Mooring on Catalina

C

CDory23

New member
Hi all,

I have read the various posts on Catalina and general mooring which have helped a lot. I figured I'd post this just to ease my mind. I will be doing a 3 night trip to Catalina (two in a hotel and 1 night in boat) and plan to moor at Avalon Harbor-this is in late April on a Wednesday starting so I don't think availability will be an issue. I'm launching from Huntington Harbor which I found to be the least distance away and safe parking

I have read all the specific information on the mooring buoys available, and have heard the harbor patrol are very helpful, BUT my concerns with never having moored a boat before are how often do I need to check it? I want to sleep well at night when I"m in the hotel.

Thanks for any advice!
 
Hi CDory 23. You'll have no problem at all getting a mooring on a Wednesday in April -- in fact, Avalon should be wide open. April and October are, in my view, the best months of the year in Avalon -- weather is typically warm but not crazy hot (as in summer) and the water is cool but not COLD (as in winter). Great time of year for diving, snorkeling, etc. Plus, the harbor and city is not yet crowded as it will be May through Sep.

The Harbor Patrol will meet you at the harbor entrance -- just look for them in the red patrol boats just outside of the Ferry Landing. And, once you get a mooring and are secure you can leave the boat for as long as you'd like. Many boats are left on the mooring for weeks on end over the off season (which I don't recommend) but a few days in April is no big deal.

We are usually there around Spring Break for a few days to start the season. You'll know us by the ridiculous number of kids screeching as they jump in the water and beat on each other with their foam swim tubes. If you see us say hi.

BTW -- sweet spot for a small boat is between the Yacht Club and Tuna Club.

Have a great trip! You'll like the trip from Huntington, it's a nice angle relative to the prevailing swell and an easy trip. In a Venture it will be smooth and fast.

Matt

Moored next to the Yacht Club:
tortuga2.jpg
 
Thanks for your reply. I still need to change my Screen name, its misleading I'm in a 2003 22' Cruiser. I'm waiting until I name my boat.
 
No worries -- in a 22 it's a nice ride as well... just a bit slower to avoid pounding if the wind waves are up. We usually do it in 90 minutes if we get an early start. It's about 30 miles.
 
A couple of thoughts. First leave early in the AM. Generally the on shore wind out of the S. West comes up starting at 11 AM. I like to be at the Island by then.

Call the harbor patrol on Channel 9 VHF, when you approach the harbor at Avalon. If they do not respond, go to 16/then switch to 12.

Picking up a mooring the first time can be a puzzle. There is a "wand" fiberglass rod which goes thru an oval foam float. You grab the top of the wand from the bow (but ti can be from the cockpit and then taken forward--but do not get any of the mooring lines (large polypropylene rope) into your prop. Pull the float up to the deck, and follow the smaller line to a large loop. I put a 1/2" nylon line thru this loop, One end secured to the foredeck cleat, and thru the loop and then back to the cleat. Then you will see another smaller line, which goes to the stern mooring hawser. This is called the "sand line". It will have lead weights on it, so it will sink and clear the boat/prop. Although some attach the sand line to the aft clean, the proper way to do this is to take another 1/2" nylon line thru the aft mooring hawser, and back to the cleat as on the bow. I prefer to put the wand and float on the deck, rather than have them bang on the boat.

Call the shore boat on Channel 9. Agree that the area back by the tuna club or YC is best.

If there is any chance of a Santa Ana Wind--do not go! They can occur any month of the year. But most common in the fall and winter.

Have fun in Avalon. I dove for coins there when the "great white steamer" departed one summer on a few days, when I was working at a nearby summer camp.

I prefer the other end of the Island-- A few hundred yards from the dinghy landing it is California unchanged for hundreds of years...
 
One other thing not mentioned and you asked. Checking mooring lines. Ascertain or ask the Harbor Patrol upon arrival about the tide when you arrive. That will determine whether you tighten the lines a bit snug (high tide) or fairly loose (low tide). Also, look at the other boats to your immediate left and right to see which side they tie up their stern/aft line, right or left side, do the same to keep the boats spaced properly.
 
Link to Avalon Harbor Mooring Information and Mooring Map - good information, explains how to pick up the mooring and other important details:

http://www.cityofavalon.com/filestorage ... ochure.pdf

I was there during presidents week - Amazing weather water temp was very warm ~63-65 degs.

You will have a great time, we always stay on the boat because we can :smiled

You'll want your own dinghy....

have fun...
 
Thank you all for the great responses. I do plan on leaving for the island at 9am at the latest probably earlier. I always check NOAA before I go out but if there is any other resources for the Santa Ana wind or safety issues going out that people use please let me know.

Thanks!
 
One note under the Avalon harbor link, is that dinghy locks are suggested.
I have always carried a 20 foot 3/16 SS cable with loops on both ends. I put one loop thru the motor handle, or thru an "eye" bolt on the transom of the inflatable. Then double the other loop thru--or padlock the first loop. I make this cable out of Vinyl covered live line--and you can buy the fittings and use West Marine's crimpers to do the swage for the loop.

Although it does not happen real often, dinghies have been stolen as have been motors. Do not put the cable thru the bow eye on an inflatable. Thieves will cut the fabric holding the bow eye/handle off the boat, and take it! (I have had one stolen) There should not be overcrowding of dinghy docks this time of the year, but in the summer, this is common. and the reason for a long cable/painter. Try and get your dinghy out away from the dock. It is bad form to tie the dinghy right next to the dock, and there are some who will loosen, or cut a painter of a dinghy moored tightly to the doc.

Since you will be sleeping ashore for several nights, I don't see the dinghy as a high priority. The reason is that I am reluctant to leave a dinghy at the dock over night. There is the occasional drunk who just wants to take a joy ride at 2 AM…

Have fun, Avalon is a great town. The Chicago Cubs used to do their winter training there. There was a Bird Park there in the past. The Country club used to have a good meal and great setting.. Take in the Casino, and look at all of the history around the outsides.
 
thataway":q1hi0gyo said:
One note under the Avalon harbor link, is that dinghy locks are suggested.
I have always carried a 20 foot 3/16 SS cable with loops on both ends. I put one loop thru the motor handle, or thru an "eye" bolt on the transom of the inflatable. Then double the other loop thru--or padlock the first loop. I make this cable out of Vinyl covered live line--and you can buy the fittings and use West Marine's crimpers to do the swage for the loop.

Although it does not happen real often, dinghies have been stolen as have been motors. Do not put the cable thru the bow eye on an inflatable. Thieves will cut the fabric holding the bow eye/handle off the boat, and take it! (I have had one stolen) There should not be overcrowding of dinghy docks this time of the year, but in the summer, this is common. and the reason for a long cable/painter. Try and get your dinghy out away from the dock. It is bad form to tie the dinghy right next to the dock, and there are some who will loosen, or cut a painter of a dinghy moored tightly to the doc.

Since you will be sleeping ashore for several nights, I don't see the dinghy as a high priority. The reason is that I am reluctant to leave a dinghy at the dock over night. There is the occasional drunk who just wants to take a joy ride at 2 AM…

Have fun, Avalon is a great town. The Chicago Cubs used to do their winter training there. There was a Bird Park there in the past. The Country club used to have a good meal and great setting.. Take in the Casino, and look at all of the history around the outsides.
Click to expand...
It's not that i want to take a joy ride, it's just sometimes I forget which dingy is mine.
 
C-Dory 23, you're not gonna launch from Huntington Harbor, aka Sunset Aquatic Park. As of Friday, 06 March, the bridge to the marina is closed indefinitely. And no-one is taking any boat in, or in my case out on a trailer. Facebook page: closure of Edinger St. bridge.

We launched there Thursday, 05 March, and the bridge was 1 lane. The marina wished us well, and then notified their tenants that night to clear out, the bridge was to be closed Friday. We came back on Monday, hauled the boat out and started to drive home. The bridge was closed, emergency, and they had a dirt road (4 miles) leading out. Except no trailers allowed. No-one in charge so I called the police. They came and somehow the guards listed to them. Nevertheless I had to go home, San Diego, without the boat, leaving it parked at the launch ramp.

Tues, I finally got someone to authorize the trailer to come out and drove back up to get it. Nancy, marina boss, had a list and only those on the list were allowed in. She also told me I wasn't going to get the boat out. But, I was on the list for an 8' boat. Don't know how that happened, but it's 8' wide, right? So I got the boat out, made a lot of people mad at me because they couldn't get their boats out and came home. The road out is one of the best dirt roads I've been on, but I guess conservative Orange County is being conservative to the end.

2 nearby launches in Long Beach, which you may know are: 2nd St Launch (Davies Boat Launch Ramp, 6201 E. Second St) and South Shore Ramp, 590 Queensway Drive. 2nd Street had sand on the ramp when I was there last, so I prefer the South Shore ramp. The latter is a bit tricky to find the first time, but it's there.

Good luck, Boris
 
from the Sunset Aquatic Facebook Page:

OC Public Works
March 6 at 6:20pm
IMPORTANT: LONG-TERM CLOSURE OF EDINGER AVE BRIDGE TO SUNSET AQUATIC MARINA PARK Due to structural damage to a portion of the Edinger Avenue bridge over Bolsa Chica, the County of Orange must immediately enact a long-term closure of the bridge to ensure public safety and begin repairs. Why a long-term closure? The recommended closure results from a California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) bridge inspection of the bridge’s supporting structures under the roadway. The County of Orange, which owns bridge, verified the need to close the bridge through an independent expert engineering analysis. When will repairs be completed? Completion of repairs and re-opening of the bridge is undetermined at this time. With public safety as our top priority, barricades have been placed at both ends of the bridge until critical repairs can be completed. We understand this emergency repair work may create an inconvenience for the public. The County is currently assessing alternate access options until repairs are completed. The County is also analyzing the repairs needed in order to reopen the bridge to the public. In addition to the interim repair work for the bridge, the County is investigating all options to expedite the completion of a permanent bridge replacement. The design plans for a permanent bridge replacement are in its final stages. Am I able to get to the marina side of the bridge? The County will only escort people to/from the marina side of the bridge if there is an emergency. What agencies are involved? The County is coordinating with affected agencies such as the Cities of Huntington Beach and Seal Beach and the U.S. Navy, which owns the property located immediately north of the area. The County will also continue to coordinate with all local entities as needed. How can I get more information or updates? The County continues to analyze next steps and coordination efforts. If you have questions, please contact Shannon Widor, Strategic Communications Officer at Orange County Public Works at (714) 438-9707. For life-threatening emergencies, please call 911.

Alternatives in addition to Boris' suggestions for those coming from the north:

Cabrilla Marina Ramp in San Pedro:
Nice enough ramp facilities; a bit closer to Avalon but afternoon winds are stiff and swell can be steep from abeam. Parking lot closes (locked) at 10 pm. Security is average -- locked and patrolled at night but there are occasional issues. My bigger concern is the steep and awkward beam swell.

Marina Del Rey:
Large ramp facilities; very far from Avalon -- about 40 miles. Generally easy ride but it takes a while -- I always get impatient and then push the boat faster than is comfortable. You may have more patience than me!
 
This time of year especially during the weekday, you can use Alamitos Bay in Long Beach. The distance is very close to that rom Sunset aquatic. I would rate the security slightly better at Alamitos bay over San Pedro. Also Golden Shore. This is at the end of the 710 Freeway.

Also this area in Long Beach is already impacted by the Garnd Prix. The Race is the weekend of April 17, but pre-events are only in a few weeks, and the roads are already impacted.

Of the bunch I would choose Alamitos Bay. You do have to pay ahead of time, but for 3 or 4 days not too bad.

My aunt is staying only a few blocks from the Edinger (Sunset Aquetic) and one of the neighbors just pulled his boat home from there (been keeping boats there over 20 years) , and He should have some updates.
 
Bob, tell that neighbor to thank me. I was a big enough a__hole so they let me through. After that, everything else must have looked great.

Boris
 
I posted this alternative on the Catalina thread last year, I would call Mike or Paul well ahead of time to confirm but this is a great alternative launch site for Catalina

For those of you that would like an alternative to Marina Del Rey or Huntington Harbor I have talked to the owners at the boat storage yard and they would be happy to secure your trailers and tow vehicles for a fee (I have forgotten what they quoted me). There are also guest slips available for $25 a night for those who want to come a day early and get an early start.

Call Mike or Paul at Cabrillo Way Marina Dry Storage
310-521-0200 for details

Here is a map I put together to show launching area and storage yard

https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit? ... GqguGR1wDg

Here is a video of my launching at the storage yard
https://youtu.be/i8nhXBd-7Es?list=PLIrx ... NKW-bt37nb


1. Launch your boat at the Cabrillo Beach Boat Ramp. I think the fee is $10
2. Drive your rig to storage yard (See map above)
3. Bring boat over to transient dock by boat yard and pack up for Catalina

Might be a little tough if you are single handing for these logistics but this facility is brand spanking new and uncrowded unlike Marina Del Rey or Huntington Beach and absolutely secure.

Just to be clear, they can't launch you from the cranes without insurance etc.. but they will store your tow vehicle and trailer.
 
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