Help with a fiction novel

[michaelzargona]

Hello all! First post. I'm not a sailor, I'm a writer and am looking for some help.

I've published two books and am working on the third. As part of the story, the main group of 8 adults and 3 children must journey from the Puget Sound, WA area up through the Inside Passage, across the Bering Sea (avoiding Anchorage area), along the Aleutians, and then finally stop near Vladivostok, Russia.

Some background: it's a dystopian / apocalyptic story, more 1984 than Road Warrior but some of both. No fuel...which means wind power. No one is chasing them, so the dangers will be natural. And, given that route, there should be plenty. I haven't had much luck finding people who deep sea sail up there.

I've done a little bit of research. At this point I've settled on a Skookum 53 as it's a) a pretty believable boat to have in Washington State and b) it seems too small for such a big group but not impossibly so. Obviously a huge ship that does everything comfortably is not great for dramatic fiction, and a bathtub with a handkerchief on a stick for a sail isn't realistic. I do know the Skookum 53 is a motor sail and has a number of systems dependent on generator-run electrical power, so finding workarounds is both mine and the characters' job. I like how all of these boats have been customized over the years and all seem to have a unique flair.

You've made it this far. What I'm looking for from the sailing experts:

1. Tell me I've either made a good choice in the Skookum 53 (and why), or a terrible one (and, yes, why and what do you recommend).
2. What are some things that can go really wrong with a boat like this, and also with the route? I'm pretty familiar with the tides around the San Juans (I live in WA), but everything north of there is unknown to me.
3. Do you have any interest in looking at the rough draft portions related to the trip? These are big books so this is only a relatively small part of the overall story, but I don't want to gloss it over.

- M.Z.

[Jamme]

Welcome. Interesting post! No experience with the area or the vessel, but interested in reading from people who cruised there or know about the Skookum 53 (seems like an old research vessel). Good luck with the book.

[jordanbigel]

From what I see of the Skookum 53 when I google it (here: https://www.boats.com/sailing-boats/...um-53-8050179/), I don't think its a good choice because it's not a "sailboat" so it would not be able to cross oceans without fuel. It is not a motorsailer either, it may have a small auxiliary sail, but it would not be realistic to have a boat like this in a story involving sailing thousands of miles on wind power.

This might be a better choice: https://www.yachtworld.com/yacht/199...nd-52-7104559/

[Rohan]

Originally Posted by michaelzargona

1. Tell me I've either made a good choice in the Skookum 53 (and why), or a terrible one (and, yes, why and what do you recommend).
2. What are some things that can go really wrong with a boat like this, and also with the route? I'm pretty familiar with the tides around the San Juans (I live in WA), but everything north of there is unknown to me.
3. Do you have any interest in looking at the rough draft portions related to the trip? These are big books so this is only a relatively small part of the overall story, but I don't want to gloss it over.

Your Skookum 53 is what they call a motorsailer, primarily a powerboat but has auxiliary sails. It would definitely not be the ideal choice for 11 people sailing a great distance. HOWEVER - in a post apocalyptic scenario I can easily imagine that all the ideal sailboats are taken or destroyed, and this is the best available. Assuming they have no fuel, they could remove the diesel engines - that would reduce the weight, and free up storage space, make sailing a little more feasible.

Another option is that more and more boats are converting to electric power, which runs on batteries that can be recharged from time to time with solar power. Especially if the story is a few years in the future, sailing in this boat with an electric motor to give it a boost is a possibility.

8 adults and 3 kids would be a little cramped, but its doable, and again, post apocalypse beggars cant be choosers. Most likely, they would convert the salon table into an extra bed.

Everything can go wrong with any boat, not just this boat. Most common show stopping problem among extended voyages is rudder failure. If the rudder falls off, or is stuck, they need a way to steer. If they don't have an emergency rudder they would have to improvise one, and that's not easy. Other possible problems include losing sails or mast due to storm winds and not taking down sails in time, colliding with a floating shipping container breaching the hull and letting water in, sea sickness among passengers, not enough fresh water on board, or a fire on board.

But anyway, remember to use nautical terms, not land based terms:

Not "bathroom", but "head"
Not "bedroom", but "cabin"
Not "kitchen", but "galley"

[Tetepare]

As a non-fiction writer, I’m envious.

Just write stuff and make it up. Nobody is going to expect correct details or research them, so simply entertain.

[Calif.Ted]

Couple years ago Discovery Channel did a series about a group sailing from Polynesia to and thru the northwest passage in a Ferrocement boat. Each episode starts "23 boats attempt the NW passage, 21 turn back, 1 sinks and one makes it". You keep thinking "this must be the one that sank" but no, they made it. Boat and crew seemed incapable of making this voyage, but they did. Can I suggest it as excellent research material for your book.
https://www.discovery.com/shows/expe...on-to-the-edge

[JAFO]

What about a Formosa 56.. like the Lost Soul, of 'Latitudes & Attitudes' fame? At least it's more of a 'real' sailboat, and less of a motor-sailer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv71tTjwdWc

[Stu Jackson]

Unless the plot requires that course, going that way to Vlad. isn't very feasible, i.e., against current and wind. Someone who wanted to go there would fist go south to SF and then to Hawaii and then west.

[michaelzargona]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

Couple years ago Discovery Channel did a series about a group sailing from Polynesia to and thru the northwest passage in a Ferrocement boat. Each episode starts "23 boats attempt the NW passage, 21 turn back, 1 sinks and one makes it". You keep thinking "this must be the one that sank" but no, they made it. Boat and crew seemed incapable of making this voyage, but they did. Can I suggest it as excellent research material for your book.
https://www.discovery.com/shows/expe...on-to-the-edge

I did run across this one during my research. That ferrocement technique is pretty old-school and interesting. But the boats I found made with it seem to be very unique handmade jobs. Not saying that's a deal breaker, but they're TOO quirky for what I'm trying to do. With a set model, readers could plug it into their phone or PC and get an idea of what it is. Plus, the boat should be pretty plausible --- it's the crew that lacks experience and really shouldn't make it. I.e. not boat vs. nature, but man vs. nature.

As for the "not a sailboat" comment, I am partially basing the boat on this one: https://www.53skookummarine.com/

Which seems to be a "real" sailboat to me.

[Lost Horizons]

Originally Posted by michaelzargona

[*]What are some things that can go really wrong with a boat like this, and also with the route? I'm pretty familiar with the tides around the San Juans (I live in WA), but everything north of there is unknown to

Two things will go wrong with this scenario:
1) Russia is a terrorist state where the masses were trained to hate Americans. Your travelers will be robbed, raped, and killed upon arrival. Send them elsewhere, please, unless the above is a part of the plot.
2) You cannot sail up the Inside Passage, it is a strictly motoring trip. You will be moving against the prevailing winds in a narrow channel with wild currents. In many areas there will be no wind at all due to the terrain. They will not make it much farther than Nanaimo without fuel, which is fortunate considering (1). Go directly to Hawaii instead, then sail westwards with the trade winds. It is easily doable in a summer.

[Oeanda]

I’d be interested in 3. Though not from a ‘expert sailor’ perspective. But born, live and sail in a fair chunk of that area.

I think it’s important to have some backbone of accuracy though there are many ways you can twist that. The background is just that - the background. There doesn’t need to be all that much of it. But what’s there needs to nail down a believable idea, IMO, for adequate suspension of disbelief It’s a bit of a dealbreaker if it’s just B movie unbelievable. Since actual reality is already conveniently available for you to research as a background, you just have to try to figure out a sense of what (parts of) life on that coast is like, and use that, rather than making everything up. Making everything up would be pretty dicey, not to mention hard work…

What first comes to mind is that if you plan to sail that whole coast to the north you are going to spend most of the time waiting on wind and tide and logistics. In fact, I don’t think you want to sail up the inside passage at all. It’s called that for a reason. You are probably going to have to go outside and rough it and even then the winds might not be with you most of the time At best, lots of boredom and frustration to allude to, in between whatever excitement occurs.

Edit. Of course if this reality gets in the way of a good story, you could just disregard the reality of the situation. But even then- I would try to steal an alternate reality from some other coast and use that. Because it will make your job much easier, and more believable as long as you don’t get too specific.

[nightowle]

Consider a steel hull Bruce Roberts ketch.

[jordanbigel]

Originally Posted by michaelzargona

I did run across this one during my research. That ferrocement technique is pretty old-school and interesting. But the boats I found made with it seem to be very unique handmade jobs. Not saying that's a deal breaker, but they're TOO quirky for what I'm trying to do. With a set model, readers could plug it into their phone or PC and get an idea of what it is. Plus, the boat should be pretty plausible --- it's the crew that lacks experience and really shouldn't make it. I.e. not boat vs. nature, but man vs. nature.

As for the "not a sailboat" comment, I am partially basing the boat on this one: https://www.53skookummarine.com/

Which seems to be a "real" sailboat to me.

Definitely that is a sailboat. Not sure how both these boats - the one you linked and the one I found in google could be the same boat.

[Franziska]

Originally Posted by Lost Horizons

Two things will go wrong with this scenario:

1) Russia is a terrorist state where the masses were trained to hate Americans. Your travelers will be robbed, raped, and killed upon arrival. Send them elsewhere, please, unless the above is a part of the plot.

2) You cannot sail up the Inside Passage, it is a strictly motoring trip. You will be moving against the prevailing winds in a narrow channel with wild currents. In many areas there will be no wind at all due to the terrain. They will not make it much farther than Nanaimo without fuel, which is fortunate considering (1). Go directly to Hawaii instead, then sail westwards with the trade winds. It is easily doable in a summer.

At first I like to mention that I am not in favor of any of Russias politics, leadership or their incredible and horrible wrongdoing at the moment.

But to state that all Americans going there will be robbed, raped and so on is utter nonsense.
There are also plenty of normal and friendly people in Russia. They simply have no choice to really change the big political picture.
Not everyone has the courage to be Nawalny or similar.

I've sailed to Russia (Black Sea, Sochi) a few years ago. We where always met with friendliness and given a warm and cheerful welcome.
Don't get me started on the authorities corruption though....

Most Russian are just normal human beings.

For the novel it might be interesting to include some good and some bad Russians...

[michaelzargona]

Originally Posted by Franziska

At first I like to mention that I am not in favor of any of Russias politics, leadership or their incredible and horrible wrongdoing at the moment.

But to state that all Americans going there will be robbed, raped and so on is utter nonsense.
There are also plenty of normal and friendly people in Russia. They simply have no choice to really change the big political picture.
Not everyone has the courage to be Nawalny or similar.

I've sailed to Russia (Black Sea, Sochi) a few years ago. We where always met with friendliness and given a warm and cheerful welcome.
Don't get me started on the authorities corruption though....

Most Russian are just normal human beings.

For the novel it might be interesting to include some good and some bad Russians...

One of the adult crew in the story is Russian --- one reason they're heading that way. I have a friend teaching English in Moscow, married to a Russian, and they're just like the rest of us, trying to make their way in the world and doing the best for their families and friends.

Sailing to Hawaii isn't really in the cards; too much of a presence by the bad guys. In this near-future scenario, there's some pretty serious climactic change. This definitely could affect wind and water currents, though not tides. Good info about the Inside Passage; if they have to just sail on the ocean/west/windward side of all of those islands to have it make sense, that's fine.

My nautical terminology is limited to what I learned as a Marine (and we generally hate boats and being underway) and sport fishing in the Sound. The basics will be fine, but from reading the forums here and my earlier research, I need more to get to that second or third level and impress the reader. You read my novels, you should learn a little bit!