Catalina crossing in small boat?

[bober99]

I have a small 11' inflatable boat with a 15hp outboard. Is it relatively safe to cross the channel to Catalina? I hear swimmers and kayakers do it so figure I'd be safer in an inflatable.

Also, same question with Santa Cruz island. I hear the crossing to catalina is calmer?

I was thinking about boating to catalina, camping for the night and heading back the next day because the winds pick up in the afternoons.

Any suggestions? I have a marine radio, gps and horn but have never been very far offshore. I ran up and down the breakwater at San Pedro but that's the furthest I've been out in my boat. Thanks.

 

[saintsfan]

If you pick a good day and leave early in the morning it would probably be ok,invest in some kind of pump or bailer and some flares,signal flag,compass(electronics fail).As far as your marine radio is it handheld? they are usually only 1 watt and are not very useful in the middle of the channel unless another boat is close.In another post I think you said your inflatable was a rib,they are very good stable boats.another thing because your boat is under 14' you can tie up to the dinghy docks so it wont cost you anything.
Catalina is generally a much better crossing than than santa cruz but is can get rough and very foggy,also there can be a lot of debri floating in the water so pay attention after the rains in january I saw a whole tree floating mid channel with the root ball still attached 30' plus. I just bought another bigger inflatable to use for diving,I couldnt go with a rib I need to use it as a dinghy also. just out of curiosity where do you launch out of??

 

[wetrat]

I've crossed the channel several times in a 20 footer and a 22 footer. Leave early in the morning - like 5:00 am. Everything hinges on the weather. Make sure you get a clear report right before you leave and return. Cabrillo ramp in Long Beach is a good place to launch. You can leave your car over night and it will be locked up. Pick up a radar reflector from West Marine. You will cross some major shipping lanes on the way across and if it gets foggy, you want to be SEEN!! Also, be ready in your mind for what you will do if your outboard fails. Bring tools to pull the plugs and clean them, etc.

Personally, my days of adventuring across the channel in small boats are over - prefer the Express so I can read the paper, watch the news and drink coffee along the way!

Good luck!

John

 

[Mo2vation]

Personally, my days of adventuring across the channel in small boats are over - prefer the Express so I can read the paper, watch the news and drink coffee along the way!

Good luck!

John

In HS a buddy and I would Jack this friend's skiff - an aluminum 14 footer with a 15 HP on it (Sierra fishing rig) and head out with a compass and some rods. Did that 4 or 5 times, beat the skiff into the ground and decided to stop the madness.

It was a fine crossing in the AM most days, but if we didn't leave by noon we'd usually end up camping.

---
Ken

 

[saintsfan]

One more thing,think about vessel assist or some other towing company.I know its a small boat but its a long paddle from catalina or even from the breakwater

 

[drbill]

Quite frankly, as one who has led kayak trips across the channel (which always included a safety boat), I wouldn't do it in an 11' inflatable with a single motor. As we "discovered" once again this Sunday, storms can come out of nowhere this time of year.

 

[Redondoscubadude]

If you go while it's still dark in the morning you will need running lights. Even with a radar reflector it's doubtful you will make much of a blip on large boat's radar.

I have a sailboat and had to help a small boat once 10 miles out from Catalina that had broken down and couldn't hail Coast Guard or Vessel Assist because their small handheld VHF was out of range.

 

[mark99]

I have pictures of myself as a young child in the early '60s on the way from LB to Avalon in my parent's 16 ft outboard. All I can say now is, good thing I can't remember the details.

 

[Redondoscubadude]

I should add that it sounds like you have a great boat for two divers and might want to consider exploring the area around PV.

I did some cruising in Belize and Mexico with more father-in-law who has a similiar boat (RIB, 18hp) as a dinghy for his sailboat. We would take the "dink" out to the reef, throw out a small bruce anchor and go diving or snorkeling.

The RIBs with that much HP can really fly but you will get wet in rougher conditions and will take a pounding.

 

[scubapro5]

I guess in my younger days I would have tried it but being older(not wiser) there is no way I would do it.

That being said if I did do it in a small boat a inflatable would be the safest one.

Make sure you check the wind and swell reports carefully before you decide to go.

Wind and swell charts

http://momentoffame.com/forum/showthread.php?t=144