Sailing Vancouver to Nanaimo

[Sailor 27]

Looking for tips or advice for our first sail crossing from Vancouver to Nanaimo. We are fairly novice sailors heading to the Gulf Islands in late June. Hoping it’s as easy as it seems!

[Don C L]

Welcome aboard Sailor 27. I don't personally know the conditions up there but you may find something in this group's threads that may be helpful:
https://www.cruisersforum.com/forums...t+sailors.html

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Sailor 27

Looking for tips or advice for our first sail crossing from Vancouver to Nanaimo. We are fairly novice sailors heading to the Gulf Islands in late June. Hoping it’s as easy as it seems!

Like all things sailing, it depends. We have done it by motor on waters like glass and also bashed into 25 knot winds and had a rollercoaster ride

A lot of people take the more direct passage across to Gabriola Passage and then sneak in the back way but you have to make the slack work at Gabriola and Dodds, so that may turn it into a two day excursion. But it's a good out.

Don't be intimidated by traffic. Coming into Northumberland towards the south side of Protection Island we ran into 3 ferries, a freighter and a couple of seaspan carriers all within a few miles. But there's lots of room for everyone.

But just watch your weather and enjoy.

Good luck and don't forget a celebratory beer at the Dinghy Dock pub!

[Macblaze]

It just occurred to me... you did say novice... You do understand about the tidal passes right?

[Sailor 27]

Glad you mentioned tidal passes! Can you share more info or tips? My knowledge is fairly limited. Are there particular channels in this area we should be aware of? I understand we need to be extra careful with the tides in Active Pass and Dodd narrows. Any tips greatly appreciated.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Sailor 27

Glad you mentioned tidal passes! Can you share more info or tips? My knowledge is fairly limited. Are there particular channels in this area we should be aware of? I understand we need to be extra careful with the tides in Active Pass and Dodd narrows. Any tips greatly appreciated.

This is really basic and you should definitely do some more reading on it (IIRC Waggoners has a good section on it)

Every entrance into the Gulf Islands is subject to tidal rapids: Dodds, Gabriola, Porlier, Active. These can vary in power according to the state of the tides. As a precaution you should always check the time of slack tide at each individual pass and try to make your passage then. With Dodds this is extremely important, with Active it is less so but in a sailboat it is anything but pleasant to be bucking a 5 knot tidal flow so until you get to know the individual passes its best to transit at slack.

Buy a 2021 Ports and Passes (https://portsandpasses.com/). You can use an app like Navionics but frankly they have been off enough for me that I'd rather have a paper book that I trust. Besides its a great guide.

You will see all sorts of boats go through at all stages but they are generally relying on a) local knowledge and b) more horsepower. Its often safe to just follow someone else on a similar vessel to yours, but there have been stories where that didn't work out so good i.e. "the blind following the blind" Still, don't be the first through a place like Dodds and watch what happens the boat in front of you.

But this important stuff in the PNW. You will encounter tidal passes all along the coast of BC and Washington. Do some more research.

[TrentePieds]

Vancouver to Nanaimo is dead easy. Take your departure from Pt. Atkinson Light, the one on the corner of English Bay and Howe Sound. From there your rhomb line is about 255ºT and your distance about 24 NM to the entrance to Nanaimo. From there you will see the northwesterly point of Gabriola Island about four points (45º) to your port side about a mile and a half distant. Thence a new rhomb line of 220ºT for about 4NM will take take you nicely clear of Gallows Point, the southernmost point of Protection Island, on your starboard. From there a new rhomb line of 280ºT for about 1/2 NM will take you to the entrance to the yacht basin just below the Bastion. Make sure you report to the office to check in and get up to date on current regulations.

If you were crossing this morning I'd expect that crossing the Straits you'd have the wind nearly on your port beam at about 10 knots, i.e. a really beautiful sail.

Flood tides run "up Strait" at about 1knot and ebbing tides run "down Strait". Thus, if you time yourself so you are on one tide for half you crossing time and on the other tide for the other half of you crossing time, so the tide change occurs when you are in mid-strait, you can just steer the rhomb line and the set of the tides becomes inconsequential. If you do it all on one tide, which you can JUST do on a beam reach in a 27-footer, you need to compensate your "course to steer" for the tidal set. A set of 1 knot when your speed through the water is 5 knts demands a fairly large compensation. Plot it on you paper chart :-)! Chart#3483 will do you. Canadian regulations require that you have paper charts aboard even if you have the fanciest, most up-to-date electronic navigation instruments. So use the opportunity to become au fait with REAL pilotage :-)!

Whenever you make this passage, keep a sharp look-out for ferries. They move FAST! This is really, really important at the mouth of Howe Sound and at the entrance to Nanaimo. Read up on the COLREGS before you go, and keep them handy in the boat for reference. Then observe them. Scrupulously.

Have fun:-)!

TrentePieds

[Sailor 27]

Unfortunately paper charts are sold out everywhere! I’m trying to track one down or borrow from boating friends. These tips are so helpful. Keep them coming

[Sailor 27]

I just ordered the book. Thank you!

[Wulf]

Run down to your local marine store and pick up a copy of Ports and Passes. Good tide and current tables as well as detail on all passes etc that you will encounter. Also download AyeTides to your phone for additional tide & current info and visuals of what both are doing.

[TrentePieds]

Sailor27:

Drop me a PM and we'll see what we can do :-)!

TP

[Kelkara]

You don't say where in Vancouver you are starting. Unless you're coming out of the Fraser then I wouldn't even consider Active Pass. Coming out of English Bay with a NE wind (especially from the south shore of English Bay) my boat is unlikely to make it to Nanaimo on a single tack, and with an ebb tide even Gabriola passage is sometimes too far upwind, making Porlier Pass sometimes a good choice if I'm really heading for the islands and not Nanaimo.


Heading for Nanaimo you don't have to worry about the tide in Dodd's Narrows until after you have crossed the strait, it's only a problem after you have left Nanaimo and heading into the islands. Gabriola Passage there is anchorage (albeit crowded) in Silva Bay if you arrive too early/late for a slow enough tide, but Porlier has nowhere sheltered to wait on the outside.



Going straight from Point Atkinson to Nanaimo, your course does not cross the "Whiskey Golf" military exercise area, but it does go close, so if you stray north of this line you will need to be aware of whether WG is active or not, and stay away if it is.


And as others said ... pay attention to the weather forecast, it could be dead calm motoring the whole way, or good sailing in a nice breeze, or stay home and don't go conditions.

[Cabo Jim]

Sailor 27, welcome. As mentioned if you sail the direct route you don't have to worry about any passages but always have a plan B in your float plan if something unforeseen happens like bad weather or breakdowns. Sylva Bay on Gabriola might be a good plan B destination if the tide is right for Gabriola passage. Avoid the float plane landing strip to port as you enter Nanaimo harbour. You should be able to anchor in the anchorage off New Castle Island.

[Marathon1150]

Originally Posted by Sailor 27

Unfortunately paper charts are sold out everywhere! I’m trying to track one down or borrow from boating friends. These tips are so helpful. Keep them coming

The Nautical Mind bookshop in Toronto has charts. They could expedite a copy to you.

As others have said, having charts on board is a very good idea and a legal requirement. The fine for not having them on board is between $200 and $250, so the small cost of a chart is a good investment from a financial perspective but critical from a safety perspective.

[canyonbat]

Why even go to Nanaimo? There are so many great places in the Gulf Islands to explore without dealing with the crowds and traffic, land sea and air that is Nanaimo. Nanaimo is a great stop during a trip north but, as a destination from Vancouver, not so much. As pointed out above, the Waggoners guide will be your go to resource at least at first. The Navionics app, while not always spot on, never let us down on our trip to Alaska and back. Ports and Passes is very useful but there is a bit of a learning curve to using it.

If you do go to Nanaimo, be aware that the mooring/anchorage area in Mark Bay is very busy and has boundaries that are strictly enforced (if you anchor outside the marked area, you might be run over by a sea plane). The mooring balls are either for boats under 30 ft or boats under 40 ft. The 40 footers are often full but there are usually 30 footers available closer to shore. You can also tie up at the docks. The trail around Newcastle Island is wonderful.