Santana Sailing School - sailing courses, clinics, lessons, and adventure sailing

Anchoring at Catalina

This is one of my favorite trips.  The Anchoring at Catalina trip originated in 2007 with a comment from my friend Gabi, who told me she was going to Catalina in July.  When I asked her what she was going to do if there weren’t any moorings available, she said she might have to head back to Newport!  Ooooh noooo!  I realized that there are many weekend cruisers who have just never gotten comfortable with anchoring bow and stern, or even with just a single anchor off the bow, and haven’t had the time to figure it out on their own.

We’ve gotten Anchoring at Catalina figured out, and on this 3-day cruise you’ll learn how to enjoy Catalina without having to depend on the availability of moorings.  You’ll learn how to size up the cove and pick your spot, use the appropriate scope, and deploy and set bow and stern anchors without having to get in the dinghy.  Along the way we usually stop for a swim in one the coves when the weather is suitable.  The goal, at the end of the second day, is to have you be able to anchor bow and stern in a new cove, and lead the process yourself.  And on the passages to and from Catalina, we teach navigation, aspects of passage making, and sail trim.

We run this trip multiple times a year so click here to see upcoming dates.  And of course you can buy the cruising guide, Anchoring at Catalina, to find detailed diagrams and directions for every possible scenario when you’re out on your own.

Enjoy the video, and I hope to see you on the water!

Marc Hughston