lot more control over the risk of hitting really heavy seas.
Last edited: