SoCal fires

CRAZY... Thoughts and prayers to all. I've been following these since they started. Damn you Santa Ana winds...

Side question: How do the normal Santa Ana winds affect the recreational boaters? No big deal? Or is it a cyclical occurrence and should warrant caution and planning?
 
Many places are great as the winds knock back the waves. It was a lake most of the week around south and west facing beaches. Spots that are normally calm like Catalina Island get hit hard.
 
South of Heaven":1bz4ekjk said:
CRAZY... Thoughts and prayers to all. I've been following these since they started. Damn you Santa Ana winds...

Side question: How do the normal Santa Ana winds affect the recreational boaters? No big deal? Or is it a cyclical occurrence and should warrant caution and planning?
Click to expand...

There is major effect on boating. It is dangerous for most boats to be out when Santa Ana Winds are up. These are Katabatic winds, and there are very specific atmospheric conditions for there formation. Prediction is much better than it was, 50 years ago.

In about 1963, I took my Columbia Defender 29, to Two Harbors for the New Years Holiday. As I arrived --about a 5 hour sail...the conditions were such that I feared a Santa Ana, (Dry and still). I took another 3 hours to go around to the back side of Catalina Harbor, which is fully protected. That night 8 boats were lost on the beach at Avalon and a number at two harbors. The winds raged for days--and on the day we had to leave were still gusting to 90 miles an hour as they whistled thru the gap. The only place the sea planes could land, was Cat Harbor. As they took off leaving the water, they actually were going backward over the land and sea. Take off speed was about 60 knots---wind was a steady 60 to 65 knots and gusts to 90. As the plane pealed off and gained altitude, it was able to make headway. The choice was to sail back, or take the plane. We choose to take the boat....a real slog into the weather with a storm tri-sail and storm jib. Fortunately the wind was less in the open channel.

About a year later one of my fellow residents lost a Rawson 30 at Santa Cruz Island under the same conditions.

Never anchor on any cove which is exposed to the mainland of S. Calif.

Even in protected harbors it is a problem. Often the "Boat Parades" are during the Santa Ana winds. In the narrow channels, many power boats are not able to turn aboard and work the way against the wind. They end up pinned agains the sea wall or home owners docks at the end of the channels. We had such a home in Huntington Harbor, and many times would have to help out boaters who were pinned there.
 
It's been a real mess up here (SB). I volunteered to shuttle people between here and ventura but it seems the recreational pilots got it covered.
 
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