Boating in Long Beach, San Pedro and the South Bay

This stretch runs from Long Beach's sheltered bays through the working Port of Los Angeles and San Pedro to Redondo Beach, and it is also the mainland gateway to Catalina. Most boating is inside breakwaters, but you share the water with large ships.

Where to launch

• Long Beach Marine Stadium has a public ramp open 8 a.m. to dusk for vessels up to 23 feet, with no overnight parking. The City lists the 24-hour Davies ramp as closed April 27, 2026 to early 2027.
• Cabrillo Beach Boat Launch Ramp is the main trailer launch in Los Angeles Harbor, with no separate launch fee, only parking. Cabrillo Beach has a protected inner beach for hand-launching.
• Redondo Beach Boat Hoist and Hand Launch is not a ramp. A staffed hoist lifts boats up to 30 feet and 10,000 pounds, and the hand launch is free April through October.

Harbors and marinas

• Alamitos Bay is Long Beach's eastern harbor, with 1,624 slips and a fuel dock. Long Beach Yacht Club is private, with reciprocal moorage only.
• Long Beach Shoreline Marina and Rainbow Harbor are downtown. Rainbow's Dock 8 is a guest dock with a 3-hour limit. See also Long Beach.
• Los Angeles Harbor (Main Channel) has 15 recreational marinas. Cabrillo Way Marina has about 695 wet slips and dry storage. See also San Pedro.
• King Harbor, Redondo Beach has about 1,400 slips. Only Redondo Beach Marina offers guest slips, by advance reservation.

Catalina Island

• Santa Catalina Island is about 29 miles from Long Beach across San Pedro Channel. Leave in the morning, check the NOAA marine forecast and watch for ships in the traffic lanes.
• Avalon Harbor is a mooring harbor, assigned first-come, first-served, with no advance reservations for the public.
• Two Harbors has 700-plus moorings that can be reserved online.

Rules every boater should know here

• Los Angeles Harbor: monitor VHF 16, 14 and 13, and stay clear of large vessels. The Inner Harbor limit is 6 knots, or 5 knots in no-wake zones.
• Controlled Navigation Areas need a Port Police permit, (310) 732-3500. A 100-yard security zone surrounds cruise ships.
• Long Beach pump-outs are for holding tanks only, and fishing from docks is not allowed in the city marinas.
• Catalina: Avalon is a no-discharge area, black water is prohibited at Two Harbors, and moorings are 5 mph no-wake.
• California Boater Card: required for every operator of a motorized vessel, regardless of age, since January 1, 2025.

Conditions and seasons

Breakwaters shelter most mainland waters. The Catalina crossing is open Pacific, and guides advise leaving in the morning, when it is typically calmest. Marine Stadium closes for events such as the August powerboat races, and Cabrillo's outer beach has real surf and rip currents.

Boat services in the region

Warm salt water means regular bottom cleaning and detailing. The Port of Los Angeles asks boaters to avoid improper hull cleaning and bilge dumping, so use divers who know local rules. Haul-out, engine service and dry storage are common needs, and Catalina trips raise demand for pre-trip checks.