Hawaii To San Diego, Oct/nov 2011

[inthewind]

any experienced advice on what to expect would be welcome! We'll be bringing home a catamaran whose skipper was injured -

thanks!

[redbopeep]

Welcome to Cruiser Log.

Are you sailors? Have you sailed the Pacific before? Will the skipper be aboard with you?

Your post is so wide-open, I don't know where to start. I've several friends who've done that trip almost yearly. However, it varies depending on the Pacific High. Different every year.

[inthewind]

Skipper will be aboard but not 100% able: he and his wife have been aboard five years prior to this. Given an uneventful journey we'll be fine, but looking for heads-up for likelihood of heavy weather conditions leaving Hawaii end of October -

thanks!

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Welcome to Cruiser Log.

Are you sailors? Have you sailed the Pacific before? Will the skipper be aboard with you?

Your post is so wide-open, I don't know where to start. I've several friends who've done that trip almost yearly. However, it varies depending on the Pacific High. Different every year.

I'm searching weather sites - any tips?

Originally Posted by inthewind

Skipper will be aboard but not 100% able: he and his wife have been aboard five years prior to this. Given an uneventful journey we'll be fine, but looking for heads-up for likelihood of heavy weather conditions leaving Hawaii end of October -

thanks!

[inthewind]

What's the Pacific High like this year?

Originally Posted by redbopeep

Welcome to Cruiser Log.

Are you sailors? Have you sailed the Pacific before? Will the skipper be aboard with you?

Your post is so wide-open, I don't know where to start. I've several friends who've done that trip almost yearly. However, it varies depending on the Pacific High. Different every year.

[redbopeep]

OK. Suggest you go to http://www.passageweather.com/ and start tracking the weather models there. It's easy to do. You can also hire a weather router (pro) to assist you. Do you have access to GRIB files? If your boat's owner has taken his boat bluewater before, he will have well-defined opinions about weather routing, etc and should share them with you. Therefore, I'm a little more confused about your experience and the experience of the skipper and wife.

Are you sailors? have you done some coastal cruising at least?

Is the skipper someone who's ever taken his boat anywhere bluewater? If not, will you have an experienced delivery skipper aboard to help you?

Fair winds,

[JeanneP]

Just a footnote to Brenda's posts.

A friend was a California delivery skipper who delivered many, many boats from Hawaii to various CAL ports, especially after the Trans-Pac races, and she said the only relatively painless way to get back was to go far north, as high as Oregon or Washington, before turning and reaching south to California. Since many (most?) catamarans do not go to weather very well, you should consider researching the route carefully.

Please do lots of weather research before, and you might find LATITUDE38 MAG on line or the print edition in just about all California chandleries, to be very helpful.

I find GRIB files very helpful, here's a link to downloads of files onto your computer: GRIB.US

[inthewind]

Thank you! will follow up on that site - and re: a weather router, they say they have not been able to find one for that route - do you know of one?

They do have the GRIB capability, and Winlink, etc.

(Re other details would prefer to move that conversation to less public forum, out of respect for their privacy - if you wish, you can email me at bentenrain@hotmail.com)

With thanks - your responses are much appreciated!

Originally Posted by redbopeep

OK. Suggest you go to http://www.passageweather.com/ and start tracking the weather models there. It's easy to do. You can also hire a weather router (pro) to assist you. Do you have access to GRIB files? If your boat's owner has taken his boat bluewater before, he will have well-defined opinions about weather routing, etc and should share them with you. Therefore, I'm a little more confused about your experience and the experience of the skipper and wife.

Are you sailors? have you done some coastal cruising at least?

Is the skipper someone who's ever taken his boat anywhere bluewater? If not, will you have an experienced delivery skipper aboard to help you?

Fair winds,