New member with heavy question

[jreiter190]

Did not realize that you have a motoryacht. Looked it up, saw a picture and think you should just follow the good advice on timing and you are good to go. Don't worry about what "chicken little " says about him not knowing how your boat doesn't capsize at the dock. He's all about gloom and doom. Tact is not his forte. I can't figure what is his forte .

[s/v Beth]

Originally Posted by TacomaSailor

"The straits can really get cooking right around race rocks. A 4 knot current against you and a 25 knot with you. Prepare for very steep choppy waves."

Did I misunderstand something in the original post?? I can't imagine why one would consider the conditions at Race Rocks when heading from Victoria to the south end of San Juan and Lopez Islands.

Race Rocks is 8.5 NM SSW of the entrance to Victoria Harbor. Rosario Straits and Deception Pass are almost due EAST from Trial Island which must be passed with the island to port after leaving Victoria Harbor.

U are right TS. I just notice that current does carry through the strait. Once you are at past Haro it tends to decrease. But the chop is still there. I would not sail it. But you have a whole lot more flexibility if your motor is running. I would say also that wind, current and swell together make for a great ride.

[Cheechako]

If you are asking, I'm assuming you don't have much experience with this. It could be a rough trip... the Straight can be very rough and hard to make distance with currents and tides. Then there is the "higher winds than predicted" scenario. It was just a couple weeks ago we had unusual 70 mph winds.
It's always a turkey shoot. If you know your boat top to bottom, have confidence in your abilities etc that is another thing.

[jkindredpdx]

I haven't looked for that day, but you may be able to swing south of San Juan Island and catch a favorable current.

[techmans]

Make sure your fuel tanks are clean.Chop has a tendency to churn things up that have been lingering at the bottom of your tanks and will then clog your filters.
I sold fuel at BC's mid-coast for 5 years.Cruisers then met the chop in Johnstone Strait, got into trouble with their engines sputtering and then came on the VHF blaming me for selling "bad" fuel.
It was never "my" fuel but always their tanks that were to blame.

[anacapaisland42]

NEVER be afraid to turn back, we've ALL done it
Bill

[farm sail]

Cruising on a schedule is always a dangerous game and the fact that you're here asking about conditions such as this tells me you're uncomfortable with them so I would suggest not going unless you're comfortable with your boat comfortable with the conditions and not worried about missing the schedule

[alctel]

That part of the strait can get VERY choppy where the rosario strait and the juan de fuca meet - over 15 knots it'll be really pretty hairy, especially with an opposing current/wind.

On the plus side you can hug the shore all the way till the Haro strait, then cross to the south side of the san juans and then hide at the South end of Lopez in one of several little bays there if the crossing looks a bit wild.

I tried crossing in 15-25 knots from Lopez -> Port Townsend and had to turn back - it was standing/breaking 4 foot chop with maybe a second intervals. Really not fun.

[Ironman162]

Im going to go out on a limb here and say don't do it.

Why? Well deep inside all of us is a voice that knows your abilities and that of your boat very well. I trust that voice obove all.

Before I'm shot down in flames, I agree the technical jargon is important and must be studied in detail, no doubt about it but for me, my gut feel comes first.

There are reasons why you have doubts about this trip. Something is worrying you. If it was me I wouldn't do it regardless of what is said.

At the end of the day its your boat and your call. I have found a schedule one of the deadliest things on a boat - it makes you take risks to meet the deadline.
Well thats my two bobs worth ..don't do it.

[a64pilot]

It's always better to be at the dock wishing you were sailing, than to be in the storm, wishing you were at the dock?


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[TacomaSailor]

Come on guys - it is the Straits of Juan de Fuca, Haro, and Rosario. They are notorious for nasty weather and surprises. I sailed them for over 40-years and made hundreds of crossings and they still worry me - every time.

The OP is thinking carefully and asking good questions but, eventually you have to go and nothing in the weather forecast tells me that Wednesday the 16th would be a problem.

I plot, plan, think, and worry - but eventually cross pretty much every time I've wanted to. Some of the trips were nasty, a couple scary, and one dangerous due to sudden unexpected fog in the central convergence zone near Smith Island with several big fast ships on radar.

But, they are just a part of the Pacific NW cruising and boating experience.

Make the trip with a sharp weather eye and a plan to bail out and wait in Makey Harbor or Alek Bay. I've waited for a weather window in each place many times and have enjoyed each time.

[s/v Beth]

Remember the storm two weeks ago? I was almost past Cape Flattery around Distruction Island when that hit. They had 80 kn winds out there. Instead I trusted my gut and held out at Port Angeles and then Neah Bay til Thursday after. Made a safe dash to Astoria in 33 hours.
I trust my gut, and getting every weather prediction I can get my hands on

[jreiter190]

OP,what kind of power do you have? What speed can you make in displacement mode? Most of the advice, while good, seems to be coming from folks who think you have a sailboat. You DO have a motoryacht, don't you? Why can't you just get experienced help with this trip?

[Talelajo]

I'm too late and too long from that area to give any practical advice whatsoever, and other forum folks seem to be doing just fine with all that. I did want to address the issue of standing on the dock trying to decide Go/No Go. We all know this one - we've planned, prepared, checked and re-checked and still remain on that damn fence. What to do?
I say, trust your spidey senses. What does your gut/heart/intuition say? Prob. everyone on this forum has a disaster story that begins, "Something told me not to go and I did anyway..."
But fear will keep you on the dock too, so how do you tell the difference? For me, fear snarls, yells, nibbles, and screams. It's rats in your head, sometimes really BIG ones. And it talks way too much. My intuition is always calm, it never yells and speaks clearly and succinctly.
Fear: You DON'T know what you're doing...., did you even THINK about....you are SUCH a baby, what about lions and tigers and BEARS oh my!!! (fear loves exclamation points and all caps)
Intuition/Spidey Sense: You'll be fine, you can go. Or: Don't go. Or: Something's not right, you need to re-examine this situation.
I trust mine right down to the ground, and I've (finally) learned I don't even need to know the whys or why nots behind the decision, nor do I need to justify it to anyone else.
I'd love to hear how others experience this.

[a64pilot]

Remember when you were a kid standing at the edge of the high diving board?
Well, there are two types, one jumps and the other walks back and climbs down the ladder, depending on which one you are, is how you handle it.