keeldraggervideo

Sailing Solo to Little Harbor, Catalina Island (August 2018) - Dana 24

22 August 2018 · 41 min · 6K views · Pacific Ocean between Dana Point and Catalina Island

What this video covers

A solo sailor aboard a Dana 24 motors from Dana Point to Little Harbor on the backside of Catalina Island, navigating through the San Pedro Channel shipping lanes. The transit covers approximately 32 nautical miles, requiring careful monitoring of commercial traffic using AIS to maintain safe separation distances. The Raymarine ST2000 Plus tiller pilot manages steering during the calm, light-wind conditions, though the unit requires occasional heading adjustments to compensate for drift.2:40 Upon arrival at Little Harbor, the boat anchors in 25 to 30 feet of water amidst significant kelp patches.27:14 The crew experiences hobby-horsing due to incoming swells and notes the Dana 24's tendency to sail at anchor.30:46 The sailor identifies a need for additional anchor rode to improve scope and plans to implement a bridle or rolling hitch to mitigate potential chafe on the thin anchor line.32:22 Practical takeaways include the effectiveness of AIS for identifying distant shipping traffic and the necessity of carrying sufficient rode for varying tidal depths and bottom conditions.

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Boats in this video

Pacific Seacraft Dana 24Their boat

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