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Mission Change - Redondo Beach and Catalina Harbor (March 2026)
March 16, 2026 · 26 min · 2K views · Redondo Beach, California
Sailboat 'Vermont' anchors in Cat Harbor under blue sky
What this video covers
A Valiant Yachts 40-2 sails from San Pedro to Redondo Beach and then to Cat Harbor on Santa Catalina Island, navigating fickle Southern California wind conditions. The solo sailor uses the Dockway app to secure moorings in Redondo Beach and relies on the Orca Display 2 and Orca core 2 for navigation, integrating NEMA 2000 data with a MacBook Air for course planning.▶ 5:28 During the transit, the crew monitors shipping lanes and AIS targets, specifically tracking the vessel Geronimo while crossing toward the island.▶ 7:59 The trip involves coordinating with other boats, including the Beneteau 57 Vanishing Point and the vessel Stoked, to manage passage timing around the West End of Catalina.▶ 0:19 Throughout the journey, the sailor frequently switches between motoring and motor-sailing due to light or contrary winds, noting that local conditions often deviate from GFS and European model forecasts provided by PredictWind.▶ 13:31 The experience highlights the necessity of balancing routing software with real-time observation of local wind shifts and sea states when planning coastal passages in this region.
Boats in this video
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