So Cal sailing in North wind?

[polo]

New to the LA area from East coast (CT) and hoping to get some advice on sailing spots. I realize you all probably don't want to reveal secret spots publicly... no problem, I figure I'll get local scoop from local sailors locally.

But where to go for winter North wind?

Looks to me like Ventura beaches (by the harbor) would do it... any advice sailing there?

[MCDORO]

North Wind sailing is where you find it. Keep a keen eye out for storms tracking down the coast...sailing is wherever they've just been..Those are the winds being sucked along by the storm front. All around the Bay Area. Great down at Arroyo..we were just texting about that spot..and Leo Carillo is good after storms as well. Best for a first timer is just launch at Belmont Pier in Long Beach..You'll get the great wind along with a closed-in smooth place to sail fast when the wind is up. South of Seal Beach there are some nice looking places, but they don't offer anything special after a storm. I like Jalama and C street and Arroyo for high wind stuff...but look and study before you go out.

[coolmtnbiker048]

[polo]

Thanks for all the suggestions, keep 'em coming. It'll take me a week just to work out the lingo of where all these spots actually are, and I have two busted wrists that need to heal before I can take on sailing again, but look for me out there later in the fall and winter, I'm easy to spot:





I drive up and down the PCH between Topanga & Will Rogers on a regular basis in the bus too, so toss a shaka my way if you see me.


REALLY looking forward to regular sailing (seems like every day is a thermal into the upper teens!) but will need a regular fix of 30+ sailing to keep me interested, so gonna need to know how to catch those northerlies.

btw: really looking for a northerly with little to no off shore to it. I'm not comfortable in off shore wind sailing from a safety perspective.

[jp5]

Occasionally in winter we got those 30+ days but you can usually count the number of those on one hand.

With this winter being an El Nino winter, who knows.

[tstar]

"I'm not comfortable in off shore wind sailing from a safety perspective."

Wise decision. One of the first windsurfing deaths occurred in Malibu in Santa Ana winds. (straight off shore)

One poor soul was found off Palos Verdes, the other one was never found.

On a brighter note, you now live in the hometown of where windsurfing was invented. One of the first surf sailing locations is Sunset (located just south of intersection of Sunset Blvd and PCH) You can re-live the early days of the sport trying to launch and catch waves there. Had some epic days there on my old Windsurfer Rocket 12.

[NOVAAN]

Lake perris on e n/e winds. Santa Ana winds. Can blow very hard. If the wind is north, try lake Elsinore. Sail on the west side of the lake for best winds.

[polo]

Hmmm. Lakes. What about Castaic Lake? Seems to be a launch on the W side, above the dam. Gotta think on N wind there'd be some venturi effect?

[polo]

Looks like a nice NW blow coming in to So Cal for Tue & Wed.

Gotta ask again if anyone has sailed off Ventura Harbor. I'm looking for a fairly gentle launch, as I've not sailed for over a year and broke my wrists only three months ago. I also want to avoid off-shore wind for safety reasons; just not comfortable with it. Seems like this spot would be a "no-break" launch out into the full on ocean within a 1/4 mile. Seems like it'd get the same ocean as C-street, but with a gentler launch and no off shore conditions. Obviously no good break, but not what I'm looking for at the moment...

Any experiences there? Is parking restricted? Beach access limited?

Might just drive up and check it out Tue afternoon and if it sucks, head on up to C-street anyway, but hoping someone here has some experience there.

[MalibuGuru]

Anywhere inside Santa Monica bay will work on a big clearing wind. Topanga, Malibu, Leo at high tide can be nice. 1st point Malibu can be really cool.