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25-11-2014, 17:36
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#16
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CF Adviser
Join Date: Oct 2007
Boat: Van Helleman Schooner 65ft StarGazer
Posts: 10,280
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Re: Pacific NW veterans
Some thoughts after many years cruising in that area
Think “form follows function” for power boat cruising within the PNW.
Conditions can be deceptively challenging in this beautiful area of extreme tides, cold water, orographic winds and remote steep-to anchorages.
Tender:- I would favor a strong aluminum Tender (14-16ft) that you sit inside rather than put your bums on the tube just inches from that cold water.
- Tough resilient hull because you are beaching on rocks to get Clams, Oysters, Mussels, handling crab pots and dragging tender back to the water if tide is receding.
- 15 to 20 hp outboard that gets you easily planning but trolls well (4 stroke) for salmon fishing the exposed tide lines and the more productive early/late change of light times , while the mother ship sleeps quietly at anchor.
Boat:- Well insulated with a dry heat source to minimize condensation
- Good helm visibility to pick your way thru wide bands of logging debris and flotsam that collect at tide lines…
- I would prefer a small flybridge for maneuvering in tidal currents.
- Obviously set up to protect you from the cold rain and spray, when you turn into lousy weather within the channels.
- I would favor storage capacity and cruising range over Speed as it is a big country where you can disappear for weeks in many a beautiful remote setting that branches well away from the main inside passage.
- Radar…. Much more important than AIS since you can experience local Fog inversion systems, that will last for a week unless you have ability to safely transit out of that area.
- Take a radar navigation course if you have not got that experience
- Watermaker…unless you like drinking brown water from streams (comes from the tannins in the woods)
- Smoker, the best investment you will make to cold smoke all that wonderful seafood you will catch
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25-11-2014, 17:57
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#17
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Petersburg, AK
Boat: Outremer 50S
Posts: 4,229
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Re: Pacific NW veterans
Quote:
Originally Posted by KTDTX
So, you would run out 600' if in 100' of water? half chain, half nylon?
Did you ever find a use for a spool of line on the bow too? Tie off bow & stern to land if shoreline contour is amenable and water too deep?
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On the first part, I use part chain part nylon, I'm sure that will start an argument over part chain or all chain.
As to the second part, I hesitated to mention that technique, but yes, there were many times when I found a nice indentation in the coast, ran out a bow and stern line to shore, and didn't drop an anchor at all. Personally I like that method, YMMV.
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30-11-2014, 08:58
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#18
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Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Galveston, Tx
Posts: 7
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Re: Pacific NW veterans
Great to know--can never have too many options in a new and challenging environment.
Ken
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30-11-2014, 09:29
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#19
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Vancouver, BC
Boat: C&C Landfall 38
Posts: 821
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Re: Pacific NW veterans
OK 300 foot chain to a 55 lb anchor and 2 150' spools of 5/8 line on the cockpit rail, find the spot drop the anchor back down and run 2 lines ashore, I have never anchored in more than 40 foot of water which turns into 55 on the highest tide IF I anchored at low low tide, get to know your tide charts as they will also give you hint on when to stay and when to run you can get a 3-4 knot lift at times or motor at 4 knot into a 3-4 knot current your choice, lots of places to enjoy and you don't need or want a 600 foot rode, thats just weird, and anchoring in 90-100'................ never seen it...............
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30-11-2014, 09:44
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#20
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Skagit City, WA
Posts: 25,478
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Re: Pacific NW veterans
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pelagic
Some thoughts after many years cruising in that area
Think “form follows function” for power boat cruising within the PNW.
Conditions can be deceptively challenging in this beautiful area of extreme tides, cold water, orographic winds and remote steep-to anchorages.
Tender: - I would favor a strong aluminum Tender (14-16ft) that you sit inside rather than put your bums on the tube just inches from that cold water.
- Tough resilient hull because you are beaching on rocks to get Clams, Oysters, Mussels, handling crab pots and dragging tender back to the water if tide is receding.
- 15 to 20 hp outboard that gets you easily planning but trolls well (4 stroke) for salmon fishing the exposed tide lines and the more productive early/late change of light times , while the mother ship sleeps quietly at anchor.
Boat: - Well insulated with a dry heat source to minimize condensation
- Good helm visibility to pick your way thru wide bands of logging debris and flotsam that collect at tide lines…
- I would prefer a small flybridge for maneuvering in tidal currents.
- Obviously set up to protect you from the cold rain and spray, when you turn into lousy weather within the channels.
- I would favor storage capacity and cruising range over Speed as it is a big country where you can disappear for weeks in many a beautiful remote setting that branches well away from the main inside passage.
- Radar…. Much more important than AIS since you can experience local Fog inversion systems, that will last for a week unless you have ability to safely transit out of that area.
- Take a radar navigation course if you have not got that experience
- Watermaker…unless you like drinking brown water from streams (comes from the tannins in the woods)
- Smoker, the best investment you will make to cold smoke all that wonderful seafood you will catch
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Good advice! Regarding water, I found water is readily available from docks in BC... and usually free. So if you have decent size tanks you are good to go. Some beaches are all oysters.. real thick! they are very sharp. Have some good boots for this as well as that hard bottom dingy.
Gawd... you guys are giving me the itch to round Van isle again!
__________________
"I spent most of my money on Booze, Broads and Boats. The rest I wasted" - Elmore Leonard
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30-11-2014, 10:02
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#21
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Boat in the Med. home base Vancouver.
Boat: 52' Cheoy Lee Motorsailer
Posts: 95
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Re: Pacific NW veterans
Ditto to many of the points already noted.
We have had an express cruiser and now a trawler. Both have pros and cons. Express cruiser was great to cover ground when dealing with the reality of short breaks from work. If you have more time I would go trawler and save the fuel / enjoy the journey.
For dogs, get a great tender as you will be back and forth a lot to give them bio-breaks. We found once north into the Broughtons and beyond that tending to our dog was more work - terrain was far less dog friendly, fewer trails, tougher land access. Desolation and south was fine.
Good luck! It is an enormous playground. You have years of exploring ahead of you!
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