Slogging up the US wet coast

[CptCrunchie]

Left Long Beach a week ago yesterday. 7 fuel filters, a tattering mizzen sail, and our third stopover for parts. Surprisingly, not one marine shop, hardware store, nor anyone we have talked to knows what a propane solenoid is. So, lots of nuked meals thanks to the genset.

Not quite halfway, and the frequency of these waves really suck! We ran into 35 not winds for 18 hours just south of where we are staying over, Fort Bragg, CA.

Updates to come.

[rbk]

[jdazey]

Boy Crunch, you're having a time of it. Hope you survive long enough to post an update.


PS: If you want to avoid the nuker, you might be able to bypass the solenoid (short term solution).


Cheers,

[Cheechako]

Ahh... the "friendly" coast! But hey, you are almost to the "graveyard of the pacific"!

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by CptCrunchie

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We ran into 35 knot winds for 18 hours just south of where we are staying over, Fort Bragg, CA.

Updates to come.

Safe journey, I holed up there three years ago, for a week. Don't know if I sent this link to you before you left:


Trip from San Francisco to British Columbia & Bull Rails

[Capt Phil]

Head out about 80 miles and miss all the crappy weather and other sailors to say nothing of rocks and reefs!
Watch for tanker traffic, though!
Phil

[Don C L]

Yeah stay safe up there! I wonder if you are on your way to Crescent City by now.
The forecast isn't very friendly for that coast north of you next week, as I am sure you probably have seen too.

[Tayana42]

Hey Chrunchie, glad to hear you are still floating. How is the engine temperature doing? Did the cleaned out heat exchanger solve that problem? Sounds as though you are having a tough slog of it making your northing. Tough that the mizzen took a beating. What are you doing now for steadying? How are the fixed ports in the cabin holding up? Are you going into Humboldt or Klamath or just pushing on to Olympia? Whatever you decide I hope you have easier weather from here on. Looks like you may get a few days of favorable winds now.

[contrail]

Originally Posted by jdazey

Boy Crunch, you're having a time of it. Hope you survive long enough to post an update.


PS: If you want to avoid the nuker, you might be able to bypass the solenoid (short term solution).


Cheers,

My solenoid would corrode and fail every couple of years, so I finally made it's elimination (bypass) permanent. Doesn't relieve you of the responsibility of turning on and off the valve at the tank!!!

[CommodoreDoug]

I made the same beat up the coast to Washington exactly one year ago so I have a pretty good idea what you're experiencing. I bypassed Fort Bragg (Noyo) as I heard the fuel dock there shut down and went straight through from Bodega Bay to Eureka.

Englund Marine Supply should have any parts you need and they're just a short hop across the bridge from the marina in Eureka.

If you plan to layover at all be sure to keep an eye out for crab pots when you're back underway. They present quite an obstacle course the further north you go. Not much of a danger to my boat-the hull shape and a skeg hung rudder do a pretty good job of bouncing the pots off to port or starboard but I saw a lot of boats with fouled props waiting for divers to show up.

Let me know if you want or need more info about what lays ahead for you and I'll be happy to provide whatever info I can.

Bon Voyage,

Doug

[roverhi]

If you don't already have this small book, might want to get it. Authored by a guy who cruised the coast in a small sailboat with passages between anchorages usually not more than 40 miles. http://georgebenson.us/sailing/

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by CommodoreDoug

If you plan to layover at all be sure to keep an eye out for crab pots when you're back underway. They present quite an obstacle course the further north you go. Not much of a danger to my boat-the hull shape and a skeg hung rudder do a pretty good job of bouncing the pots off to port or starboard but I saw a lot of boats with fouled props waiting for divers to show up.

There is a reason why many of us around here have line cutters on our prop shafts.

[svigue]

Just as a suggestion for cooking, we have a spare portable burner that runs on butane. Lightweight easy and we can get through a couple meals on one can of butane. Beats running the generator. I see them (as well as cans of butane) in grocery, hardware and camping stores. I’m wondering if a decent marina might carry them. Anyway, good luck with your journey!

[Dooglas]

Originally Posted by roverhi

If you don't already have this small book, might want to get it. Authored by a guy who cruised the coast in a small sailboat with passages between anchorages usually not more than 40 miles. http://georgebenson.us/sailing/

And then there is Cruising the Northwest: A Practical Guide for the Pacific Coast Boater by Don Holm. An old favorite of mine.

[MJH]

Originally Posted by CptCrunchie

Left Long Beach a week ago yesterday. 7 fuel filters, a tattering mizzen sail, and our third stopover for parts. Surprisingly, not one marine shop, hardware store, nor anyone we have talked to knows what a propane solenoid is. So, lots of nuked meals thanks to the genset.

Not quite halfway, and the frequency of these waves really suck! We ran into 35 not winds for 18 hours just south of where we are staying over, Fort Bragg, CA.

Updates to come.

I have a neighbor who built a 57' in LA and did that same journey many years ago...that boat hasn't traveled offshore since. Your traveling a little early in the season for that route. Sounds like your fuel tanks/fuel need to be cleaned while you wait for better weather.

Good Luck.

~ ~ _/) ~ ~ MJH