Inside Passage

[welljim]

When is the best window to do it, and how much motoring is expected if I don't mind being slow (I'm cheap on diesel) :-p

If a lot of motoring is required, how much would it help if I did it in a less favorable weather window?

Average sunny windows per season?

Many thanks

[NoTies]

Ummm, what "Inside Passage"? Somewhere on the US west coast I assume but I stand to be proved wrong.

[Paul L]

If you are talking heading to Alaska on the Inside Passage, then if you have a performance boat and like to sail then you might expect to motor 75 or 80% of the time. Seasons are different as to how much rain - a lot or a real lot.

[welljim]

Yes, I'm talking about Van <-> Alaska.

80% motoring??? That's crazy... how about if I did it during the hardy season? Ideally, I would like to identify a window that would allow for the least amount of motoring, and most amount of sun. I suspect there would have to be a compromise, i.e., get a bit of both. When do you think that is? Does someone have the experience to give the tradeoffs in a percentage format, per month?

Many thanks

[DeepFrz]

Check the weather stats for the BC and Alaskan coast. Environment Canada should have historical stats. Of course you never know how much or for how long it is going to rain. If I remember correctly June had the least rain, statistically, however, you never know...

http://scieng.library.ubc.ca/blog/va...onment-canada/

[Paul L]

If you want to sail, then go outside. I took a very easy sailing J37 up the inside. I probably averaged 2 hours aday under sail going up. If you go in the summer then the days are long and you have more time to sail. The days get short latter in the year. In the summer the winds are either non-existant, blowing down the channel in your face or straight up the channel at your back.

[bobconnie]

I really believe that 75-80% is a close motoring amount !! and as said going outside might change that some ! ya never know up there ! if ya don't have enought motor ya better watch the tides ! theres some places ya need to motor at 8 or 10 knots if ya miss and some that are more then that !! just sayin some times the wind blows right and sometimes it don't !!!

[DeepFrz]

The natives up there call sailboats "stickboats" because they only see them motoring with a big stick growing out of the deck.

[KEG]

Head out past Hawaii then north to the Alaska pan handle then sail down the passage. Follow the jet contrails to Hawaii, north until you need a parka and east to the North American coast.

[HappySeagull]

...go April to mid-June for the SE. Come back before September's end for NW or you'll be beating in the rain. Sure, motor the passes if you must and the obvious lees but 80% motoring is not required unless you have to get somewhere on time as many do. 20% is pretty generous. None at all if you are really crazy to be in Mother Earth's Good Book.
Sailing to windward won't kill you either. You will see the country. Have a nap in a cove until the tide weakens.Tacking against a small flood is better than tacking with a big tide "helping" but that will be dmnd obvious....Wait awhile before starting motor when the wind dies. It often comes back. Quiet won't kill you.Keep going. Fish.
There's usually a very short window in August of SE -the first gale you could say...to get a start out of the southcoast.
If you go outside, you will spend a lot more time going in and out of inlets -a trip in itself- unless you want to make an ocean passage of it.

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by HappySeagull

....
Sailing to windward won't kill you either. You will see the country. Have a nap in a cove until the tide weakens.Tacking against a small flood is better than tacking with a big tide "helping" but that will be dmnd obvious........

Yea, I'd like to see you short tack the 70km of the Granville Channel. If you need to make time, just go offshore and make it a passage.

[HappySeagull]

Grenville Channel is not the only option "inside".

[Paul L]

Originally Posted by HappySeagull

Grenville Channel is not the only option "inside".

So how much time would you allot to sail 80%+ of the time from Nanaimo to Juneau via the Inside Passage? Like I mentioned before I sailed it on a fast, easy to handle boat, with plenty of inspiration to sail. Still ended up with massive motoring on the inside.

[Cheechako]

There is effectively no sailing inside Van Isle... too much current and no or fluky wind. Crossing Queen Charlotte will be a matter of weather and wind direction. My impression is it's easier sailing back down due to wind direction.

[rognvald]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

The natives up there call sailboats "stickboats" because they only see them motoring with a big stick growing out of the deck.

DeepFrz, I wonder if those "stickboats" are the same boats we see all over South Florida and the Caribbean? They must make really good time!