Southbound from Seattle weather

Hello there,
After a couple of years shopping, planning, surveying, offering, dreaming and scheming it looks like my boat purchase is finally coming together in Seattle. This is a little inconvenient as I live and work in Boston but I've accepted my powerlessness in some areas of life. I'm not interested in shipping or hiring out delivery because I can't afford it, even if it is cheaper! That, and the fact that Washington State gives me 45 days to get out or pay state sales tax leaves me no option but to drive my cabin cruiser South to the ditch. Anybody out there have enough general knowledge of West coast weather patterns to opine on most favorable time of year to head South to Mexico and beyond?

Congratulations and good luck on that trip. As far as weather, I'm not sure there is a "sure" season. Take your time and take the weather windows as they come. Not a bad chance to cruise the Salish Sea before you head South. It would be a great opportunity to cruise some new areas as well as give the new boat a work up while you are in easy distance of some of the best marine services around.

Congratulations! If your goal is avoiding WA tax, there are options available to extend the 45-day limit. Something about cruising permits or having work done. Someone more knowledgeable will chime in with additional info.

Lots of out-of-towners keep their boats in B.C. to avoid WA tax. Sidney is popular. Good moorage options, good boatyards, and a favorable exchange rate.

Sorry, can't help you with going south!

BTW, there is a permit that you can get that lets you stay in Washington for something like a full year after purchase of a boat. But then you have to get out of Dodge and not return for at least 2 years. I didn't do this myself so am sketchy on the exact details, so please research it yourself if interested. But several friends have done it.

As for seasons, summer is good for going down the coast. Lots of people avoid mexico and south during hurricane season, i.e. summer. Many insurance policies will require that you stay north of a particular latitude, just like on the east coast. Then in the fall people start heading south, cross to the Atlantic and once again get north before summer hits again.

Are you comfortable the boat has the requisite range?

Boat... make, style, size, photos??

We've done the trip south from the PNW to MX twice. After San Francisco it gets pretty easy so I only talk about the trip to there.

The first time we went off shore to about 126 degrees to avoid the fog, crab pots and commercial trafiic. Had good weather and it was easy five day trip. We arrived in San Francisco on Labor Day.

The second time we left Seattle June 1 and harbor hopped our way down. We arrived in San Francisco August 4. We stopped 14 times after Neah bay. The shortest day was 22 miles and the longest was 88 miles. We got hung up on weather a few times with the longest delay in Coos Bay for 2 weeks. If I had to do that trip again we'd have left a month later.

Thanks for the advice. I am planning to be in Vancouver late June so maybe should have titled thread southbound from Vancouver. Getting there should provide enough of a shakedown for me to be comfortable heading south. A little hesitant to jinx my purchase by bragging on the boat before the sea trial and survey but why live in fear? Boat is N46 so range is not an issue. I have attempted to attach a picture I took when I inspected her. If that doesn't work I will search the forum for explicit instructions and try again.

Very nice. Great boat and sounds like it would be perfect for the trip south.

I understand about not wanting to say too much before the deal is done. I am waiting to sign the documents myself but am finding the logistics of getting documents across country to be a bit frustrating.

Nice looking boat. I made the trip south from Seattle to San Francisco a couple of years ago. Here's a link to a thread about that trip if you want to peruse it for any info that might help you out.


http://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/s36/journey-lifetime-10565.html


BTW, when you make the trip, please take us along with you as I did with the TF readers.

twistedtree said:

BTW, there is a permit that you can get that lets you stay in Washington for something like a full year after purchase of a boat. But then you have to get out of Dodge and not return for at least 2 years. I didn't do this myself so am sketchy on the exact details, so please research it yourself if interested. But several friends have done it.

snip.....

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I did the one year thing. You only have the option of doing it at the time of purchase. If you want to do it, make sure your broker & settlement agent are aware, and they can complete the application at the same time as the money is handed over. Its not something you can do even one day after purchase. It is not extendable, and you do have to get out within the 1 year period and stay out for 2 years.

Other options exist for being in WA longer than 45 days, such as having repairs done. That permit is easily obtained in the local town and extends the 45 days by the repair duration, although you cannot apply for it if you have already taken the one year permit route at purchase. Alternatively go to Canada for a short period, theoretically one day will suffice, and then enter WA with the 3 month permit. Repairs can extend that one too.

Once the N46 is in the fold peruse the Nordhavn website for contact information. You will get steered to those happy N owners (like Tanglewood) who have done this trip many times. Many on N46s so hints galore.

I went down to Oregon

I puchaced in Washington with the intention of going north to BC and then up to Alaska for a couple of years before heading south to Mexico. Plans changed and I ended up staying in Oregon for a year. The intention was to avoid Washington sales tax and Caifotrnia use tax. The original plan was to leave Washington and cruise for the next ten years or so. Even though I cruised the Columbia for over a year ,California still wanted their use tax. I was a California resident. Forunately I had extensive records of expenses and a cruising log that substantiated my use and intent to use the boat out of state. Your state of residence may want their share if your intent is to deliver and use your boat at home.

As to weather

The best plan would be to head south September or October , this would put you heading south into Mexico during the optimum weather. You could joint the hundred or so sailboats doing the Baha bash.

Daveo said:

Thanks for the advice. I am planning to be in Vancouver late June so maybe should have titled thread southbound from Vancouver. Getting there should provide enough of a shakedown for me to be comfortable heading south. A little hesitant to jinx my purchase by bragging on the boat before the sea trial and survey but why live in fear? Boat is N46 so range is not an issue. I have attempted to attach a picture I took when I inspected her. If that doesn't work I will search the forum for explicit instructions and try again.

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Congrats on Navigator! I've had my eye on this boat for a while, just not in a position do pull the trigger. She should give you a lot of fun on the water! If you've got the time to take her around yourself, it sounds like you might have the time to spend a season or so cruising the PNW maybe up to Alaska. I would ABSOLUTELY do this before taking her all the way around to the east coast!

Congratulations. Looks like a great boat.

It all depends on the weather you want.

But I would think a good time to start is the summer or late spring.

I've done Seattle to San Diego four times, as captain, in sailboats from 40'/11 tons to 65'/35 tons. I don’t think it possible to generalize. The forecasts change quickly and unexpectedly as you head south. The only thing to do is plan to adapt as necessary.

here is brief description as it pertains to your question:

July1 from Gig Harbor in well equipped Tartan 42 with 5-person crew
Arrived San Diego July 17
Fantastic sailing most of the time in a very fast boat.
I had been sailing for 30+ years and 2 other crew had a lot of intense sailing experience. Two crewman had NO sailing experience (more about that later)
Stopped in Kingston WA, Newport OR, Noyo River CA, Santa Cruz, Morro Bay, Santa Barbara
Worst weather was 10 hours of 45 knots/13’ breaking seas at Cape Mendocino and 6-hours of 35 knots 10’ breaking seas in Santa Barbara Channel

Neither weather event was forecast
USCG demanded they escort us into Noyo River due to waves breaking on bar
Didn’t plan to go into Noyo River but inexperienced crew was pretty shookup by wind/waves at Mendocino
Heavy Rain and NW 25 – 35 knots from Morro Bay to just NW of Pt Conception
We had to make an unexpected stop in Santa Cruz to let a crewman off because they were “tired of being on the boat
This trip was different than the next three because my brother, me, and a close friend were all serious sailors with considerable experience who wanted to push the boat to have fun in the ocean.


August 22 from Gig Harbor in very well equipped Caliber 40
Arrived San Diego October 3
Me (a lot of offshore experience) and wife (no offshore experience)
Stopped in Kingston, Neah Bay, Grays Harbor, Newport Oregon, Coos Bay, Port Orford, Brookings, Noyo River, Half Moon Bay, Monterrey, Santa Barbara
No really bad weather but had to stop for 5-days in Grays Harbor because of new forecast of SW 20-knots and 15’ seas.
Got stuck in Coos Bay for 3-days due to closed bar with big breaking swells
Heavy FOG for several long days and nights Grays Harbor to California border
12-hour lightning storm around Cape Mendocino
heavy rain and 25’ knot NW wind Noyo River to Punta Arena
NE 40 to 50 knots for 6-hours south of Pt Arena with very fast sailing in 10' swells and full moon at midnight. Wife loved it and cooked full dinner while I supervised the double reefed main and staysail!
Very heavy fog for 12-hours Catalina toward San Diego
Wife loved the trip and her only unhappiness was the first night out of Neah Bay when we had 6’ beam seas and not enough wind to fill the sails. The seas were confused as we motored and the boat really rolled. She was thrown to cockpit floor a couple times while trying to sleep. It was way to rolly to be down below.

September 3 from Tacoma in our well equipped Caliber 40
arrived San Diego September 16
Myself and my two brothers (one was very experienced offshore and one had quite a bit of inshore sailing experience)
Stopped In Kingston, Port Angeles, Newport OR, Half Moon Bay, Oceanside CA
We did not plan to stop at Newport but a 45-knot 15’ breaking sea forecast from Cape Blanco to Punta Arena forced the stop. We waited 3-days and then continued in decent sailing weather.
The rest of the trip was decent sailing, light winds, or lots of motoring. We had heavy fog during three 12-hour time periods. The wind never exceeded 25-knots and seas never exceeded 8-feet.
Brother with only inshore experience had great fun except for 36-hours from Cape Flattery to Newport which was somewhat rolly due to a big storm way out in the Pacific that sent us 6’ rollers at right angles to the prevailing NW swell.

September 28 from Gig Harbor in a newly finished Roberts 65 (40-tons with 10L 150HP Isuzu - more a motorsailor than sailboat)
arrived San Diego October 7
Myself and 4 friends of owner, owner, owners wife (all with NO sailing experience)
Stopped in Newport OR (8-hours) and Monterrey CA (8-hours)
Dead Flat Calm – Port Townsend to just North of Newport OR
NO sailing winds until south of Santa Barbara
The ONLY decent sailing wind was across the west end of Santa Monica Bay and from Dana Pt to Point Loma.
Minor Fog along southern Oregon and Northern California coast
1000 miles of motoring in very benign conditions
None of crew had any concerns or problems

I've also done San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and on to Puerto Vallarta twice in a 40' and 42' sailboat. And another two trips from PV back to San Diego, once in a 42' sailboat and once in a 53' trawler.

San Diego - Puerto Vallarta left Dec 5 in 42' sailboat and arrived PV on Dec 15.
Mostly sunny and warmish (65 to 70 during day and 55 to 65 at night) down to Cabo and then sunny and warm to PV.
Constant NNW swell of 3' - 5' down to Cabo with NNW 10 - 15 knots noon till 8 PM and then calm the rest of the time. Except one night of NNE 20 - 30 with seas building to 6' or so.
Cabo to PV was heaven for a fast sailboat NNE 15 to 30 knots wind and 5' to 7' seas all the way to the entrance to Banderas Bay. Flying Fish on deck at night.

San Diego - Cabo left Nov 10 arrived Cabo Dec 4 in 40' sailboat
Cool and foggy with little wind first three days and constant NNW 4' swell. Daytime the fog lifted and some partial sun. From Punta San Carlos (NE of Cedros Island) to Turtle Bay was sunny and windy with 5' or so NNW swell with 4' SSW swell on top - sloppy and uncomfortable.
Turtle Bay to Cabo was the typical early winter pattern:
- Noon to 8 PM NNW 15 to 20 knots NNW 5' to 6' swell
- 8PM to 10 AM calm and some fog
- 10 AM to Noon building NNW winds and swells

Two nights we had NNW 30+ knots with seas to 10' and breaking for 12-hours

Cabo was a horrible rolly anchorage but we had to sit there for a week to repair a broken autopilot and refused to pay $100/night for a 40' slip.

We did a return trip from PV to San Diego in April in a 42' sailboat. PV to Cabo was great sailing with NNE 20+ knots and biggish seas. Rounding Cabo Falso northbound in NNW 20 knots which held for 18-hours with 5' NNW seas.

Then the next 10-days were the typical late spring weather pattern on the Western Baja Coast:
- Noon to 8 PM NNW 15 to 25 knots NNW 5' to 6' swell
- 8PM to 10 AM calm and some fog
- 10 AM to Noon building NNW winds and swells

We had to sit in Bahia Santa Maria for four days (along with 15 sport fisherman ranging in size from 45 to 75 feet) because the NNW swells were enormous. An OA 72 tried to go north at 4 AM and was badly damaged by a breaking wave that knocked a portlight out of the bow. When they tried to turn around a breaking wave ripped the 15' dinghy AND it's chocks out of the boat deck behind the upper helm.

Once north of Punta Colnet (100 NM south of Ensenada) we had flat calm all the way to San Diego.

Another return trip to San Diego from Cabo in a 53'/40-ton trawler with paravanes. We left La Paz in mid-June and took 12-days to reach San Diego.

Rounding Cabo Falso was NW 35 knots and heavy rain but diminished to to NW 15 about 20 miles NW of the point. We then had the typical early summer Baja West Coast weather all the way to San Diego.
- Noon to 8 PM NNW 10 to 15 knots NNW 3' to 5' swell
- 8PM to 10 AM calm and some fog
- 10 AM to Noon building NNW winds and swells

Hope these details help - if you want more info - I have detailed information from several other delivery captains and owners that represent another dozen trips from Seattle to PV and several more from PV to the Canal.

Bottom Line:
- you need good three day weather forecasts
- you need to be flexible
- you need to know your limitations 'cause the N46 can handle way more than most crews

Great report!

San Diego southbound

I don't know your knowledge level for this coast so please forgive me if this is repetitious.

Hurricane Season

West Coast of Baja California to Cabo San Lucas
technically June thru October
no real threat until late July
August thru October is a serious threat to life and safety
There is NO really secure hurricane anchorage anywhere on the West Coast of the Baja

Cabo San Lucas to SW Mexico
technically June thru October
Serious threat mid-July thru mid-November

I was doing a delivery from Seattle to St Croix with a novice owner aboard. He insisted on leaving San Diego in mid-October to make a fast passage to the Canal so he could be in St Croix by early December. I explained Mexican mainland hurricanes but he insisted on heading south. I got off the boat and took a train home. He and the boat suffered badly in a early November hurricane off of Manzanillo.

My boat and I have 'enjoyed' Sea of Cortez hurricanes in July, August, and September.

SW Mexico to Costa Rica
I don't know this area as well but I do know that a lot of early season Tropical Storms and minor hurricanes impact this coast in July and August.

My bottom line is to stay in San Diego thru the first week in November and to be south of Nicaragua by late June.

And, do you know about the Tehuantepec season? Approximately January thru March?

Timing of a trip from Seattle to the US East coast is tricky.
Seattle to San Diego - OK June thru September
San Diego to Panama Canal OK November thru May or June (if you feel lucky)
Panama Canal to Florida OK mid-November thru June

Essential Mexican Books

Mexico & Central America Boating Guides | Mexico Boating Guide Mexico Boating

Captain Pat Rains - probably has more Mexican coastal boating experience than the rest of the world combined

MxWX: Mexican Weather - the book to understand the details
Mexican Boating Guide - how to / where to

Left Coast Boating

I see you are from Boston - I wonder if you are aware of the some of the oddities of boating on the US West Coast compared to the East Coast? I do hope this is not also repetitious for you.

I have quite a few videos of our September 2010 trip from Puget Sound to San Diego here is a link to the YouTube Playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=39E52DAECF557494

We were in a 40' sailboat but the weather, swells, fog, beautiful water is the same for any mid-size pleasure boat.

I have a large website with lots of pictures and writings about US and Mexican West Coast boating THE VOYGAGES OF MIRADOR

Here are some longish posts I have on that site:

Theory and special considerations for the trip from Seattle to San Diego:
It is about 1250 nautical miles from Tacoma

The post above includes a lot about the trip Westbound in the Straits of Juan de Fuca. If you don't understand the straits, wind, tide then you will start your 1400 NM trip on a down note.

A short note on how to leave Puget Sound after getting a suddenly changed and quite unpleasant weather forecast.
TRYING TO HEAD SOUTH INTO WEST COAST SW 20 KNOTS

A BIG part of making a safe and comfortable trip south is the decision making along the coast from Neah Bay to San Francisco. We've made many unplanned stops in that area due to big surprises in the new weather forecast. It is quite rare for your plans to survive 48-hours. We frequently stop when we planned to continue on and occasionally just keep going 'cause the going is so good.

FLEXIBILITY & CAUTION is the appropriate mind set from Cape Flattery to Pt. Conception.

Here are some extensive posts I've made about those decisions and the consequences.
MOTORING NW
UNEXPECTED GOOD SAILING and TYPICAL MISERABLE MOTORING
WAITING IN NEWPORT
WAITING IN NEWPORT Part 2

Rain and Fog is a normal thing (60 degrees is a warm day in July)
ALL THE WAY TO SUNNY MONTEREY

Here is more condensed log from our August 2000 trip to San Diego
Mirador Log Tacoma to San Diego

The important items is the
"Winter in Westport" - we got stuck on the Washington Coast for 5-days when a quite unexpected SW storm blew up and brought 13' SW breaking seas to the coast (the course is SSE so they SW seas are almost abeam)

Back to the bottom line - I don't think it is possible to generalize anything except to say July thru September give you the highest probability of having decent weather from Neah Bay to Pt Conception.

FOG
FISH TRAPS
FISH NETS
BIG FAST OCEAN GOING SHIPS

are the four main hazards. Therefore Radar skills are essential.

Tacomasailor - Thanks so much. I've yet to traverse all links in your posts but will in future. Your four posts regarding experience on West Coast Sea Travel Conditions have been copied and placed in a folder. Priceless!! Again thanks! - Art

Hey, we're getting ready to do the same thing, only in reverse, also on a N46. We're currently in Santa Barbara, waiting on weather to make the turn around Point Conception than plan to mostly harbor hop up the coast. We're not in a hurry so stopping and exploring along the way will be half the journey. Our current plan is to make it to SE AK this summer. We'll see how it goes!

The book, Exploring the Pacific Coast - San Diego to Seattle, has been a big help in our planning. Lots of good info to help along the way.

Good luck!

Good Luck and most of all have fun. In 2013 we made the trip from S.F. to the Columbia River. See link. Also I would highly recommend Ocean Marine Nav. (Omni Bob) for weather. remember have fun and create a thread here so we can follow....


Home - www.oceanmarinenav.com


The Alaskan Sea-Duction: The Big Voyage

Thank you so much for all the great first hand info. This is the kind of information sharing that makes the forum so valuable. Dave