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AZ Sailor
03-18-2017, 03:36 PM
As someone else pointed out, for those of us outside the Bay area and consigned to running our own qualifying cruise in lieu of the Long Pac, we at least get to choose a favorable weather window. The problem from San Diego is often too little wind, and I don’t have the luxury of taking off more than 4 or 5 days at a time. So I need good wind for 4-5 days straight -- not always a given.

My next trip to the boat is coming up, and while planned for 4 days, I could stretch it to 5 just to be safe. And at least for the moment, the weather forecast looks like it might work.

I had initially thought of just mimicking the Long Pac by sailing west from San Diego for 200 nm and then turning around. Now I’m thinking of a course with a few more turning marks: Cortes Bank buoy, DART buoy, Begg Rock, and Santa Barbara Island all to starboard, then San Clemente Island to port, then finish.
2229

Plugging these distances into my Excel float plan calculator, putting in a start time of 13:00 on Friday, March 24, and inputting best guess as to VMG for each leg, gives me a projected completion time of 02:34 on Tuesday, March 28.
2228


If this plan held to form, and we were rounding the southern end of San Clemente Island Monday afternoon, I would heave-to for the night and wait until daylight to finish. I’m not exactly on my best game between 02:00 and 04:00, and there is usually no wind anywhere near shore in these waters during those hours.

The chances I will be attempting this next weekend are pretty small. I will not make the attempt unless forecast on Friday looks like there’s a good chance of getting back by mid-day the following Tuesday. I can adjust the projected VMG for each leg based on the forecasts as of Friday morning, and make the go/no-go call based on what the float plan calculator then tells me. And there is always the possibility that something comes up at work this week that makes me cut the trip short.

I’ve spent as much as eight days continuously afloat before, but with most nights at anchor, on a mooring, or in a slip. My longest prior run continuously under way was a 200 nm round trip to the Cortes Bank buoy and back, roughly 48 hours, last fall. That trip was very enjoyable, and very satisfying, so I am looking forward to doing the 400 miler whenever I can.

Any and all comments, suggestions, and criticism welcome.

Haunani
03-20-2017, 10:54 AM
Hi There...if this helps, our club the PSSA (Pacific Singlehanded Sailing Assoc) is hosting a race next march that is 400 miles and would be good for our qualifier. I have to do it again since I have a different boat, and I believe a bunch of us are doing it. I can get you more info if you email me at mwbfoto@gmail.com Cheers!

AZ Sailor
03-20-2017, 01:47 PM
Thanks, Margie. I have thought about PSSA's Guadalupe Island race. The logistics of getting up to MdR from SD adds at least a couple extra days, since Morning Star is not a trailerable boat. Plus, while she points pretty well "for a cruising boat," going to weather in wind < 12-15 kts is real slow, and it looks like the entire return leg is pretty much dead up wind -- I note that the 2016 SI set the finish cut-off at 10 days! So I'd need to plan for at least a two week window to get to MdR, run the race, recover a day or two in Avalon, sail back to SD, and get home to Phoenix.

That said, I might do it for the adventure and the added experience, even if I've done the qualifying cruise by then. I'll watch for when the 2018 race packet goes up on the website.

BTW, I'm a fan of the PSSA. Looks like you guys run a great series of races. Just wish there was any such thing out of SD. As far as I know there is only one organized race out of SD that has a single handed division allowing the use of wind vane/autopilot.

Ragnar
03-20-2017, 03:23 PM
Hi Lee,

Your course looks pretty good to my eye, especially if you can pick your weather window. Keep in mind if you wait towards June the wind will go tend to go light overnight with June Gloom and the summer shore breezes. I also like how you stay offshore helping the chances you have breeze. Toughest leg will be the close reach up to Begg Rock, but the V32 should be fine. Keep in mind the rocks and brief lee shore as you near SBI, the calms behind SBI, and the lee shore along San Clemente. Finally, the Navy can be active around San Clemente Island.

Pretty sure next year PSSA's Guadalupe Island Race is off the table as it's being replaced by a race tentatively called the Meridian 400 that runs out to 122W, much like the Longpac. You can go to any point along the meridian. Light modern boats and traditional cruising boats are tending to balk at the 280 mile upwind leg of the GI race. The tentative plan is to have the Guadalupe Race return in 2019 for the crazy diehards and tradition.

Here is the Meridian course, if you are interested in waiting until next March. We do have a San Diego guy and some Dana Point guys come up and join us for the longer races.

Hope this helps.

2234

Philpott
03-20-2017, 03:37 PM
As someone else pointed out, for those of us outside the Bay area and consigned to running our own qualifying cruise in lieu of the Long Pac, we at least get to choose a favorable weather window. The problem from San Diego is often too little wind, and I don’t have the luxury of taking off more than 4 or 5 days at a time. So I need good wind for 4-5 days straight -- not always a given.

My next trip to the boat is coming up, and while planned for 4 days, I could stretch it to 5 just to be safe. And at least for the moment, the weather forecast looks like it might work.

I had initially thought of just mimicking the Long Pac by sailing west from San Diego for 200 nm and then turning around. Now I’m thinking of a course with a few more turning marks: Cortes Bank buoy, DART buoy, Begg Rock, and Santa Barbara Island all to starboard, then San Clemente Island to port, then finish.
2229

Plugging these distances into my Excel float plan calculator, putting in a start time of 13:00 on Friday, March 24, and inputting best guess as to VMG for each leg, gives me a projected completion time of 02:34 on Tuesday, March 28.
2228


If this plan held to form, and we were rounding the southern end of San Clemente Island Monday afternoon, I would heave-to for the night and wait until daylight to finish. I’m not exactly on my best game between 02:00 and 04:00, and there is usually no wind anywhere near shore in these waters during those hours.

The chances I will be attempting this next weekend are pretty small. I will not make the attempt unless forecast on Friday looks like there’s a good chance of getting back by mid-day the following Tuesday. I can adjust the projected VMG for each leg based on the forecasts as of Friday morning, and make the go/no-go call based on what the float plan calculator then tells me. And there is always the possibility that something comes up at work this week that makes me cut the trip short.

I’ve spent as much as eight days continuously afloat before, but with most nights at anchor, on a mooring, or in a slip. My longest prior run continuously under way was a 200 nm round trip to the Cortes Bank buoy and back, roughly 48 hours, last fall. That trip was very enjoyable, and very satisfying, so I am looking forward to doing the 400 miler whenever I can.

Any and all comments, suggestions, and criticism welcome.

I don't know about anybody else, but I sure am looking forward to seeing the movie.

AZ Sailor
03-20-2017, 04:44 PM
Toughest leg will be the close reach up to Begg Rock, but the V32 should be fine. Keep in mind the rocks and brief lee shore as you near SBI, the calms behind SBI, and the lee shore along San Clemente. Finally, the Navy can be active around San Clemente Island.

Thanks much. I put in 3.5 as the VMG for the leg to Begg Rock just because of that. I overnighted at SBI once, and circled the island on the way back the next day, so I at least have seen that and know what you're talking about. The lee shore on San Clemente claimed s/v Uncontrollable Urge and one of her crew in the 2013 Islands Race; I have studied USSA's accident report and have great respect for what that's all about. Fortunately the Navy's website for SCI gives a schedule of operations.

Part-time San Diegan for nearly 20 years. Know all about that June gloom thing. Hence if the forecasts hold for the upcoming weekend, I just might take a run at it!

Thanks again. Appreciate the feedback.

AZ Sailor
03-20-2017, 05:07 PM
I don't know about anybody else, but I sure am looking forward to seeing the movie.

Thanks, Jackie (I think :-) . . . ). Won't likely be a movie, but when/if I attempt this, I'll post a report.

Philpott
03-20-2017, 05:52 PM
Thanks, Jackie (I think :-) . . . ). Won't likely be a movie, but when/if I attempt this, I'll post a report.

That will be just terrific! I really do look forward to reading about it. And yours is such a gorgeous boat! Any photos of you on it will be much appreciated. The curvy lines of the Valiant 32 are, in my opinion, the very prettiest of any sailboat. Good luck! We will all be thinking of you out there. Take care and fair winds.

AZ Sailor
03-21-2017, 09:09 AM
Thank you for the kind words. Here she is at anchor in Catalina Harbor.
2238

As of this morning the weather forecast is looking pretty good; no signs of trouble breaking out at work; so the chances of an attempt starting Friday are getting better.

Does anyone with SSB want to set up a time for an attempt to talk while I'm out there? Send me a pm or email to lee[dot]johnson[at]q.com and we'll try to figure out the right frequency and set a time. So far I've only had a couple of brief conversations over the SSB -- once with a Ham net I didn't know I wasn't supposed to talk on, and once with the commercial ship-to-shore telephone operator, WLO. I'm interested in trying a ship-to-ship call, but the RFI is so heavy in my part of SD bay that I need to be off shore for voice communication via SSB.

JakeJ
03-21-2017, 10:51 AM
Looking good Lee. I'm getting ready to to the same trip, although likely in June. I am out of San Pedro.
My SSB is down at the moment, or I would be happy to check you in.

dolfinbill
03-21-2017, 03:32 PM
Lee, For what it's worth, here is a screen shot of my qualifying cruise in March 2016. Left at 1300, March 18 and finished March 21st at 2000, 456 NM. The three day run was 422 miles, shortly after which I was boarded by the Coast Guard at mile 430. First time ever....WTF? My turn around point was 31 deg 17 min by 120 deg 37 min, 170 NM due west or 190 NM offshore depending on your definition. Then a nice beam reach back around San Clemente and a couple of good spinnaker legs home. I had nice wind most of the time, unlike a 4-1/2 day qualifier I did in July the previous year. Hope you have a great experience.

Bill Meanley
Dolfin, Pacific Seacraft 37
San Diego

AZ Sailor
03-21-2017, 05:47 PM
Looking good Lee. I'm getting ready to to the same trip, although likely in June. I am out of San Pedro.
My SSB is down at the moment, or I would be happy to check you in.

Thanks, Jake. Keep us posted on your qualifier.

AZ Sailor
03-21-2017, 05:54 PM
Lee, For what it's worth, here is a screen shot of my qualifying cruise in March 2016.

Nice! Looks like that was a great sail. You've got a longer waterline than I do, but still, 456 in three+ days seems pretty impressive. Thanks for weighing in.

I'll see how things look Friday, and might do something more like your track than the route posted at the start of this thread.

AZ Sailor
03-21-2017, 06:11 PM
Lee, For what it's worth, here is a screen shot of my qualifying cruise in March 2016.

Nice! Looks like that was a great sail. You've got a longer waterline than I do, but still, 456 in three+ days seems pretty impressive. Thanks for weighing in.

I'll see how things look Friday, and might do something more like your track than the route posted at the start of this thread.

Philpott
03-21-2017, 07:41 PM
I'll see how things look Friday, and might do something more like your track than the route posted at the start of this thread.

And remember, we love movies! Like this one from the Transpac 2016, only maybe not so scary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40T_Ji5RD8Q

JakeJ
03-22-2017, 11:17 AM
Thanks, Jake. Keep us posted on your qualifier.

I wish I was doing it now, but still some more outfit time to make it happen. Hope I don't have too light of wind in June.
My tentative course is similar to Bill's.
Looking forward to your progress.

AZ Sailor
03-24-2017, 10:40 PM
Well, I decided this was not the time for mine, either. By the afternoon update of the forecast, this is what I was seeing for where I'd likely be by Monday night, somewhere off San Clemente Island:

.MON NIGHT...WIND NW 20 TO 25 KT WITH GUSTS TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT. SWELL W 9 TO 12 FT.

So just got in a good day's sailing today, and wait for a better window.

AZ Sailor
12-22-2017, 09:56 AM
With next week off from real life, and hoping to take another stab at my qualifier, I've been watching the forecasts for the waters off San Diego. The National Weather Service and the Gribs from Saildocs rely on the GFS model, while Windytv.com defaults to ECMWF. Right now there is quite a divergence between the two models. For example, for 13:00 PST on 12/26, GFS has wind at 7 kts near shore, building to 9 kts by 50 nm out. ECMWF, on the other hand, says you'll need to be more than 100 nm off shore to have anything more than 1 kt at that time.

Hard to say what to make of this. We'll see what the forecast says by Monday, and take it from there.

dolfinbill
12-22-2017, 06:21 PM
Hi Mike,
Another weather model I like is Passageweather.com. It also uses the GFS model as well as NAM and the graphics are easy for someone like me to interpret. If you haven't already done so, take a look. Unfortunately it does show the potential for some light winds next week.

Bill
sv Dolfin

JakeJ
12-23-2017, 05:40 PM
Cold time of year to do it. I have been thinking about going out, but am still worried about the Santanas which seem to keep coming.

AZ Sailor
03-11-2018, 03:15 PM
The forecast said: Not the best of weather, not the worst of weather. But the week of March 5 would be my best break from the requirements of non-sailing life until May – and I didn’t want to be cutting it that close. As it turned out, the wind came up strong enough and long enough to propel Morning Star for 400 nm continuously under sail, with a turning point 175 nm W of Pta. Santo Tomas, Mexico. 2018 SHTP RRC 8.01, check.

Apart from one memorable stint, the wind scarcely topped 10 kts, and more than once it fell to 0 for hours at a time. So the numbers aren’t impressive: 97 hours to complete 400 nm, for an over-all average of 4.1 kts. Evidently Morning Star is officially what the Anarchists deride as a “4ksb”. On the brighter side, we did reel off 123 nm in one 24 hour period – all without the wind ever hitting 15 kts. The track looks more like the path of a crazy man’s walk than a deliberate cruise. But we were dodging warships conducting live fire exercises, and otherwise frequently letting the wind vane dictate course as the wind shifted.

The one episode of real wind was memorable indeed. Thursday we were off the NW end of San Clemente Island, with the W end of Santa Catalina Island some 20 nm off the bow. (Catalina’s isthmus was well below the horizon, giving that island the appearance of two.) A query to and response from SailDocs over the SSB gave a welcome prediction for the evening:

Waters from San Mateo point to the Mexican Border Extending 30 to
60 nm out including San Clemente Island-
105 PM PST Thu Mar 8 2018

TONIGHT...Wind NW 10 to 15 kt with gusts to 20 kt. Wind waves
3 ft. Swell W 2 to 4 ft at 12 seconds.

Ok! This could be fun. As we cleared San Clemente and started down the gap between the islands the wind began building, and we shortened sail in anticipation of more. As sunset approached, however, the wind was back down to less than 10. After a while I lost patience, shook out the reefs in the main, and fully unfurled the genoa. Yep, you know where this is going.

Near midnight the boat woke me in distress. The tilt of my berth on the port settee told me that the rub rail was in the water, and rest of the sound and motion said we were going very fast. Like maybe we might round down. Pulling on foulies, I took the helm and disconnected the over-matched wind vane. I had no confidence that the wind vane or autopilot would be able to steer under these conditions, so I did not believe I could leave the helm to re-reef the main. The only thing that occurred to me as means to flatten the boat and regain control was to point dead down wind, center the boom, and sheet the main down hard – to expose as little of its surface area as possible to the force of the wind. The genoa partially furled seem useless, so I rolled it all the way in. With the wind blowing straight down the slot between the two islands we had ample sea room ahead.

So that is how we sailed, hand steering DDW, for the next three hours. Not what you would call comfortable, but manageable. Glancing at the instruments now and then we had AWS of 15 to 18 kts with gusts above that and SOG of 7+ to 8+. So instead of the forecast 10 to 15 with gusts to 20 we had something more like 20 to 25 with gusts to 30. I got a nice dose of adrenalin, but the boat hardly blinked. She was, after all, designed and built to take care of her crew when the weather is unfriendly. Makes me think that if we had been suited up properly with a double reefed main and heavy weather jib, we could have put the wind 150 or so off the bow and been sailing above 10 kts, well under control. Even with the 120 genoa on the roller furler, if I had exercised better judgment and kept the double reef in the main, things would have gone better.

With order somewhat restored as we came up on 04:00 Friday, I was able to get some sleep before daybreak. By which point the wind had totally died again. Of course. It would be nearly noon before we had enough wind to knock off the last of the miles needed to reach 400. Yay.

3221

jamottep
03-11-2018, 04:52 PM
knock off the last of the miles needed to reach 400. Yay.


Congratulations Lee, that's really cool!

AZ Sailor
03-12-2018, 04:00 PM
Thanks, PJ. It was a lot of fun, and it's very good to have that finally off the to-do list.

Did someone want movies?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBEgn3glDUw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWokrvO8fPQ&t=16s

Daydreamer
03-12-2018, 05:38 PM
Nice video Lee.

Congratulations on completing your qualifier.

Sailronin
03-13-2018, 06:51 AM
Congrats on completing your qualifier. From the videos it looks like great weather for a relaxed 400 nm sail.

mike cunningham
03-13-2018, 01:38 PM
Thanks, PJ. It was a lot of fun, and it's very good to have that finally off the to-do list.

Did someone want movies?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBEgn3glDUw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWokrvO8fPQ&t=16s

Nice! Heck, you could have packed the longboard and taken a crack at the Cortez Bank.

AZ Sailor
03-13-2018, 04:00 PM
Yes, it was pretty relaxed most of the time (apart from the blow Thursday night), but it was frustrating that conditions were so light. Sitting there moving only with the current for a couple of hours was no fun at all. And, yes, I shaped course to sail over Cortes Bank to see if there were any breaking waves. No such luck. I had a clear visual on the Bishop Rock buoy at less than 3 nm, but the sea was as calm there as it looks in the videos.