Tentative dates are August 8-23
Boat: 2004
Catalina 400 MKII
Departing and Arriving @
Seattle
Estimated nm: 1000-1500
This is a progression from past trips to further grow skills and experience. For this trip I'd like to spend 2 weeks off the
Washington and
Oregon coast, 100-400nm
offshore. We'll go south for about 4-5 days (after taking 1-2 days to get out of the straight) and then figure out how to make northern progress over another 7-8. From what I've read, beating north can be a real drain depending on the conditions. So the intent is to use our lateral freedom to create more favorable approaches as well as stretch out our time if we're making too much progress north.
Next summer, and the reason for all this, will be a round trip to/from
Hawaii. If this goes well you're welcome back for that. The goals for this trip are to gain more experience with: 24x7 sailing, sleeping on the ocean, power/food/water management, fishing/trolling, close quarters and prolonged idle time, etc before committing 3 months to HI next summer.
We're looking for 2 others to join my father and I. He's been a recreational
offshore fisherman for 25 years, runs a
charter business, has his captains
license. He however is not a sailor, limited to 1 week last year with me in the San Juans. For that reason, the other 2 joining should have experience roughly equal to my own or better. I'm quite comfortable with my
boat, but I recognize I could still benefit from more skill refinement.
I picked up sailing 3 years ago. Live in
Seattle and mainly sail
Puget Sound. Do day and weekend trips about every 3 weeks for the past 3 years. In 2014 I also did a 2 week trip around
Vancouver Island and a week in the
San Juan Islands. Started
living aboard 2 years ago to better learn the
boats systems. Spent the last 2 years upgrading boat systems for better
passage making, which is 90% complete... but when is a boat every really complete.
Crew will share in sailing, keeping watch and simple
cooking. Should have experience sailing and single-handing in "normal" conditions (even though there will be 1-2 others awake at all times). Experience with foul
weather and/or ocean sailing is a plus but not required. Should have passports and are responsible for transport to/from Seattle. You can stay on the boat for a few days before/after to ease travel arrangements. Crew neither pays nor is paid, though you're welcome to
pitch in for
food and
satellite time.
Equipment highlights:
Sails: 100
jib, 130/160
genoa,
spinnaker, battened main w/ 2
reefs.
Power generation:
solar, towed,
diesel engine alternator, gas
generator.
Comms: sat
phone, sat tracker,
vhf onboard and hand held, walkies,
epirb.
Emergency: series
drogue, 4 person offshore raft,
katadyn survivor 35.
Water: 100+5 gallons (2
tanks + jerry),
spectra 150
watermaker, backup hand
pump.
Fuel: 40+20 gallons (tank + jerry), 600 mile range under good conditions.
Heat:
diesel heater,
engine exchange; hot
water via
inverter, engine or diesel
heater.
Other:
radar,
electric autopilot, will use sat
phone for weather/grib downloads.