Absolutely love your videos! I'm on my 4th Catalina 27, currently a 1986 and loving her. I solo sail mostly between Dana Point and Catalina. Up and down the coast from DP about 60 miles. I've had many dreams about what you have done, so many thanks for letting us live through you. Just turned 62 and my wife asked what I wanted? My answer is always sail to Catalina, Maui in my dreams...
@@StephenAldaco I've learned the most through on line sailing groups and just doing it, sailing. To each is own, but I'm mostly concerned with having a sea worthy vessel that's relatively safe. Lipstick is not too important to me, it's what's inside that counts. I've been happy with all four 27s and know them pretty well. All have been far from perfect but have been perfect for me. I've created a little home away from home to use as an office, build my business and if the wind is good go for a sail, take her out at least 120 times a year. Enjoy your adventure!
Thanks for the video. I like how the boat looks. I am amazed how there are no bugs crawling around,,,it's so great...like traveling means usually going to a motel room and dealing with insects and cockroaches and other gnats and bugs. There are no bugs whatsoever on that boat, probably partly because you keep it so clean but also probably because there are no bugs on the ocean and nothing can get into the sailing craft. This is Very appealing to me. I must plan this soon.
@@anthonymikel Well, I am contemplating sailing my 'nonsuch 26' from San Diego to The Philippines.... or maybe paying someone with experience to do it for me.
Seasick and miserable and wet. Been there done that.leaving oahu on a 30 footer. For me after my first 3,000 miles and a few landfalls like samoa and fiji i never have been sea sick again. 100,000 miles later. You learn a lot from these first months of ocean voyaging Sail on
Is the water leakage from outside the cabin something specific to the Catalina 27 or your Catalina 27? I ask as that is the exact boat I am researching for purchase (here in San Diego) for trips up and down the CA Coast, Catalina regularly, and the dream in is Maui! Getting wet (in the cabin) in seas would not be acceptable to me. (Other than the hatch missing the foam)
It was due to the storm that I charged through, under full sail. I had 14' seas, and winds in the mid 30 knots. My vessel was literally duck diving waves, no exaggerating. The massive amounts of water rushing over the decks caused the onslaught of water. During the 5 other years I sailed that vessel, it was never a problem. Just don't go duck diving massive waves, under full sail. My purpose was to push the boat hard during that storm, since it was near shore. I figured if anything was going to go wrong, it would go wrong during that.
@@anthonymikel Thank you. I grew up sailing but only racing (Hurricane Gulch, and San Diego Bay) and never have had my own boat. I did crew to Catalina and back several times. I have many wonderful memories of Crewing on two different Catalina 27s. I have very little time behind the wheel/on the tiller. Since I am just getting started and you have the benefit of hindsight, would you go with a 27 again or move up to a 30 or even bigger? I am trying to take advantage of the fact that 27s can be had all day long between $2,500-5,000 on the West Coast (I am more in the $2,500-3,500 range). Do I wait another year and save more money and get a bigger Catalina? If I live my dream, I will be doing what you did on your 27. So, what are your thoughts looking back and knowing money is a real issue. I am 66 years old. I am very skilled technically (electrical/solar, engines, residential plumbing) but not boat-technical (standing rigging, exterior refinishing, radios, navigation equipment, winches, ....). Thank you. I am really enjoying this series and am taking it in small scoops so I can enjoy it more. I had a cat named "Diego" that look just like your First Mate. Loved those colors.
My cat grew up on the Ocean and swims voluntarily. Stick to what you know. We were together almost 9 years. Went to a marina for 2 weeks and she got hit by a car and is dead now. Should have kept her on the ocean!
Sailing SunSpot: 27ft Catalina: Anthony Mikel very sorry about the cat- what was it’s name? I used to have a cat until I went through a divorce. I miss not seeing the cat a lot more than ever seeing the x. Great video, takes more guts than you let in on solo sailing. I’ve been out on many power boats growing up with my cousins. Have another cousin in Wisconsin that I’ve seen & he mentioned that he’s learning to sail on smaller Hobie cats etc. I plan to either buy a Hobie cat 16 myself or a small day-sailor like a Capri 18’ or O’Day 20’ etc. Like to be able to trailer it. Learn on a lake then practice around Long Island Sound living in CT. That’s connected to the Atlantic Ocean sailing up to Cape Cod. Water doesn’t scare me as much as Deep Saltwater does, capsizing or ending up in the water for any length of time with larger predators like bull, tiger or white sharks. I know I hear it all the time - chances are slim encountering one but my luck neither me nor the sharks is great with math or statistics to favor the outcomes. Capsizing a Hobie Cat isn’t scary- it’s being in deep saltwater trying to right it is my scariest part of it. That’s why I haven’t tried surfing or paddle boarding. Sailing is as close to being in the water as Id like to be. Irony is if I were much younger I’d have ignorance & youth on my side but taking up sailing being older I know all the hidden dangers from sailing mistakes to something happening to the boat or lastly what’s lurking in the waters makes it fun but with great preservations. Safe sails & good winds ahead
@@Mikinct Sorry I came off so aggressive. Her name was Poquita, and she was everything to me. I'm a loner, so it was just me and her 95% of the time. I never leashed her or locked her up. She followed me around like a dog. Even hiked together never tied up! Believe it or not, I learned to sail by reading books written by circumnavigators. My favorite is, "Cruising Under Sail" by Eric Hiscock. Never set foot on a sailboat till I bought this one at 40yrs old, but I solo sailed it from day one hardly ever turning on the motor. Used 7 gallons of gas my first four months of sailing. From day 1, I knew what everything on the vessel was, how to survey it, and how to fix every aspect of the boat from osmosis repair to rigging the mast. I read everything I could get my hands on for about 8 yrs.
Hey man I'm thinking about making a trip like this from San Diego in my thirty two footer. Would be curious to know what your sailing background/experience is and what preparations you made before doing this. Subscribed and I will watch the rest of this series for sure!
Bilge pump worked the whole time. I charged through a storm for 72hr with winds gusting to 40mph and 16' seas. My gps recorded the vessel reaching 12.4mph at one point. That is about 1.5 times hull speed, so my bow was plunging into and sinking into the waves causing solid sheets of water to run over the decks. Water was coming in from everywhere, and my boat remained constantly healed over through out the entire storm, making my bilge not the lowest point of the vessel anymore. The quarter birth lockers were now the lowest point inside the cabin, and that is where the batteries were. Had the vessel not been heeled extremely over for near 72hrs the bilge could have pumped out the water.
In four years of sailing, that is the only time I so aggressively charged large seas during a storm with full sail. I've given the vessel no reason to duck dive through waves for 72 hours straight. It's the only time it ever happened. So, no, I did not even attempt to waterproof it more. It's a huge turtle hatch, and the vessel shouldn't be duck diving waves. If someone wants to sail in those conditions, a coastal cruising sailboat is not the option. Blue water vessels have already worked those issues out. Not many people duck dive there 27' Catalina's through tall waves in storms.
Yeah, if you use real music in the background, RU-vid blocks your videos and puts all kinds of restrictions on them. If you want decent background music, you have to pay for the rights through different apps. Unfortunately, the free music you are legally allowed to use without copyright infringement isn't great.
