Ah the no mans land that is Santa Maria. so close and yet so far from any decent sailing bodies of water. Personally I am not too sure about any beaches north of Santa Maria as far as Beach launching However I am sure that if you are going up that way you can head out to the dunes and launch from there I have seen people doing that. However, If you are going to drive that far you might as well come down to Santa Barbara. We have a Catamaran beach as you may know that is custom tailored to beach Launching. The surf usually isn't too bad and the whole southern end of the beach is dedicated to cats. You can back your trailer right onto the beach and unload then it is a short drag to the waterline. Wherever you choose to go if you are beach launching make sure you are very aware of the surf. always try and time the sets to go out in a lull and always always make sure that in heavier surf you have that jib pulled in tight. I watched the other day as some novices who clearly did not have much experience in dealing with the surf in a beach launch tried to make their way out in heavier than normal surf and they did not have the jib tight and there was nothing motivating their 16 other than themselves and I watched a series of three good size waves come in and the first one turned the boat parallel to the surf the second one put it on its side on the beach and the third one snapped the mast at a 90 degree angle. Really bad way to end a day of sailing. So, if you don't feel that confident launching in surf then keep an eye out for other people doing it and don't be afraid to ask for tips.. it is much better than going home early with a sick feeling in your gut. Anyway.. hope this helps you out some.