SailNet Community banner
  • SailNet is a forum community dedicated to Sailing enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about sailing, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, repairs, reviews, maintenance, and more!

I've become very concerned about the weather...

6K views 46 replies 14 participants last post by  northoceanbeach 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi, I have been planning a trip to Puget Sound to get and inexpensive sailboat, learn more how to sail, and then take off cruising the San Juan Islands, the Canadian Gulf Islands, and see where it takes me.

My family lives in Eugene, I came here two weeks ago to see them and get ready, and I've always thought that Eugene was in the same climate as Seattle. So it has been pretty nice, it hasn't rained and has been partly to mostly sunny all but two days.

I've got my maps, rain coat, foul weather gear. My passport that I let expire is on its way. I'm prepared.

Then a cold front comes in last night, not real cold, but kindof cold, and I look up the weather up there again. It's been consistently 10 degrees colder and has rained everyday. If you read the tourist website, the San Juans are in some magic rain shadow, blocked by the Olympic mountains, and it is sunny 247 days a year. I've been looking since February 1 and it hasn't had one day of sun in the last two months.

I originally narrowed my choice down to Florida, San Francisco, and Puget Sound.

Florida- sounds fantastic, IF I had the money to stay longer and do the Bahamas. Otherwise, in summer it's going to be too hot and humid and I don't like the South.

SF Bay- Best weather, right now it's going to be 60's and sunny most weeks, I know that alot of people think of SF as cloudy and foggy, but it's really the secret sunny place, with palm trees, consistent winds, and a moderate humidity year round.
However, the bay has been completely overdeveloped, it's hard to get slips, and there is limited cruising.

PNW- Isolated islands with secluded anchorages, cheap marinas, well, it's got almost everything, it's the perfect starter cruising grounds...except the weather is terrible.

I'm now worried that instead of having fun, learning sailing skills, I will sit in a marina huddled around a space heater trying to dry off. It's realy silly to change plans now, after all the research I've put into things, but what if summer never comes? People up there said the last three summers have come late and been short. If you look at the San Juans on a sunny day, it doesn't look like a better place exists, but if those days are few and far between I'm not sure it would be worth it.

I guess I'm asking for advice from more seasoned cruisers. am I worried for nothing? Is San Francisco a good, relatively easy place to learn to cruise? Or is it crowded and hassles. Are people up in Washington right now sailing and having a good time? Is California full of regulations where anytime I try to "park" it will be in front of someone's waterfront mansion and the coast guard will come give me a ticket? The boats seem cheaper in the Bay and there are more of them.
 
See less See more
#3 ·
That's the best part about California(and Hawai'i). They never get weeks of bad weather. Hawai'i is where I have done all my sailing. It's just not been cruising, which is what I really want to do.

I have big dreams, like alot of people, want to cross oceans, save money and go to the South Pacific, or spend a year in the Bahamas. But I need to learn the skills necessary first.
 
#4 ·
Having been born and raised in this area.....yeah it is a bit cloudy at times, with no rain or very little rain I might add. Seattle proper gets 10-15" LES rain a year then part of the islands in Hawaii! ave is about 36", which is also 10" less than Miami gets from may 1 to Oct1! or anywhere else east of the mississippi mind you. In those 10 months, seattle is one of the wettest west of the mississippi at 10". ave west of is around 4-8".

We also get a lot of sunny days with north winds in the summer, or not much more than 5-10 knots. Altho if you can figure out how to deal with the tides and currents we have. you can probably sail and deal with them issues anywhere!

Ave temps in aug are 80F if you are lucky!70-80F is typical high. It did not hit above 90 one summer for IIRC 5 yrs not too far back. Quite comfortable actually.

Today, a bit cloudy, with some sun breaks, windy in the 10-15 range....about 50-55F out.....kinda nice actual. would be a great day for a sail!

marty
 
#8 ·
SF Bay can be surprising cool/chilly with the perstistent heavy winds they get.

California in general is lousy cruising country

The PNW is a two season venue.. summer and spall.. yes, much cloud and rain for 8 - 9 months of the year, but generally good summers, and unparalleled cruising grounds esp if you take into account BC's very reachable waters. Good Shelter, abundant anchorages and services it's hard to beat. Florida is more consistently 'nicer' but for me I find that a couple of weeks in the heat and humidity of the tropics and semitropics is wearing.. the moderate conditions here in the PNW are often a relief.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jrd22 and jeffzee
#10 ·
Best advise; go to bouy weather or a weather
Service and look for a five day forcast
Plan a short distance trip and work point to point.
Trying to plan long distances, for a beginner that
Has limited to no experience navigating in changing or
Bad weather will only discourage you and damage your boat.
Plan a trip of 30 miles to start then chart your course point to point.
When we started cruising full time we started in
NC to Bahamas. We took the ICW most of the way.
That first year we went one day all day then found an
Ancorage that night rested are and go on.
We averaged 12 hrs a day around 40-50 miles
That included delays such as bridges.
We made Florida in one month then waited
There for a weather window to the Bahamas.
Looking at such long range, your setting yourself up for
Problems,disappointment and failure.
Find a short range easy plan. Prepare using good weather tools
Plan 5 day weather, then when you have a good weather
Window go to the first goal set. Each day set a new goal.
Stop worrying about being cold wet and stalled.
Prepare. Find weather then move. You'll learn new skills. You'll gain confidence..
Good luck. Btw both if us took sailing courses
Before we left and we had navigation programs to
Use on our chart plotter.
Going to sea without education, the right tools and
Preperation with the goal of living in the cheap is an
Expensive and costly pipe dream!
If the weathers bad sit it out! If your ready then find
Weather and go.... If you get in trouble call the
Ciast guard!!!!
Being unprepared can set you up for real issues!!
The pacific is the hardest ocean to navigate, find harbors and
Deal with... Learn & plan better. Look short term and you'll succeed!!!
Fairwinds and following seas
 
#11 ·
Best advise; go to bouy weather or a weather
Service and look for a five day forcast
Plan a short distance trip and work point to point.
Trying to plan long distances, for a beginner that
Has limited to no experience navigating in changing or
Bad weather will only discourage you and damage your boat.
Plan a trip of 30 miles to start then chart your course point to point.
When we started cruising full time we started in
NC to Bahamas. We took the ICW most of the way.
That first year we went one day all day then found an
Ancorage that night rested are and go on.
We averaged 12 hrs a day around 40-50 miles
That included delays such as bridges.
We made Florida in one month then waited
There for a weather window to the Bahamas.
Looking at such long range, your setting yourself up for
Problems,disappointment and failure.
Find a short range easy plan. Prepare using good weather tools
Plan 5 day weather, then when you have a good weather
Window go to the first goal set. Each day set a new goal.
Stop worrying about being cold wet and stalled.
Prepare. Find weather then move. You'll learn new skills. You'll gain confidence..
Good luck. Btw both if us took sailing courses
Before we left and we had navigation programs to
Use on our chart plotter.
Going to sea without education, the right tools and
Preperation with the goal of living in the cheap is an
Expensive and costly pipe dream!
If the weathers bad sit it out! If your ready then find
Weather and go.... If you get in trouble call the
Ciast guard!!!!
Being unprepared can set you up for real issues!!
The pacific is the hardest ocean to navigate, find harbors and
Deal with... Learn & plan better. Look short term and you'll succeed!!!
Fairwinds and following seas
 
#12 ·
No rain today in the SJ's, yesterday was wet but not cold. The trees are all blooming and daffodils are in full bloom, tulips won't be far behind, tilled the garden a few days ago and we're about ready to plant some spinach. Spring is here. Here is a good site that someone here on SN put together to check the weather for Friday Harbor, I use it daily and generally the weather is nicer than the forecast.

Marine Weather and Tide Forecast

If I recall you are talking about summer cruising. For the summer months head for Desolation Sound, warm water for swimming, the most spectacular scenery on earth, great people if you want to be around humanity or one boat nooks where you feel like you are the first person to have ever been there. Oh, and generally good sailing breezes in the afternoons. It can get hot, take something to provide some shade in the cockpit. And don't forget your fishing and prawning gear. I receive no compensation from the BC government for these glowing write ups:))
 
#13 ·
PNW- Isolated islands with secluded anchorages, cheap marinas, well, it's got almost everything, it's the perfect starter cruising grounds...except the weather is terrible.

I'm now worried that instead of having fun, learning sailing skills, I will sit in a marina huddled around a space heater trying to dry off. It's realy silly to change plans now, after all the research I've put into things, but what if summer never comes? People up there said the last three summers have come late and been short. If you look at the San Juans on a sunny day, it doesn't look like a better place exists, but if those days are few and far between I'm not sure it would be worth it.
The winter, late fall and early spring...
You will learn to love the rain in short order I would think. The rain makes the west coast what it is. The remote and isolated hikes through the tall overgrown deep forests don't feel right unless they're wet. The inlets don't look right unless the clouds are clinging to the mountains. There are many of us out cruising all year long. The best prawning and crabbing is right now at this time of year. Some of the best sailing is right now. There is beauty in all this, both summer and winter.

Today I'm in a light hoodie looking at steep snow covered mountain tops, rain every couple of hours and sunshine in between. All this and surrounded by what must be thousands of mussel ducks and all kinds of other wildlife. The PNW has much to offer...Enjoy it! One more thing, the summers are hot and nice. Did I mention that we can be sailing the Salish Sea shirtless in the summer and 45 minutes later we can be downhill skiing, cross country skiing or snowshoeing.
 
#15 · (Edited)
Don't pay attention the forecast summary, read the details. I spent almost the entire weekend outside in Seattle (half of it on the water) and spent less than an hour total in the rain. Bring good clothes and enjoy the great scenery and sailing.

Also realize that most weather forecasts draw a rain symbol if there is a 30% chance of rain. There is always a 30% chance of rain here at this time of year, but that still means that 70% of the time it's not raining. Today was sunny until about 3pm. Last night at sunset I took this photo just outside of Shilshole marina:


The wind was weird this weekend. Both yesterday and today it switched between periods of being 5mph and 25mph and also kept switching between a northerly and a southerly.
 
#17 ·
#18 ·
The thing one has to remember about rain forecasts, 30% means 30 of 100 days you will get measurable "rain" coming down at some point in time. 30% chance of showers is the same. "rain" vs "showers" are two different types of liquid coming down per say, more in the volume, how fast, much in a given time frame.

A week ago, the forecast was for the next 5 days to have lots of rain, looked bad, at the end of the week, I think we had maybe .5" of rain, no flooding as predicted, etc etc. You take what you get. If it is truly raining. you enjoy it and go from there.

Saturday I was up skiing at snoqualmie pass. It was typical spring NW weather. Don't like what you have right now, wait 5 min. I went from sun to snow to rain to sun to snow to rain in 3 hrs on the hill! talk about funky weather. As mentioned, yesterday was nice until about 3pm or so, then scattered showers, one 5 mi stretch was a few ice pellets with in the rain, it was mid 40F at the time.....

Marty
 
#19 ·
The weather is certainly going downhill, I blame the planned start of your trip :).

It's looking a lot better this weekend though, I think I'm going to head over to Kingston for an overnighter/spring shakedown trip.
 
#20 ·
Yeah...that's why I haven't left yet, it was windy and hailing here and I talked to the Ranger guy and he said it was really bad up there. So, the weekend. Plus, that US25 that keeps getting relisted with the price lower, Tacoma is my first stop and he isn't available until Saturday but he said everything is really nice, look at thee engine, that's a good price is the boat is as good as he says it is.

Not to change topics, but why is everyone, including my friends and family who I show the boats I am looking at so in favour of the Ranger? I like it, don;t get me wrong, but what are others seeing that I am not? Are they just really good boats? Are they super hardy? I realized that if I trust my boat, I love to sail in high(ish) winds, say 15-25 knots.
 
#22 ·
.....I grew up in RI and half the state has Florida license plates because they're down there so much!
Common to most Northeast states, as snowbirds move there permanent residency to FL to avoid the highest State income taxes in the Union. Must spend 6 months plus one day there and be able to prove it, but that not really a burden. Cell records and credit cards are easy for you to prove you are there, but also for another State to prove you weren't.
 
#24 ·
I've been staying on Whidbey island (which is just south of the San Juan's) for the past week and its been blowing pretty good nnw. We did however see a few boats out Saturday when we stopped in Seattle on the way here. The advice to check the Friday Harbor weather is good. My experience is its quite different than Seattle.
 
#25 ·
If you come to seattle satruday, there should be 60 or so racing south to three tree point, and back to shilshoal! Final of three Center SOund series races. Then April has something just about every weekend, with the 2nd saturday being one of the larger race, Sloop taverns Blakely rock benifit regatta, usually around 120-130 or so going from shilshoal to blakely rock and back. Something every weekend thru the end of june if you played your card correctly!

Yes it has been blowing a bit. i went across the narrows bride, bloing around 30 out of the south, later took the ferry from Bainbridge island to seattle, blowing out of the north at 20 or so. Calm in Port townsend, altho the wnd was out of the north!

Funky weather week, typical spring! Heck, I even had snow on the ground for a mile or so south of port townsend, with sun in PT, and south of there! Name the weather, I had it, found it etc. today!

Marty
 
#28 ·
I had a great time sailing last Saturday. Blue skis, 6 knots of wind (enough to get my Pearson moving at about 4 knots) and starting to get warm. A friend and I sailed from Shilshole across to Port Madison, did some anchoring practice (sailing on and off of the anchor), hung out on the hook and ate some food, then headed back. We did have to motor part of the way back due to schedule and winds that got very light after 4pm.

The long range forecast for this weekend is also looking pretty awesome. I'm probably doing an overnighter on Friday night to take advantage of it.
 
#29 ·
Alex,

Nice to knowyou got some sailing in, the last of the 3 CYC races was canceled. I think 2 of 3 for lack of wind, or not everyone could finish..........not a great series this year. Meanwhile, a few yrs back, the scatchet head race (2) had a few dozen sail repair/blow outs, 2 groundings, one man overboard, broken boom........fun day ont he water that day it were! I hit 11 some odd knots with main and 110 up! The Carr hit in the low 20's from what I recall from a crew member!

Marty
 
#30 ·
Yeah, I was at the start of the second one, where we floated around for 3 hours waiting for wind before going back in. This third one they at least started, but the wind was much lighter south of Seattle and few boats made it to the point. There is a long thread about this on Sailing Anarchy.

Hopefully the SYC Tri-Island has better luck with the weather. It looks like they get more people signing up for the casual/cruiser class so I'm planning on racing in that series. The CYC CSS only had one casual/cruiser boat per race, which isn't much of a race...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top