PeterB40
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2021
- Messages
- 56
- Vessel Name
- Swan Song
- Vessel Make
- Greenline 33 Hybrid '14
Back a couple of days from a trip my wife and I took down the CA coast from Monterey Bay to San Diego on the Mexican border and back - by way of the Channel Is. of Catalina and Santa Cruz - after picking up our daughter and son-in-law at Dana Pt. past LA. They're experienced Pacific ocean-crossers under sail, with their classic S&S Swan 41 in Fiji past two years, and still no entry allowed.
The first 200nm's to Santa Barbara offer no harbors of refuge except Morro bay, at about 150 miles from Monterey, and only two anchorages protected from the prevailing 15-20kn NW winds and 6-10' swells in summertime: San Simeon at 85mi, site of the Hearst Castle, and the Coho anchorage just around dreaded Pt. Conception, where the coastline turns dead E from it's NW direction, about 85mi S of San Simeon.
We ran 9-10kn downwind in daytime to the two anchorages, surfing the big rollers up to 12-14kn, then a short hop to Santa Barbara and into the craziness LA/SoCal, visiting old friends and family in several stops down to San Diego.
We had no life raft, but inflated the 8'3" dinghy and kept it standing on it's port side across the cockpit with lower pontoon against the port sidewall, and bow clear of the boarding gate, with the dinghy supported by the transom, which I had rigged for quick release (winch line let out to down position), and a ~3' 1/4" line with a small loop over the stbd. locking bolt and larger end loop for the hand. At 81, I can still lower and raise it manually without too much effort, but with a well-braced stance after dinghy tilted fwd., then moving the dinghy aft end out on the transom, ready for deployment with dry bag holding locator beacon, waterproof VHF, flares, powerful LCD torch, etc.
With the soon-to-retire "kids" and their two 14' kyaks stored in the port "gutter" on sides, one above the other, we took off to the Islands ~30nm offshore, and 60nm apart for a week.
Louise and Kim jumped ship in Santa Barbara and wisely took the scenic train back to Monterey, while Mark and I had a pretty horrendous fog-bound two night slog with eyes bound to radar (much calmer winds at night, but 6-8' NW long period dominate swell with 2-3' short SW swell making for a very uncomfortable sea, slowing from usual 7-7.5kn to 5-6 later rounding Pt. Sur @ 4 AM. Even with AP in track mode, this old sea dog could only handle about an hour helm trick before the eyes started failing, and Mark a bit longer. Off-watch on the Port bunk with back removed for more room.
Nothing failed except the anchor/white running light - not the bulb, unfortunately, but we hung a well-taped LCD lantern in it's place. Outside of the anchorages, we saw no boats/ships on the radar screen until near Monterey's gray early dawn.
The Stats, after zero'ing the VW 165TDi's cumulative data fields at beginning: Engine hours-113.9; Fuel consumed- 1082 L/285 gal. Fuel taken on after full tank - 243 gal. Average fuel consumption 9.5 L/Hr, and 2.9 nm/gal. Remaining fuel - 69% by iPad number, and gauge just below 3/4 mark (after 200nm run from Santa Barb. fill).Miles run 833nm. Average speed, after deducting four engine hrs for time run in ports, anchorages, and an hour of battery charging - 7.65nm/hr.
The first 200nm's to Santa Barbara offer no harbors of refuge except Morro bay, at about 150 miles from Monterey, and only two anchorages protected from the prevailing 15-20kn NW winds and 6-10' swells in summertime: San Simeon at 85mi, site of the Hearst Castle, and the Coho anchorage just around dreaded Pt. Conception, where the coastline turns dead E from it's NW direction, about 85mi S of San Simeon.
We ran 9-10kn downwind in daytime to the two anchorages, surfing the big rollers up to 12-14kn, then a short hop to Santa Barbara and into the craziness LA/SoCal, visiting old friends and family in several stops down to San Diego.
We had no life raft, but inflated the 8'3" dinghy and kept it standing on it's port side across the cockpit with lower pontoon against the port sidewall, and bow clear of the boarding gate, with the dinghy supported by the transom, which I had rigged for quick release (winch line let out to down position), and a ~3' 1/4" line with a small loop over the stbd. locking bolt and larger end loop for the hand. At 81, I can still lower and raise it manually without too much effort, but with a well-braced stance after dinghy tilted fwd., then moving the dinghy aft end out on the transom, ready for deployment with dry bag holding locator beacon, waterproof VHF, flares, powerful LCD torch, etc.
With the soon-to-retire "kids" and their two 14' kyaks stored in the port "gutter" on sides, one above the other, we took off to the Islands ~30nm offshore, and 60nm apart for a week.
Louise and Kim jumped ship in Santa Barbara and wisely took the scenic train back to Monterey, while Mark and I had a pretty horrendous fog-bound two night slog with eyes bound to radar (much calmer winds at night, but 6-8' NW long period dominate swell with 2-3' short SW swell making for a very uncomfortable sea, slowing from usual 7-7.5kn to 5-6 later rounding Pt. Sur @ 4 AM. Even with AP in track mode, this old sea dog could only handle about an hour helm trick before the eyes started failing, and Mark a bit longer. Off-watch on the Port bunk with back removed for more room.
Nothing failed except the anchor/white running light - not the bulb, unfortunately, but we hung a well-taped LCD lantern in it's place. Outside of the anchorages, we saw no boats/ships on the radar screen until near Monterey's gray early dawn.
The Stats, after zero'ing the VW 165TDi's cumulative data fields at beginning: Engine hours-113.9; Fuel consumed- 1082 L/285 gal. Fuel taken on after full tank - 243 gal. Average fuel consumption 9.5 L/Hr, and 2.9 nm/gal. Remaining fuel - 69% by iPad number, and gauge just below 3/4 mark (after 200nm run from Santa Barb. fill).Miles run 833nm. Average speed, after deducting four engine hrs for time run in ports, anchorages, and an hour of battery charging - 7.65nm/hr.